Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-06-17
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
Centennial Matters Important Conventions
General Topics.

run the gauntlet OF struggle and apuse'
The church is blest that does not have Pc
riodical battles,il fitting with its professions
of peace and goodwill, and through all low
or bodies and corporate interests running
fight is more or less constant. Ii ls De-
cause we are SO very free that we think ex-
istence not worth having unless accompan-
led with the condition that we may strike
right and left upon any, or without any,
proyocation? The latest instance of this
unfortunate prediction is the squabbling
in or over the Centennial administration.
1t would be thought that every man would |
labor to promote harmony instead OF dis |
cord in a project every way 80 important, |
vet we find that disturbances have either |
wrought mischief I'D the relations of the |
Joint Centennial bodies,o else that outside |
parties have been unhappliy exercising |
themselves to create ill feeling. Either way
the case is bad enough. The public is as
sured both by the Commission and by the
Board of Finance that the bodies are IN en-
tire harmony, yet there is proof that each
corporation has gone to the trouble Of pro-
curing the opinions of leading lawyers sup
porting their several claims for precedence
| In the management of affairs That treaty
| of peace has been signed we are all glad TO
know, and the hope is that it may endure,
but there are sufficient evidences Of
struggle which barely escaped being dls-
aster.
Gould not all this difficulty have been
| avoided by having one Centennial head IN
stead of two? Philadelphians back the
Board Of Finance as being the local pow
er but this is surely a narrow view, and
opposed to the profession constantly made
that the Exposition is not Phlladelphla
but national affair. Though the money
was raised hereabouts the Exposition
would never have attained it's present pro-
portions without the Commission, and that
everybody but the most conservative of the
homeguard sees. 1t is foreign co-opera-
ton which has made the Centennial what 1t
is, and there would have been none OF this
cooperation without the national influence.
It seems, TO some of us, that the proper
course would have been to have made the
treasury call it Financial board or whatever
else-a committee or sub-departmsnt OF
the Central Commission. Thus, all would
have been under one control and there
could have been no excuse for conflict.
CENTENNIAL NOTES.
Political excitement detracts consdera-
bly, from the attention given to the EXPOSE
tion on the part of residents, though It
seems to make no difference in the arrivals
: from surrounding parts. The rural element
! among us is very noticeable, and as pleasing
, as il is strange.
+ As yet the visitors are near-at-home
strangers. Reading. Lancaster, Trenton
.n5f naiohl,oplaov,is reprosvnUeu ny 1uol
i distances send the bulk of the throng
i There have been many visitors from New
York, Baltimore, Harrisburg and localities
! Of that distance but it Is found that few
g persons have come from as far as Pltts
burg.
Tie Exposition is now nearly as perfec
as we can hope to see it. Turkey is moi
quite in order yet, but ia rapidly approach
e ing that point, and i'll every other depart
Il ment, and in all the arrangements for the
y comfort of visitors, the highest point seem
a to be reached. Come now, and see thu
l. great fair i'll it's glory.
Is 1t is singular to note how early calcula
T. tions of the value of outside locations TO
1t business were falsified by after events L
a. WAS once thought that Belmont Avenu
(, would le the great centre. The Globe Ho
ly tel is there, the Operti Garden, Doyles AM
is Fischner's Restaurants, &c, and all othe
le proprietors rushed in to follow that lead
le But after while it was discovered tina
le Belmont Avenue except at its extreme UP
n, upper end was not nearly as good stan
n, as Elm Avenue. The latter thoroughfar
il was deserted while the former was scurr
n of carpenters and painters; now the case
g. reversed-Belmont Avenue ID deserted an
ne Elm Avenue is doing all the business. Th
Ii reason seems to be that the former stree
of is used simply as an approach, while th
latter is the lounging place, running as
does along the Main Building and being th
point of departure of the street cars. Be
mont Avenue is ready to sell out at next
70 nothing.
10 IMPORTANT CONVENTIONS.
an There has been an almost apparent col
,tv cert of action on the part of the variol
to bodies holding their anniversaries a6 th
es- season to make Philadelphia the point {
rtv Assem- blage. General conventions OF an i
fi. teresting character are announced to
ah- held here during the whole of the Cente
ow NAL period and it is probable that there W
ec be scarcely a day that some association WI
not be in session, and generally several W
be transacting business at the same Tin
During the present week there nave PEI
six of these Conventions, either of WIN
di- in ordinary times would have attracted u
1b- full attention of the community. Ii
llty most notable Of meetings were the Nation
sle- Temperance Association, the Association
0ns Medical Superintendents of Institutions
is the Insane, and the American Society
low Civil Engineers. II it be admitted that t
ana latter appeals to restricted class 1t mt
ole be allowed that the interest In the two I'll
at is real and thorough. So at least 1t h
nay proved, for the proceedings have be
ira eagerly scanned by multitudes of reade
Die, The Temperance association varied It's pl
ken ceedings by holding session on the Ce
bill tennial grounds, while the action Of
his authorities in permii ting the sale of liqu
j 1T on the premises was reviewed i'll lively fat
ion The meeting of Superintendents
ion been the means of assembling grea
AXE number of earnest and learned men,
3 to voted to the care of the insane, than hs
ever met on any similar occasion. The
cussions have taken wide range, covert
!. both the question of the proper administ
ton of Insane Asylums and the causes 8
methods of cure of mental diseases.
)ev- the gentlemen corcened say that the gr
ould cause never had as bright future bef
;, - it, either in America or Europe, as at pr
,st; ent.
isCi- FEES vs. SALARIES.
such ..t,a,, ,r,ot,,o. {. Ro,
+. officials should be paid by salary or from