The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-05
The Three Americas.


Thus early preparations for the three
Americas exposition, to be held in
Washington in 1892, have become ac-
tive. A much heartier interest has
been awakened than was hoped for,
Spain and Italy being as anxious to CO.
operate as the American countries.
Spain has officially informed the United
States minister at Madrid of her inten-
ton to contribute toward the success
of the prodigious affair, and Italy re-
Gently organized at Genoa a board of
promoters that has entered its duties
with apparent ardor. 1t goes without
saving that the individual states of this
country will vie with each other in
representative contributions, and con-
gress will practically insure the success
of the exposition by its liberal appro-
priation, the expectation being that no
less than So, 200 900 will be devoted to
that service. Doubtless the United
States has greatest interest in It's
movement, as the oldest and foremost
of the nineteen American nations, and
most is reasonably expected of her.
National pride will make every citizen
anxious that this shall be the most tri-
umphant of world eXpositions, as it can
not fail to reflect especial glory upon
this country, though it is an event in
which all the world should be interested.
Mexico seems to be as enthusiastic
over the great plan as any state of the
American Union, while South and Cen
trail America evince a zeal far greater
than was expected when they were in
vited to cooperate. Nothing ever
done in this country to attract the at
tention and patronage of foreigners has
approached in magnitude the arrange
ments for the exposition of 1892, and
in extent and character it will be little
different from a worlds fair. The
main responsibility will rest upon the
United States, no matter how literally
and handsomely Spain, Italy and the
South and Central Americas cooperate,
and with us will lie the discredit of fail
ure or the glory of success. The COM
mercial advantages that may be pro-
noted and established by this eXposi-
ton movement are, of course, of greater
and more enduring importance than
the temporary gains of the show in
'92. 1t has been pointed out that the
annual foreign commerce export and
imporD of the American nations south
of the United States exceeds Sl,000,-
900 in value, and the United States
supplies scarcely one-siXth of their i'm
ports, England, Germany and France
having the lions share of the trade.
We need boom in this direction, and
nothing will more surely secure us the
desired benefits than successful eX-
position at Washington. That we are
not inappreciative of the Importance
of the occasion was manifest in the
promptitude with which the governors
of forty states and territories and the
mayors of sixty leading cities formally
accepted membership in the national
board of promotion, and pledged their
active cooperation. This interest is
now so urgent, the matter involved one
of such vital significance, that coop
erative action by congress will hardly
be delayed longer, and the fifty-first
congress probably will consummate the
project of taking the initiatory steps in
making the requisite appropriation
Chicago Inter Ocean,