St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-08
Fl FAIR.
Harrison Said to Favor Chicago
as the Site of the Exposition of

Harrison Said to Favor Chicago
as the Site of the Exposition of
1892.
CHICAGO. Sept. 1.-THE following let
ter, addressed to President Harrison at
Deer Park. is said to have called out
from the chief executive OF the nation
a reply which, while automatically re-
strained from committing the admins
tration to Chicago as the site of the
Christopher Columbus celebration, is
nevertheless so worded as to disclose
between the lines the presidents we'll
known prediSpositIon toward the West
ern states. and especially toward Chi
eago as the greatest metropolis of the
Western world. 1t is reported from
Deer Park that President Harrison has
several times i'll. private conversation
expressed himself in favor of the West
Following is the letter:
Chicago, Aug. 20, Is99-Hon. Benjamin
Harrison, President of the United States
Deer Park, Md.-Dear Sir: From a marked
copy Of the Albany On. " Argus, of Wash
ington's birthday, 1889, sent you in the ac-
companying mail. you will observe that a
movement has been under way the past
three years 10 imake the city of Chicago a
center of American literature, travel and art.
Still fu rther efforts to make of this city a
TGCORnlZ6Q C6uleT u american llleFGSlB pe0-
orally have recently taken concerted form in
the organization of the worlds fair quadri-
centennial celebration of Christopher Column
bus discovery of America. The forthcoming
census of 1890 will show Chicago to have
the largest population of any city in the
United States save one. Its commercial su-
premacy is already established it is the chief
grain. lumber. railroad and marine center of
the new world. Less cosmopolitan than
any seaport city and more infused with the
shirt nf WnctarD Qf,fQrnricQ If iC fharnfOra
less European and more typically American
than any city could be not situated in the
heart of the prairies and on the shores of the
inland seas. Three years more, at the present
rate of increase, will probably find 1t lin
1892 the most populous city on the Amer
lean continent, though still one of the young
est, and bearing significantly the name of
one of the most distinguished chiefs of a
race of noble. though savage men. who
roamed its prairies when Columbus discOv-
cred it. Those prairies represented as to
their present population, by a majority of
the members of congress, find their natural
center in the city of Chicago. Your own
elevation 10 the exalted position which you
occupy definitely predicts than the consensus
of American opinion finds its center at about
this point, and that in you, as a Western man
and mind, the popular will and idea find
their most representative focal embodiment
Recognizing these truths. and that through
our n~eighboring state of Indiana very much
of the popular influence is eXerted, we here
with memorabilia you, both as a private citi-
zen and president of the United States, to in
form US whether, having these
definitely laid before congress, an official
recognition of Chicago as he natural center
of the United States might not be obtained,
thus conveying to the world at large, and to
the governments of other nations in
particular, a definite recognition of that
which is already fact, and which. also, a
majority of the members of congress would
doubtless be glad to be given an opportunity
of subscribing, thus tending to give more
definite and authoritative form to a move
ment which has already SO far progressed as
to admit of little doubt that the worlds fair
of 1892 will be held in Chicago. Doubtless.
also, the majority of Eastern as well as West
ern states would be glad to be given an OPP
%pOrtunity to subscribe to the sentiment i'm
piled in such a presentment, and a more hap
PLY concerted effort could be made for the
perfection of a festival in which the nations
OF the earth would enter with zeal could they
but know where and upon whom their en-
deavors should be directed. Respectfully,
The AUTHORS AND TRAVELLERS CLUB OF
AMERICA located at Chicago.
Per X. G.. TODD,
c. H. Mort,
CHARLIE s. LUDLAM