The New York herald., 1875-09-17
rne Centennial Exhibition.


memorated and of the century Of progress OF
the Republic. The idea of this Exposition is
a grand conception. 1t is not so much the
celebration of the birth of the nation as a
feast in honor of the nation itself The
United States are like young man who has
just come of age and is entering upon his
Estates and these Centennial feteS are TO be
our majority festivities the evidences that
we are nation in everything which pertains
to national existence. The products OF our
soil and the productions Of our factories, the
wealth of our mines and the accumulated in
/ dustries of the Continent, the worth and in
telligence Of our people, are all to be revealed
! to the world as the chief glory of these Cen
tennial days. 1t is the development and
growth of an empire which are to be placed
on exhibition. The New World sends its
greeting to the Old, and asks all mankind to
come and see what has been accomplished
here since the Declaration Of Independence
was proclaimed. Every day brings re-
sponses from nations older in arms and arts
and richer in culture than our own, and
these answers are tributes TO achievements
slower processes Of European growth. One
hundred years ago the Continent was o will
derness. Now a new civilization extends
from ocean to ocean The thirteen colonies
which revolted against Great Britain have
ripened into thirty seven sovereign States,
and in the next half century twenty new
sovereigntes will probably be added to our
/
| vealed Of which the tar-seeing Columbus or
| the adventurous De Soto never dreamed,
and the greatest of these are the free com
monwealths which form the Republic Each
of them has in itself the resources Of an
empire, and all of them must have a future
of which their present condition is only sug
| gestive 1t is partly the mission of the
/ Philadelphia Exhibition TO reflect this fu-
4 ture, and in this view of the case that event
acquires new significance and enforces
new duties upon the people and the States.
We fear that the theory Of our government
is but little understood, and that the impor-
tance of the States as members of the Union
is far from being appreciated, III other lands
To the European mind America is vast
country, mostly Wilderness, very wild even
at its best, only partly civilized and badly
governed. Massachusetts, and Ohio in them
selves are scarcely considered as Of 50 much
Importance as Hungary or Herzegovina. The
newer sovereignties of the West and the
Northwest, from Michigan and Minnesota
through to the Pacific coast are unknown
even in name in countries where Belgium is
power and the relations Of the Khediye and
the Porte are watched with breathless inter-
est. Except in their entirety the States are
terra incoqnitd. This want of knowledge of
the component parts Of the Republic should
not be allowed to continue much longer and
| it will not long continue if the States are all
| ftly represented in the Centennial Exhibi-
ton.
State pride can find no more virtuous
or beneficial expression than through the
completeness and excellence Of State
representation at Philadelphia. We are
not pleading merely for the display
of the best of which each State is capable
Louisiana of her sugar and rice, Mississippi
| of her cotton, Tennessee of her corn, Penn
sylvania of her coal and iron and Nevada of
| her gold and silver-but for such fulness,
both in contribution and arrangement, and
such completeness in variety and detail, that
visit to the Exposition will be almost equal
TO journey through the States. This ideal
! is only attainable through the liberality of
! the Legislatures and the wise and timely ac-
tivity of the State officials and agents. Only
ten months remain for the completion of a
very great work, and four of these must be
given to discussion rather than preparation.
1t is not often that words are as important as
action, but in this case they will not be
wasted if they are employed in urging the
importance Of the occasion and strengthen
ing the general interest in the undertaking.
We are aware that the people are looking for
ward to the Centennial as q season Of national
iubilation, but both States and individuals
must learn that more is necessary to make it
thoroughly successful than pilgrimage to
Philadelphia in 1876. There must be State
aid and generous personal effort if the coun-
try, and especially the States, are to reap all
the advantages which may be derived from
the American Centennial.
While we recognize the earnestness with
which the President and every member of
the administration have assisted in this
undertaking, we trust that in no respect it
will become an administration movement
The Centennial is in every respect national,
and in no aspect must it be allowed to be-
come partisan. The republican party must
not be permitted TO seize upon it as the
heritage Of fifteen years Of power and so
dwarf its significance and its influence for
good. 1t is a cause too sacred for party
politics in any form or under any guise to
seek part in it. A national sentiment can
ftly have only national expression, and
this can be gained by making nationality the