New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-06
THE GREAT CELEBRATION.
COME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT CLEARED
UP
w1E ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF THE CEN.
rENNIAL COMMITTEE : AN HONEST
EFFORT AFTER SUCCESS.

EFFORT AFTER SUCCESS.
% As Idttor oJrAs TrtbGRS
Sir: Tho idea of having an appropriate cele-
s,ataon of the centennial of the Inauguration Of
General Washington as President of the United
coates On April 30, 1889, was first suggested in
,he summer of 1887, and in favor of such cele-
h,ation the AID and influence of the Chamber
A. Commerce and the New-York Historical Society
,rere speedily enlisted, for those two organiza-
tiors have been prominently connected for years
,v,yh al public and patriotic movements in this
,sty. and were especially the active movers in
s.curnv In 1883 the celebration Of the centennial
- cha Evacuation of New-York. Each OF these
.rsanizaticns appointed o committee of fourteen;
,he Sons of the Revolution" q lately born but
handy organization of descendants OF soldiers and
,asriots of the Revolution, appointed committee
:, ske number: so did the historic Society Of
n. CSneinnati founded by Washington, Lafay-
etss Rochambeau and their fellow officers In 1888
Ths Mayor Of New-York appointed in November,
1857, o similar committee Oh fourteen
promirent citizens, and the hve COM
mittees thus appointed, making seventy persons ~
an were the nucleus for the proposed Commlttee
Of One Hundred to have the charge Oh the oele-
b,ation. The first meetings OF the JOINT com
.,ts,s~s ware held at the Governors Room in the
-
,.ar,hs soo. and since that time the plans have
s.sr counleted and the details carefully elabor.
Ated.
The original committee has been gradually in'
creased 10 zoo by the addition of gentlemen Of
prominence representing every profession, trade
and calling; Of Representatives of the various
,assonaiities now prominent in American citi-
,enslsip. and Of representatives Of the families
bouorably connected with the Hew-York Of a
century ago. OF this General Committee of Two
Hundred tho Hon Hamilton Fish was made
honorary president and the Mayor Of the city, the
Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, chairman Mr.. Hewitt
resigned ss chairman upon the expiration OF his
term as Mayor and the Hon. Hugh j. Grant, the
uresent Mayor of the city, succeeded him as
chairman. committee of goo is necessarily
unwieldy, and so an Executive Committee Of
twenty seven was appointed, Of which EdDrldge
T. Gerry was made chairman and Clarence w,
Bowen was made secretary.
- To secure thorough and effective work it was
found that still further division Of labor was
necessary, and from the Executive Committee
there were selected the chairmen and secretaries
and some members of ten or eleven different sub
committses-each having charge of some particular
branch of the celebration, and one committee
known as the Plan and Scope" Committee, haV-
ing general control and supervision over all the
others--in fact being the actual working executive
committee for the whole celebration.
The members of the Plan and Scope Committee
are Mayor Hugh J. Grant, ex-Mayor Abram s.
Hewitt Cornelius N. Bliss. Samuel d. Babeock,
james NJ Varnum and Frederick S. Tallmadge
with EIbridge T. Gerry, chairman. and Clarence
w. Bowen. secretary, of the Executive Committee,
members ex.offcio.
a. - 49, "a UUAI
known TO citizens OF New-York, from their political
business or social prominence and several of them
have had considerable experience in the manage
ment Of other large celebrations of this character
-Four, IL not five, Of them are decided Democrats,
while only two possibly three, of them are Repub-
fcans-a fact which should in itself be sufficient
10 disproye Of the absurd newspaper stories
which intimated that the committee was disposed
10 make Republican party capital out OF the ceie-
bration. As q matter of fact. the question of pol
fsics or POLITICAL advantage has never entered into
single action Of the committees. which has stTiven
only to dc what it believed to be most likely to
promote tue success of the celebration.
The chairmen and secretaries Of the sub-com-
rees were selected solely because of their execu-
tive capacity and their supposed inclination to
rive the necessary time and attention to
the numberless petty details incidental to proper
discharge of their duties. These committees are
as follows: On Military and Civic Parade, ).
Van Rensselaer, Cruger chairman; On Naval
Parade. Asa B. Gardiner, chairman; On Enter
tatnment BALL and Banquet), Stuyvesant Fish,
chairman; On Reception of Governors and Com
rnissioners of States, William g. Hamilton, chair
man; On Art Exhibition, Henry G. marquand,
chairman; On Finance Brayton Ives, chairman;
On Transportation, Orlando B. Potter, chairman;
On Literary Exercises, Elbridge t. Gerry, chair
man; On General Government, John A. King
chairman Most of these committees have been
working honestly and steadily for the last SIX
months, some of them for more than year
No committee or member OF any committee
receives any pecuniary reward for services rem
dered. not even a free ticket TO the ball or ban
ouet Wherever any one else has TO pay the
committeeman are equally obliged TO pay, al
though all the work and trouble fall on their
shoulders say nothing Of the never-endlns
criticism Of abuse most Of which is founded upon
an incorrect understanding Of the facts OF the
case. More than this the committee has raised,
largely from among its own members, speclai
subscription, which now probably amounts
20 over 100000, toward meeting the very great
expenses Of the Celebration.
When the committee began work the prospects
Of pecuniary assistance from the State or city
seemed very doubtfIl-even improbabe-and the
work was hard and thankless. Largely through
the efforts OF few of the officers OF the com:
mittee both State and city subsequently responded
generously But The funds thus placed at the
disposal Of this committees by public appropria-
lions and private subscriptions, although large,
Will hardly suiiaee TO meet the enormous expenses
All appropriations TO the subcommittee are made
only atter careful detailed estimates have been
presented and approved, and the public can rest
assured that all the money at the disposal Of the
committee win be faithfully and carefully ex.
pended.
The necessity OF having the civic parade on a
separate day has largely increased the expenses |
of the committee having charge Of that branch, |
and has rendered necessary, in order TO avoid a
deficit the charging Of reasonable sum accord. |
ing TO location, for seate upon the grand stand |
II Is the intention of the COMMITTEES 20 use IL |
possible, the public money exclusively for the OK |
Renses OF The Two hnd parades, the naval parade, |