Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-16


The memorial TO Congress in reference to
the Three Americas exposition, which Is being
presented to the tax payers for signature, fol-
lows the lines Of the original understanding
Concerning the proposition Of Q bond issue. Its
primary petition Il for the holding Of the e1-
position ct the capital under the exclusive di-
rsetion and control Of the federal government;
and In the contingency that it shall be the
sense Of Congress that the question Of locality
should in any degree depend upon the offering
Of guarantee fund by the advocates Of the
city to be chosen, Congress is asked to author
lie the issuance Of eli, 1000 900 Of the bonds of
the District, or 30 much thereof as may be
found necessary for the purpose. The bill
which has been presented to Congress departs,
however, from the lines both of the original
understanding and this memorial By making
the bond feature part Of the direct, original
proposition from Washington it as
sumes that the nation will require Ahe
expenses Of its celebration to be met
wholly, or to the extent Of half the amount, by
thepeople Of the capital and that the full amount
Of fifteen millions will be exacted. Good faith
toward the signers of the memorial would seem
to require that the sense Of Congress in respect
to the requirement Of a guarantee fund should
be definitely ascertained before such an offer is
made. An unfavorable vote by Congress upon
the capitals contention that the celebration
should be given by the nation at national ex-
pense, or the addition Of the bond feature by
Congressional amendment to the proposition
presenting this contention, would produce the
contingency under which the memorial con-
corning q guarantee fund would properly be-
come operative. And if the throwing Of the
whole or part Of the cost of the fair on the cap
ital had to be proposed by Congress as an
amendment to Washington's proposition the
amour. to be exacted from the District as a
guarantee in addition to the nations contribu-
ton might not be 80 large as even one-half of
the fifteen million issue. In view of tho
opinion Of New York and Chicago as to the
value Of tho exposition to them, as expressed in
their worlds fair subscriptions, seven and half
millions are too much to ask fiom a city which
viii not derive any of the vast commercial ben
efts from the exposition which Chicago or Nov
York would enjoy. But if washingto toms direct
and unconditional offer is to contribute, and to
contribute seven and half millions, the nation
will be apt to take it at its word and will not be
very likely to give much consideration to the
question whether any contribution at all should
be exacted from tho capital, or whether, if
contribution is proper, a smaller amount than
that offered should not be named. II Congress
should reject the idea of q celebration solely at
national expense, and, selecting the capital as
. site, should authorize the issue of suitable
amount Of District bonds to constitute guar
sntee fund, it should be distinctly stated in the
Legislation, so intended, that the United
States will meet one-half Of the amount of the
bonds. Reliance for such payment Of bonds to
become Tue in the future should not be placed
solely upon the present arrangement, by which
one-half Of the current expenses of the District
are met by the nation. 1t will be especially
necessary to state explicitly that the govern
ment will be bound for one-half Of the bond
issue, il the act is to follow the bill now pend
ing. and provide that the unexpended balance
Of the proceeds Of the sale of bonds, together
with the receipts over and above the expenses
OF the exposition shall be placed TO the credit of
the District alone, instead Of one-half to the
District and one-half to the government. The
fact that all the reimbursement is to 60 to the
District might be viewed by the nation as in
dicatins that all the proposed debt is assumed
by the District.