New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-07

domestic economy: and belonging II canhot pc 10
parded a. in the slightest degree qualifying OF anew
inc the respectful and cordial Invitation gwen ny
Congress and the President to the governments Vi
the world. or limiting our fair responsibility a.
nation 10 give our guests a proper recepnoh'
IL the State of PENNSYLVANIA or any huni'ip"i VI
other body lad agreed TO furnish tho necessary
frnds for carving ont the Fxhbitorl-and congress
hod already been assured by the proclamation ol
,ho President oountersigncd by the Secretary OF
State. that the provision for suitable ouliu'neS'
which their first act had made conditioh pfece"en'
the issuing Of the proclamation had been secured
the confidence created by the issue OF the proclama
ton through the State Department may explain III
mart the nroylso in the second act. But he tins as
il may in case the buildings deemed suitable Wheh
the proclamation was issued should be found inSuih
Gent for the space subsequently asked for 10y Tor
eicn Governments or in case the provision maze LOT
their erection should prove inadequate, can IL DC
commanded that our Government is relieved from the
duty of providing the reasonable accommodation re-
ouired by the convenience of foreign powers De-
carse of error of calculation or of Judgment com
mittcd by its own officers! Then again, apart from
the question Of suitable buildings Congress seems
to have anticipated that the general expenses OF inc
international Exhibition would amount TO a large
sum- since by their act approved June l. loaz' cS-
tahlisbjnc the Centennial Board Of Finance, they
a.
millions of dollars by the citizens Of each state ana
Territory for an "amount not exceeding It's quota
according TO its popuIati0n and the proceeds OF this
stock together with the receipts from all other
sources were to be devoted to the objects OF the
original act.
This plan is reported to be not successful whether
from fear that tho Exhibition under the auspices
of the National Government wonld not he hnancl"i
success. a fear stimulated perhaps by the hnanciai
crisis and TO which the result OF the vienna
Exnos,tion NAV have contributed. or possibly,
from a feeling that a national ceIeDratioh
Of such deep interest to the entire people,
inaucurated by Congress- and to be heid
under the auspices of the Government, should be
nrovidel for by the National Government, and not
left TO the voluntary and prccarous contrbutonso OF
individual citizens. Whatever the reason the attempt
TO raise money by the voluntary action OF the STATES
or Of the people for the proper execution OF an ACT Oh
Copcrcss appcars TO have been a. Intellectual now as
il was found to be under the Articles OF Coniedcra
ton nearly an hundred years ago: and there Is
nothing in the result to lead us to diSruSt the WIS
dom of our fathers in replacing those Articles by the
National Constitution and substituting the will of
the nation, by Congress enacted 1Or that oil the
people Of the separate states.
IL Congress has been mistaken in its plan OF rals-
ing the ten millions intended for the purposes of the
Exhibition that mistake certainly does not change
the attitude of the Government toward the foreign
governments which have accepted its invitation, nor
reicve il of the responsibility it has assumed before
Its own people and the whole world of making the
celebration 1876 that will correspond with the
historic grandeur Of the occasion, and with the pride
and wealth and dignity Of the Republic, in welcom-
ING for the first time the governments and nations
of Che world
IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATITY.
VIZ IN have rightly apDrcclatfd
the gravity Of the situation when, on the Goth of
February last, in transmitting the report OF the
Centennial Commission he reminded Congress that
"a failure in this enterprise would be deporable,
and added in conclusion: Let us have complete
success in our Centennial Exposition or suppress it
in its infancy acknowledging our inability to give
il the international character to which our self
esteem aspIeS" Congress responded to that appeal
Nv the act of the 9th of June. 1874 abiding to the
international Exhibitions of the Old World at which
the United States bad been represented, and request
ing the President to extend a cordial and respectful
invitation to foreign governments TO take part III
the Exposition. under the auspices of the Govern
ment of the United States.
That believe, was the last authoritative express
sion of the will of the people of the United States Ill
Congress assembled, and the 10th of May, 1876, is
fixed for the opening of the Exhibition with appro
pirate ceremonies in the presence of the representa-
tyes of the governments OF the world. One lesson
taught by the exhibitions of Europe is the
Importance of punctuality. At Vienna the effect
of the opening striking as it was, was
impaired by the unfinished state of most
of the departments, and notably of our own. OF
Che ARRANGEMENTS at Vienna the Centennial Commits
sion were admirably advised by the reports of their
skillful agents, Mr.. Henry Petit and Prof. w. L.
Rlakc Prof Blake remarked zone great lesson
which each succeeding international exhibition has
taught is hero ropeaicd-want of time" Again, hc
rad in reference to Centennial. i'll bis report OF
July 1G, 1873: "As proposed in the drauglt Of
rerlatious reported to Congress in February last the
buildings should be ready for the interior work of
installation before November, 1915. Less
time will not suffice. lake even twice the
time md have even twice as efficient organza-
ton as at any other exhibition, aud there VIII not
he AN bour to spare" Prof Blake laid stress this
As essential to avoid delay confusion, and waste but
above and beyond these considerations is the
one thought that all the preparations of the Centcn-
NAL Commission representing our people and our
Covernnent. should be such that The representation
of no other government shall bedelaycd. The open
ing has been postponed from April 10 TO May TO- bat
Iboarif asked whether the Commission have allowed
themselves sufficient time, not simply for the com
pIetion and internal decoration of the Centennial
Luiliings anil the careful installation OF the goods
arriving from every quarter OF the globe
but for the completion OF the separate cdi
fees Of which, in the Pratcr, there were about 2oO
and Of which a larger number may be advantage
ously admitted in the more extensive GROUNDS %
Firmount TO be erected by ne representatives. OF the
governments and people of all nations and by the
citizens of our own States. Omit these, ana Il NOS
nstructive and pleasing feature of the Exposition
Vienna. which we can present under peculiar al
xantages would be lost.