The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-20
THE NATIONAL CENTENNIAL.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE UNITED STATES CEN
TENNIAL COMMISSIONERS ENCOURAGING AN
NUAL REPORTS FROM THE EXECUTIVE COM
MITTEE, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, THE SEC
RETARY, &C.
PHILADELPHIA, May 10, 1879
The nth annual meeting or tue United States
Centennial Commission began at noon to-day &C
the Continental Hotel. rhe attendance, consider
ing the great distances TO be traversed from somo
OF the states was very full and large, many OF
the Commissioners having arrived yesterday.
General Joseph r. Hawley. the President, occupied
the chair All the States and Territories were
represented except California, Colorado DAKOTA,
Delaware, Utah and Washington Territory.
GENERAL HAwLEY's SPEECH.
In calling the meeting to order General Hawley
said that II was now beyond doubt that the
Exhibition would be success great inter.
national exhibition that will be honorable 10 the
American character and useful to US abroad and
at home The Commissioners had never doubted
1t ana the country was beginning to see II. There
has come into fashion. he said, disposition 70
cayil and sneer at everything American, the char
acter OF our public men and the ABILITY OF the
ton to carry on any great work with integrity We
were told at the beginning that nothing like this
could be carried on without scandal We deter.
mined that It should not be so in this case, rDas
there should be nothing OF which any man should
be ashamed, and ar have KEPT our pledge.
tApplause.) We crltIcIse ourselves, tut We do
not feel that we have done anything that ought
not TO nave been done. Whatever can be done at
all by any nation can better lie done by free peo-
pie tnan any other. (Applause) We have proved
1t In many gigantic ENTERPRISES, and IL Is aD.
surd 10 tell us that people who
built railroad across a continent can.
not conduct little show. There have been
obstacles which we did not anticipate. One We
ought not to have met. 1t was the failure oi Con.
gress TO do its duty 10 the Centennial We did
not ask them to pay the whole expense. It would
not in accordance with American institutions
Tor the government TO 90 1t all but there were
certain things thar the government ought TO nave
done. The government should nave borne SOME
OF the necessary expenses or tue Commits
sion and not leave them TO tine city OF
Philadelphia. We thought, too that as the
government invited all other nations 60 compete
they should have provided for the AWARDS. IL
does not seem quite right that the government
should appropriate only 100000 Tor a government
Exhibition. l cannot think that having spent
half million dollars at Paris and more at Vienna
they will do no more for our own Exhibition. The
country Is beginning 10 look at this in tue proper
lignt, we nope. The otner obstacle met
with was the crisis ~ business that
made 1t so difficult 10 raise money was very
glad 10 see tue remark OF a New York newspaper
the other day tnat, perhaps the first step III the
revival oil the bus ness Of the coun ry Will be this
Exhibition ITSELF tApplause) General Hawley
then spoke OF the support the press Is now gen
eraly giving he Centennial; SAID that the omena
were all favorable. and tn ught mat at inc end oi
$4,000, 900 or S6.0000U0 more should nave been
spent. lie ouly knew OF one nation IN the civilized
countries now regarded IS unclvized VIII
send their products There will be plenty ex.
acres vita goods. He TOOK blame to himself ioi
not having done more N the past, and said that
renew efforts were necessary.
THE sECRErARY's REPORT.
Mr.. John /. campbell. inc Secretary, then read
his annual report, In which he asserts that the
work Is gong on satisfactorily. Tue report fur
Their states that
The substantial interest taken in the Exhibition BY
made o o me q the s aT %
the invitation the President issued By direction o.
A4sEfsiia sssiam Iowa. Brazil Canada C6iu Chi.
Treat BRIAN, Guatemala, Hawai- HaSd b iara.
wsy rang fres Se fera PERU Pertuna sSm
spain, sweden, iun Turkey, United states OF Colon
The report was accepted, after which the
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
was also read and adopted. 1t states that
In the report 70 President Grant in January lastn
specific purposes. 10 witt
For he expenses d tue United states Centennial
Awards and expen Incident thereto sSS
fGese 1 are ' ii spensaoc to proper sGscS
Commission as6t u ght % he borne By the gov
owni 70 me aSq q Oh aiming proper
Congress no seton was taken l. Is Confidently ex
Tor this purpose. d the meantime The en,erprs:
the ''i : opis As ine original act Of Com.
s Sndsr the auspices Of o United in oSsasne
20 law cordial invitation mas been extended oy tns
tie e6ased ~ ne n s
Rsdlns the EshiSon Il IS proper therefore. hat pre-
ylsloa should " made ~ Sons,es ,or W. an
character the provision should emanate directly
1e VIII aeyosd % speed
ned purposes Whether ,ney be made or there SUI
lions o the sioci d he hoard q finance Toe rapd
me txuibiton and celebra ion conyinces that the
Executive Committee. under tho direction Of Mrs Z. D.
Gillespie has greatly ENLARGED - influence and useful
agencies which has com 70 the aid of the Com.
obsiSlas MONEY! ii otRsr ways have been exceecinsy
important an y has done much 20 awaken popular In
is 6eadauariers u Phllade phii, { has advised and
and Inc movcnen nj has become national IN its character
aSl sn uef0 large He ha pissed SwaS ana
hough great aoeI are YET q PC performed there can
beneaclai to the people Al large ana an honor 70 the
THE DIRECTOR GENERALS REPORT
gives detailed statement Of the work done. the
bureaus organized and the plan Of operations. Az
20 the system OF awards 4 SAYS
Sss bs ssssa and c5s SG S
also solicited counsel OF large number OF persons
whose connection with previous IN lernatonal exhibit
ions whether as exhibitors commissioners or Jurors
had given them special familiarity with the matter
After mu III dciDcraOn ~ decided retain the
awards. but system greatly different that
adopted exhibition. the disputes which
have heretofore arisen betweea successful competitor
as q the comparative importance OF several
grades Of awards will 10 avoided, It H. hoped
by the adoption Of a single uniform medal. which
snail In each be accompanied BY report and
diploma, stating the ature ~ the merit for who II
awarded. The difficulties which have been experienced
nom tie unwieldy Size n ihs international ureS and
which Anticipated In procuring experts ~ acknow
lodged proficiency abroad have been met by de-
citing upon small body % judges onf-half Of whom
shall from the United states and one half foreign;
while. insure the presence and attention 70 their
duties practically conycrsant with the subjects
they 70 report upon, an allowance designed 70
their travelling expenses and cost Of remaining IN
Philadelphia VIII made 20 the judges As tho result
OF these measures confidently expected that
awards will be made with system and thorough
mess than on any previous occasion, and that ths
character the Judges will recognized value 70
their reports The etais ~ the system Of awards
FrHk .rn saaA liz q