National Republican., 1876-01-25
CLINT HUIAL BRIEFS.

years behind the people.
The opening day of the Centennial jubi-
lee inaugurates the grandest civic occasion
since the beginning of time.
The civilized nations of the earth will
sit down to a grand banquet on American
soil July 4, 1876. The United States
should be the host.
Faithful over few things" will be the
exclamation of candid men after reading
in another column the financial statement
of the Centennial Board of Finance
Uncle Sam spent nearly half million
upon the Paris Exhibition, including the
cost of six handsome volumes Of reports.
Uncle Sam spent nearly two hundred thou
sand dollars upon the Vienna Exhibition.
His people took high rank in both places.
Uncle Sam undertook return match in
these noble competitions of peace, and the
world agreed to come. But Uncle Sam,
who processes to be gentleman among
the gentlemen of the world, though he &C
knowledges that his people are likely to
make a very fine thing of it. is too stingy to
pay twenty per cent. Of the expense, and
is to decide to-day whether he will let it
break down or not. Poor Uncle Sam.
1t has been sometimes alleged that if the
appropriation bill. now pending in the
House, should pass the amount will be
insufficient and that an additional sum
would be applied'for hereafter. We can
see no reasonable ground for such an ap-
pIehension, for those who will examine
the financial report of the treasurer will
see just how the money has been applied
and that the sum asked for is necessary for
the completion of contracts entered into
for additional buildings demanded by the
great success so far of the Exhibition. 1t
is shown that the sum of $500, 600 will
open the Exhibition free Of debt, and no
one doubts that the receipts will be equal
to the current expenses.
On the Fourth of July the nations of the
world, through their commissioners may
unite at the festive board in pledging
health long life, prosperity and peace to
the American Republic. But who shall be
the host! Shall Philadelphia preside at
that table? or the President of the Board
of Finance or Of the Centennial Commis-
sion? The suggestion is preposterous.
The Government of the United States must
be there, and must be there Of right, be
cause Of her participation in the prepara:
ton of the great celebration. Americans
would blush TO think that the President
gaze greeting to commissions and ambassa-
dors from the thirty-eight other nations,
himself being the guest of municipal or
private corporation. Yet this is what strict
constructionists and ree-and-a-half-cent
members Of Congress would bring about.
Shame on them
1t has been said, at least once, on The floor
ofthe House, that the idea of making money
out of the Centennial must have been an
original one, for the reason that the third
section of the law incorporating the board
of finance provides for the distribution pro
rata to the holders of the stock whatever
balance may remain after paying the debts.
No idea could be more fallacious The
idea Of profit above the capital invested
never entered into the mind of any sane
man; but it was hoped and believed that of
the capital invested a portion might be re-
turned to the patriotic and generous men
who furnished it. The total cost will be
about $1,000, 900, and it was reasonable to
suppose that small percentage might be
saved TO be returned 10 those who gave it,
and it is on this principle that the bill pro
vidcs a return to the Treasury of the United
States pro Tota sum in accordance with
the appropriation.
What wonderful interest this country
showed in the trip of six American rifle
men 10 ireland and England last summer,
graphing every incident of the match with
the Irish team. Two Of them even man
aged 10 represent on their pages the targets
and the precise position of every shot.
The news of the famous victory went over
the country in an hour. and the returning
victors were feted and feastcd and cheered
for weeks Yet our nation has challenged
all other nations to comparative and COM
petitive eShibition-in the words of the
act, IAN exhibition Of the natural resources
" Of the country and their dev slopment,
" and of its progress in those arts which
" benefit mankind in comparison with
at those Of older nations. And the older
nations are coming 10 see this champion of
free institutions, coming to see how the
arts which benefit mankind" flourish I'M
gress which could run away from the arena
where it has asked its artisans. inventors,
and agriculturists to COM
pete with foreigners because the Govern
ment is asked to contribute one fifth of the
total expense would put q great shame
upon IFS people, and would certainly be re-
membered in history. But what remem-
braHce it would be
Every international exhibition thus far
held has resulted in changes materially
affecting the progress of invention, manu-
facture and trade. The latest illustration
is one of the results of the Vienna exhibi-
ton. A gentleman of high authority in
the leather trade, who thoroughly exam
Incd all that was done at Vienna, says that
the increase in our exports of leather and
leather goods from two or three hundred
thousand dollars up TO six or eight millions,
is due 10 the knowledge that went from
Vienna all over Europe concerning the
superiority and relative cheapness of Amer
icar leather. Going back to the exhibition
of 1851, We find that the English nation
learned a great lesson. Ii was made to
know its deficiencies in the arts Of design,
and the result was felt in the foundation of
schools, the importation Of skilled artisans
and quickened life ia large range Of
industries This country has vast deal to
show, an illimitable exhibit of natural re-
sources inviting capital and immigration,
great superiority in mechanical Invention
and the perfection of machinery, with
nothing to be ashamed of in any field of
practical art industry-and can learn vast
FT~N