Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-29
WHY WASHINGTON WAS CHOSEN.
Remarkable Advantages Of the National
Capital for the Great Exposition.

Capital for the Great Exposition.
MANY REASONS THAT INDUCED THE CHOICE OF
THIS CITY As THE PLAcE-A CITY NEUTRAL IN
COMMERCE AND PROVIDED ALREADY WITH
NUCLEUS FOR GREAT EXPOSITION.
In an interview last night with Secretary An
derson, Of the Three Americas Exposition
Board of Promotion, THE STAR reporter Sc
cured an advance copy of an important state
ment which he had just completed to send to
boards of trade and others throughout the
country, in regard to the remarkable advan-
tages Of the national capital for the great ex-
position of 1892.
the movement for n Three Americas EXPOSE
ton, to be held at the national capital in 1892
the national and international features have
been kept at the front. and comparatively little
had been said about the remarkable advan-
tages of Washington as the site of the exposi-
ton
''Such a statement has, until now. seemed
unnecessary for the reason that the press and
public have, with marked unanimity, consid-
cred the location as settled in favor Of the
national capital
But the recent attempt by parties in New
York to capture the exposition, which national
board of promotion has during the past three
years planned and developed, suggests the pro-
pNlcty VI u sthtcIucnt OF Important 1dctS.
Washington is the city of the nation and
Of all the states-the national capital Of over
6O.OOOOOO people. IL Is, therefore, a city in
whose adornment all American citizens have
an equal interest and pride.
las il Is neither manufacturing nor
commercial city it has no foreign commerce,
hence New York, Philadelphia Boston,
Chicago, st. Louis, Cincinnati, New Orleans,
San Francisco, Nashville. Richmond Savannah,
Kansas City, Pittsburg Baltimore and other
in fbSf ,-.rSIa Of
the Three americas exposition. With the expo
sition located at Washington, which is neutral
ground the various cities mentioned will have
an equal chance In competition for Spanish,
American trade. which Is one of the funda-
mental ideas of the movement, whereas if loca-
ted in a manufacturing city that place would
have an undue and unfair advantage.
AT the national capital there is an ex-
position nucleus, or plant. to commence
with, which has already cost over $50 O0O 600
i mean that the National museum, Smithsonian,
Washington monument, the capitol buildings,
the patent office. and the various department
buildings, with their relics, treasures of art,
and practical workings of the government, are
all practically an exhibit and a constant source
of attraction to visitors. 1t is much more dig
nified to keep these valuable relics and ex-
hibits ut the seat of government than to further
engage IN the trayeling-show business by
periodically depicting the National museum
and departments in order to take governmental
cities, as has frequently been done.
whatever money may be appropriated
for exposition buildings at the national
capital will be a safe investment, for the build
ings will be needed for all time for govern
mental purposes, and are not to be torn down
and the material sold at great sacrifice. In
brief, the expositian of 1892 can, and should,
be made the means of enlarging the present
National museum into Three Americas or con-
tinental museum. containing an exhibit of the
history
Industries of the new world since its discovery
by Columbus 400 years ago.
''At the close of the New Orleans expo
sitlon a few years ago it was the sentiment
OF the press that the next great exposition
should be governmental in its management.
In harmony with this idea the board of pro-
motion, in its first memorial to Congress in
advocacy of the Three Americas exposition of
1892, said: To prevent any possible misunder-
standing II may be well TO state, at the outset,
that we who are advocating the proposed cele-
brations and exposition at the national capital
desire that they be entirely under the auspices
and control of the general government Both
the magnitude and dignity of the project
forbid its management by a private corpora
ton
Washington is the capital of the old
est and foremost of the nineteen independ-
ent sister nations of the western hemisphere,
and, for this reason, the appropriate place for
an exposition under the joint auspices Of the
governments of said American nations. This
idea was eloquently expressed by Hon. A. NJ.
Soteldo, late minister at Washington from
Venezuela, who said: The four hundredth
anniversary of Columbus discovery of the new
world could not be better celebrated than by
the Inauguration of this exposition in this
grand metropolis, where all the nations of the
American family would be found. as it were,
clustered together around the Washington
monument
1T has an easily-accessIble park of 800
acres within the heart of the city, extend
ing from the capitol to the Washington monu-
ment, to which Is now being added 700 acres
by the reclamation of the Potomac flats, max
ing total area OF 1000 acres. This park is so
accessible to the leading hotels that not even a
street car is needed to reach it. To this can, if
necessary, be added 200 acres of comparatively
unimprOved property, extending from the
State, War and Navy building to and including
the National observatory, which is soon to be
removed.
Its transportation facilities are ample both
by rail and river, and it has a surrounding
population within a radius of 200 miles, or one
nights travel, of 10000 900 souls
1t Is surrounded by scenes of great historic
Washington and other places dear to the Amer
lean people.
1T has magnificent and broad avenues
and streets, paved with asphalt and lined
with beautiful shade trees, making il the city
above all others for the military and civic
Parades which are a prominent feature of ma
tonal and international celebrations
lit Is centrally located between the north
and south and the natural meeting place for
an industrial exhibit of those two sections.
"A prominent feature of great worlds fairs
Is the educational advantages, and no other
American city has so much to offer that is in
structive in the line of American history as
Washington.
AS the exposition Of 1892 will be held
during the next Presidential campaign it will
naturally be freer from political intrigue
and influence if located in Washington. which
Is a disfranchised city, than if located in
state which Is the battle-ground of American
politics.
Washington is accustomed to great ma
tional and international gatherings, and is
Tor that reason very elastic in accommoda-
lons for guests. In addition to its present
hotels, and many more to be erected, nearly
the whole city Is accustomed to being trans
formed into q clearinghouse on great occa-
sions.
AS Philadelphia had the centennial ex-
position of 1876 and the constitutional CEN
tennial Of 1887, and New York the centen-
NAL Of the Inauguration of Washington last
spring. the national capital should now have its
turn, and the voice Of the American people
fayors Washington city for the exposition OF
1892
For more than fifteen years Congress
has appropriated large sums of money for