New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-09
THE WORLD'S FAIR FINANCES.

The Worlds Fair Finance Committee made
it's long expected report yesterday. This report
comprises a frank, but not despalnng, state
ment of the obstacles which must be removed
before a complete financial scheme can be de-
vised, and suggestion of the sources from
which funds may ultimately be derived. No
doubt some disappointment will be caused
among those who have not given sufficient
consideration to the nature of the task sub
mitted to the committee by the announcement
of its inability to propose definite financial
plans for an enterprise which is still INDICATED
and unorganized. But it is far better to have
the plain truth authoritatvely declared than
to be deluded with fine programme drawn up
by guesswork.
The fact has, until recently, been largely
ignored that Congress alone can give validity
to a Worlds Fair project, and the Finance
Committee did well to make this the basls~Qf
its report Some things can be done in the
meantime, and one of them is the creation Of
a guarantee fund-which is the single definite
proposal of the committee. The sum of
So, 900, 900 is suggested to be raised and ex-
pended under sensible conditions, and 10 be
represented by stock so soon as authority for
ton. 1t is not safe to predict the result OF
an appeal for popular subscriptions to any OBJ
ject but we think that sufficient degree of
general interest in this enterprise and sufli-
GENTLY intelligent comprehension of its prac~
teal value now exist to make the rapid ac-
cumuation of pledges for this full sum reason
ably certain With that guarantee in hand
New Y ork can make a dignifed and impressive
appearance before. Congress.
The TRIBUNE is not disposed to underrate
or to ignore the difficulties which beset the
undertaking. They must be acknowledged
before they can be overcome. The greatest
of them is the shortness of the time at our
command. The months which must intervene
before Congress acts will not be wholly vast
ed, but it is pity that they can be SO slightly
utilized. Congress cannot reasonably be eX-
pected to take the matter up until after the
holiday recess, and when the strenuous, though
we hope good natured, rivalry of various com
munitieS is considered-each with it's repre-
sentativeS on the floor and its attorneys in the
lobby--it is imprudent to reckon upon a de-
cison before the first of March. The work
will then need few weeks at least to acquire
momentum, and thereafter only two years will
remain for the vast and complicated task of
creating more complete and splendid epitome
of the worlds civilization than any which has
preceded it. We believe that it can and will
be done, but it will be the most tremendous
social and industrial undertaking of the CEN
fury, and only to be accomplished by ceaseless
energy directed with the highest skill and with
a devotion so unselish and absorbing as to be
nothing less than heroic. This, if we under
stand the matter, is the nature of the impede
ments which stand in the way, and these are
the conditions of overcoming them if they are
| to be overcome at all
The Finance Committee deserves the graf
itude Of the community for looking the stua-
| ton squarely in the face, and for declining TO
stimulate delusive hopes and foolish enthusiasm
with promises which it is unable to redeem.