Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1889-07-30
me Greatest OF centennIaIs.

The Greatest of Centennials.
EXTRACTS from an Editorial in New York Trib-
une, Feb'y 90, 1881
In three years we shall reach the
four hundredth anniversary of an
event which has been pronounced the
greatest in human history-the dis
covery Of America by Christopher
Columbus. BY the common consent
of mankind, this anniversary is re-
garded with extraordinary interest.
The Spanish Government began prep
arations long ago for holding in that
country great exhibition represents
ing the arts and industries of Spanish
America. But any plan which omits
from this scope the greatest of Amer
lean Republics and disregards the
marvellous development of the Eng
disappearing race on this hemis-
phere will be grotesquely incomplete.
It is obvious also that such an exhi-
bition as would properly illustrate the
story of America during these four
centuries of magic growth should be
held on American soil, and no more
proper place could he selected for it
than Washington. This is the seat
of our National Government, from
which all the Republics of Central and
South America have drawn their in
spiration, and there would be a pc
culiar fitness in inviting the nations
of the earth to that spot to see with
their eyes the stateIiest structure of
free government the world has ever
held.
1t was proposed to celebrate this
anniversary first by a worlds expo
sition, and afterward by permanent
exposition of the Three Americas.
The House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, wisely we think, rejected the
idea of worlds exposition, but APP
proved that of permanent exhibition
under the joint auspices of the forty
six States and Territories and the
sixteen independent nations of the
American continent. =
To carry out this plan National
Beard of Promotion, composed of the
Governors of most of the States and
Territories, the Mayors of leading
cities, and of which Ex-Governor
William ClaAin, of Massachusetts, is
the president, has been formed to
take the exhibition in charge.
\
The proposed exhibition it will be
seen, is something very different from
the ordinary worlds fair. 1t would
be expected not only to make sci
entific presentation of the progress
of this continent in civilization, but
exercise powerful and lasting influ-
ence in preserving its antiques and
historical records. Major Powell, of
the Geological Survey, favors it in
the strongest terms on the ground
that it would enable us to preserve
countless relics of the seventy-ffve
distinct Indian races which once i'm
habited North America-memoria
which are disappearing every year
before the rising food of civilization.
A special feature proposed is build
ing containing working models of
great American inventions. The ex-
hibition would be free to all the
people.
Washington Is peculiarly we'll fitted
to be the site of such a permanent ex-
position. Unlike most of the large
cites, it not only has the room to
spare but the establishment of such
an exhibition would add to the attrac-
tiyeness, and increase the prosperity
of the city. There is a park OF 800
acres in the heart of the city, stretcff-
ing from the capitol to the Washing
ton Monument. To this 700 acres
are now being added by the reclama-
ton of the Potomac Flats, making
total area, of l 900 acres. The Smith
sonian Institution and the National
Museum which would be practically
part of such an exposition as is pro-
posed, already stand within this area,
and the. great Department buildings,
which would attract and interest the
visitor from abroad who was study
ing American institutions. are not
far distant