The Republican journal., 1875-02-04
Our Centennial.

The great occasion to this nation OF the
celebration Of the one hundredth anniver-
sary OF its existence, is now an assured
success The jealousy which was feared
| from other sections and other cities than
| Philadelphia, has not been experienced ;
but on the contrary all have united in
urging preparations Tor the occasion.
| The great and influential newspapers of
the country are lending their powerful
aid. We are glad to see that this is es-
pecially true of the New York Herald
which enters into the spirit Of the occasion
with great zeal The Herald SAYS that. in
an industrial view, the American Centen-
| NAL will deserve to rank with the most
| important events Of the age.
! The question of its pecuniarY success
meets Us on the threshold and the public
needs to be satisfied on this head before it
viii embark with much zeal or zest in an
undertaking which will be 50 splendid n
success if the preparations are adequate,
OF so mortitN ing a failure if the industries
of the world should fail to perceive the
greatness OF the opportunity. Now, it
must not be overlooked that the pecuniary
reimbursement Of the expenses Of such
citing sufficient popular interest to draw
thronging multitudes of spectators, whose
admission fee. are the chief source of in
come. The productiyeness Of this source
Of revenue depends on the interest felt in
the Exposition in the country where it is
held since thousands of natives will cheap
y crafty 1heir curiosity for every foreign
er who crosses seas or makes expensive
journeys Tor that purpose. In this respect
the advantage is UNNECESSARILY on the side
OF the American Exposition as compared
with It's predecessors. In the first place
we haIe the double advantage which re-
suits from the conioint motives Of curiosi-
ty and patriotism, instead of the simple
motive OF curiosity In the next place so
much larger proportion of our popula-
country is in such circumstances OF com
fort and independence as permit them to
make journeys for pleasure and recreation,
that the visitors to a great American eX-
position are likely to be in the proportion
OF three or four to one, if measured by
any other population of forty millions
no of E,r II,
country is conclusive on this point of the
ability of our people to visit great ex
position without pecuniary Inconvenience.
In the third place the Centennial is so To-
Gated as to make it easier tor a large local
population to take part in it than in similar
exhibitions since worlds fairs We're first
introduced. Philadelphia is a sort of cell
tire or nucleus OF our chief Eastern cities
from Boston on the north to Richmond on
the south. distant by less than days
Journey. Boston, Providence, New York,
Baltimore, Washington, the cities Of Con
necticut, the tlourshing cities of New
Jersey, are within such easy distance Of
Philadelphia that nearly all their nhabi-
tants, down TO the class OF day laborers,
will visit the Exposition some of them
once, and a large proportion of them many
times, especially from New York, Balti-
more and the New Jersey cities, whose
people can leave their houses in the morn
ing, spend six or seven hours in Philadel-
phla, and return the same day The local
visitors will be out of all proportion to
those at London, Paris or Vienna, bring
ing corresponding income to the treas
nry of the Exposition. The hotels Of New
York and Baltimore will not, like those of
Philadel phia, raise their prices IN the CEN
tennial year, and visitors can escape such
eXorbitant charges as were eXncted at
Vienna. People will flock to the e1hibi-
ton from all parts Of the United States,
without fears Of innkeepers' extortions,
IN view OF the great number of populous
nelghbOrlng cities which will furnish them
accommodation at the ordinary hotel
charges, besides ai1ording them other OBJ
lects of interest The theatres and opera
will nc in full activity in New York. with
| the best performers in the world, during
the summer of 1876 Almost the entire
Well-to-do population of the United States
will visit the Centennial during some part
OF the season. Multitudes in all parts of
the West and South who have never visit
ed New York or seen Niagara Falls will
avail themselves OF this occasion to do
what they always intended at least once
in their lives, when they can combine the
visit with an opportunity that will not oc-
eur again in this generation or the next.
We therefore conclude that the income of
the Centennial from admission fees apart
from those given by foreign visitors, will
greatly surpass that of any preceding sim
liar Exposition.
Bat will it attract foreign exhibitors
and foreign visitors? There is no reason
for doubt on either hand AS to exhibit
ors, their motive is to bring their goods
into notice and find or extend market.
The United States are the most extensive
and valuable of all foreign markets for
The exporting nations. Foreign producers
nave the strongest motives for bringing
their products to our notice and learning
the nature OF ours, in order that they may
save themselves from vain competition
IN articles in which we are their superiors.
All exporting nations have an interest in
studying our vast market and recommend
ing their goods to American dealers and