New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-27
MR.. TONNES PROPOSITION

The proposition OF Mr.. Henry IL. IoWhe, una.
the Worlds Fair should be postponed unul
1903. the actual anniversary being celebrated
by National ceremony dedicating some perrna-
nent memorial of Columbus and his achieve
ment, is not suggestion which ought at THIS
time to be irrevocaby discarded. We have
expressed the opinion that it was still Just pos
sibIe to create an International Exposition ON
an adequate scale before the summer OF lo91.
The practical completion of the guarantee 1und
improves the chances but does not certainly
settle the matter.
1t is customary, in reckoning the Hme a. QUIZ
disposal for this purpose, TO assume thao OVn,
gress will act promptly and declSyeIy anu
therefore that about twenty eight mohths arc
available for constructive work. Unfortunate
ly. this assumption is not sustained by expert
ence The communication of the discovery Oh
the New World is great theme ana sta'es-
men who possess or think that they possess
oratorioal gifts will be loath to let slip such al
opportunity Of talking to the whole country
and In particular of arousing the Animation
of their constituents. Unless the task OF con-
vincng Congress Of its duty is discharged not
only with great sagacity and skill on the part
of those empowered to represent flval claims
but also with great forbearance and an unseinsn
comprehension of the urgency OF the case on
the part of Senators and Representatives, the
winter will slip away while the country is walt
ing with impatcnce for the verdict. The
course of proceedings in a business OF such
magnitude and such alluring opportunities as
this cannot be safely predicted, but it can az
least be said, in the light of experience, that
there would be no cause for astomShnent II
final action were delayed until spring, so tha'
only two years instead of twenty eight months
would be left for the accomplishment OF
colossal undertaking.
At present, therefore, while it is proper TO
proceed upon the supposHon that the FAR VIII
be held during the summer OF 1877, the tlne
may soon como when it will be imperative to
consider the advantage Of pcstponement.
Upon one point we take it for granted that the
whole country is agreed, namely, that second
rate Exhibition would be far worse than none
at all-in fact, that it would be simply intoler-
able. We could survive and flourish, wthoue
disgrace though perhaps not without some de-
gree of modification, considering all that has
been said and done during the last six months,
if there were no, Worlds Fair IN the United
States during the next few years; but every
consideration Of honor and repute demands that
we should not offer to other nations spectacle
of incompetency or even Of rash indiscretion.
II is not Of vital importance that the discovery
of America should be commemorated on vast
and noble scale in 1892, but it is Of vital i'm
portance that there should be no commemora-
ton of that event upon cheap scale at any
time
Taking the circumstances and possibilities
into account, the proposal of Mr.. TOwne is in
te esting and suggestive. 1t comes from man
who has evnced an ardent and practical en-
thusasm for the enterprise, and whose vocation
and experience entitle his estimate Of the Oh
stacles to be overcome to respectful cOnSidera-
ton. Moreover, it appears, contrary to our
first information, that the members Of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers al
most unanimously agree with Mr.. Towne that
1892 is too early date if the Fair is to be at
all creditable from an architectural and artistic
point of view" The deliberate conviction Of
a body Of men who are not accustomed to shrink
from the acceptance Of enormous responsibilities
within the scope of their profession cannot be
lightly dismissed 1t must not be forgotten
that new standard for Worlds Fairs has been
established during the last year. To create an
Exposition comparable to those of past years
would have been one thing; to rival the alto
gether extraordinary and admirable success of
the French Far just closed will be quite an
other.