New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-31
CHICAGO md TIE WORLDS FAIR.

CHICAGO md THE WORLDS FAiR.
Having discharged numerous broadsides Of
abuse against New York, its location, construc-
ton, institutions and people, the press OF Chi
cago has taken up the more respectable work
of inspiring the inhabitants of that great city
with determination to capture the Worlds
Fair of 1892. This effort has succeeded so
far as to procure from the Mayor the appoint
ment of large committee of energetic citizens
to promote the enterprise There is no law TO
prevent such aspirations on the part OF any
community. 1t is decent ambition II decent
" pursued, as Washington, for instance. has
pursued it, and there is no objection to this
procedure provided that those who have now
been made responsible for it disavow the cam
paign of defamation which the newspapers OF
Chicago seemed to consider an essential pre-
hmnary. On the contrary, Newly Ork will de-
rive direct and practical advantage from the
attempt to prove that the Western metropolis
is the proper place for the fair, inasmuch as it
will certainly result in convincing the world
that the pretence is ridiculous.
Outside of that city it doesn't seem to have
occurred to single human being that Chicago
is qualified for the undertaking. There is
much money there and it may be true that it
would be cheerfully cast upon the waters in
the expectation that it would come back three
years hence, but money is not the only requisite
of success. A varied and instructive exhibit
ton of hog products might unqueStionably be
held in Chicago, but it would be absurd upon
the face of it to establish Worlds Fair a
thousand miles from the seaboard This is
evidently the conviction of other Western
cities. "Much as we should like to see Chicago
have it." says "The Indianapolis News"
"New- Y orl1 is beyond competition the proper
place" Nor does any doubt of our ability to
produce veritablc triumph exist elsewhere
than in Chicago. Says "The Cincinnati Com
mercial- Gazette':
New-Yor has taken hold Of the 1892 celebration in
dead earnest. Nothing to equal the enthusiasm Of
New Workers in this matter ever known among
them and predict that the greatest affair of that
sort ever held in the world Will be the result of the
New Workers. determination They must beat the
present Paris celebration and they can do 1t. They
must to some extent the tide of visitors westward
and they can do IT, They must teach Europe lesson
about America, and they do it. We have faith
that they will do it.
That is a discriminating view OF the case
generously expressed, and the newspapers of
the country are filed with similar comments
upon the great enterprise which New y ork has
undertaken. 1t is rather hard to understand
how Chicago expects TO succeed, with the logic
of the situation and the sentiment Of the coun-
try dead against her. Yon can't have Worlds
Fair unless the world agrees to the proposition.
1t has been decided that New FORK shall issue
the invitation, and except for our spoilt darling
of the West nobody doubts that the world will
accept with great pleasure.
1t is probable, however, that we may derive
a useful hint from Chicago if we keep our eyes
open The preliminary steps have been wisely
taken here, except in one particular. The
citizens whom the Mayor convened last week
might have guaranteed very large sum of
money without the slightest Inconvenience,
and though a contrary view has been expressed,
it is our opinion that they should have done So.
We have no doubt that all the money that is
needed will be forthcoming as fast as it can
be employed, but there is strong stimulus in
spontaneous pledges of a substantial pecuniary
basis, and until that security has been eStab-
lshed it will continue to be possible for persons
who are looking for arguments against New
York to allege that the interest of our people
is impractical. We expect to see Chicago max
ing a strenuous and probably successful can
vass for subscriptions, and parading large
total as convincing argument. Washing
ton, too, has not yet abandoned all hope Of
securing the Exposition, and it is said that a
number Of members of Congress have COM
mitted themselves, to some extent, to support
the claims of the National Capital. If the har-
monious action taken week ago in this city
is followed UP as it should be-and we have
little anxiety on that score-whatever elements
of opposition there may be here and there will
vanish and never be heard of again. The Cham
Der of Commerce yesterday did wise thing in
providing for committee to assist Mayor Grant
in his task of forming a working organization.
We also note with satisfaction President Smith S
forcible ailusion to the paramount importance
of the financial problem, and are particularly
glad that he was able to supply useful basis
for calculation by presenting the official finan-
cial statement Of the Philadelphia Exposition
and an estimate of the receipts and expenditures
of the present Exposition in Paris, obtained by
cable from the American Minister to France.
The interesting interview with Mr.. Dcpew pub
lished in yesterdays Herald viii have an
inspiriting effect, and there are other indica-
tons in abundance that popular enthusiasm is
neither waning nor misdirected. With the an
nomcement of the Mayors four committees
the great project will rapidly assume definite
outlines and thereafter make steady progress.
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TESTING NEW SHIPS.