The Washington critic., 1886-03-22
rur PERMANENT EXPOSITION.

II
To establish a Permanent Exposition
in the National Capital is the object of
the movement recently projected by q
number of the citizens Of Washington.
They have been induced to take the
initial steps In this great undertaking,
for the reason, that all things con
sidcred, there is no place in the coun-
try where the conditions of success can
be so happily combined rs in Wash.
ington, and for the further reason that
the approach of two notable anniver.
saries renders the present peculiarly
appropriate time for setting the wheels
in motion.
The foundation or nucleus Of the
enterprise is already here At no
other point will there ever be u collcc-
tion of objects of interest, 50 valulble
and varied, as are already to be found
in the National Museum, the Agricul-
tural Bureau, the Smithsonian lnstitu.
ton. the Patent Office, the Medical
Museum, the Botanical Gardens and
other Departments of the Government,
all of which are available to the pur-
pose in view and year by year en-
hancing in magnitude. The Govern.
ment owns the property and can utilize
ii in the way proposed. 1t owns am
pie reservations on which to erect such
additional buildings as may, from time
to time, be needed for the better pres.
ervation and display of these exhibits.
With this much stock in hand to be.
gin with, 1t is next advised that the
several States and Territories, the
Republic of Mexico and the countries
of Central and South America be in
vited to join with the Government of
the United States in amplifying the
scope and usefulness of the exposition
by contributing to it of their various
products and resources and thus rem
dering 1t truly representative of the
trade, commerce, agriculture, art,
science and material progress of the
Western Hemisphere.
1t is with view to elaborate the
plan thus briefly outlined and to secure
the necessary legislation from Congress
to carry it out, that Commissioner
Webb, Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Exposition, has ap-
pointed the Board of Promotion an.
nounced this morning. 1t is needless
to say that the success of the enterprise
depends upon the energy and zeal with
which this committee proceeds to the
discharge of its duties.
There are several points, however,
that the committee should lose no time
in impressing upon Congress and the
country.
One is that the exposition is in no
sense speculative scheme on the part
of individuals. The underlying idea of
the whole business is that it shall be
maintained and managed by the Gov
ernment in the interest of the people.
Another is that it is not intended
to interfere in any way with local
enterprises of n similar character, but
to supply a want that local enterprises
cannot supply for grand National
Exposition that shall represent all sec
tions Of the country and the highest
mutual interests of the various govern.
.areart''and nations of the New World.
once started, it will be the pride of
IS continent TO sustain it. Started
now its Inauguration can easily be made
the chief feature of the commemora
tive festivities of our grand Constitu
tional anniversary in 1899. Its founda
tions will be so securely laid and it
grandeur so permanently assured by
1892 that ii will attract the presence o.
both hemispheres to our celebration o.
the discovery of America by Columbus
A meeting of the Board of Promo
tion will be held some time during tn,
week, at which the whole subject viii
be presented and such action deter
mined on as shall be deemed most ex
pedient to enlist early action in tn
premises on the part of Congress,