The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-15
THE nuAnRA.CENTENNIAL.

The Independent has collected mass
of opinions concerning the proposed
celebration of the four-hundredth ami
versary of the discovery of America, and
as to place, it says
The other question, of the place, ex-
cites much greater difference of opinion,
Out of the So writers 81 favor Washing
ton, 20 favor New York, and Chicago;
the rest express no preference. Among
those who hold that Washington is the
place are the Governors Of Massachusetts,,
Delaware. Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, Florida, Alabama and Nebraska;
also Senators Frye, of Maine, and Hamp.
tor, of South Corolina; Congre snen
Looge and Morse, of Massachuse tts, Rus
sell, of CONNECTICUT, Baker, OF New
York, Rusk. of Michigan, Wise. of VIr-
ginia, and Brewer, of North Carolina /;
Admiral Porter Rear Admiral Ammen /;
Bishops, Huntington, Coke and Hurst;
George Bancroft, j. L. NJ. Curry, and
John G.. Nicolay. A preference is ex-
pressed for New York by ex-President
Hayes, Postmaster-G General Wanamaker,
Governor Beaver, of Pennsylvania, Sena-
tor Morrill,, of Vermont; Congressman
Belden, Sherman and Walker, OF New
York, LehlLach, of New Jersey, and
Grosvenor, of Ohio; General Howard,
General Merritt and General Sickles;
Bishops Vincent and Whitehead John
Jay, John Bigelow, Ellis H. Roberts,;
Professors Burgess and Baldwin, Judge
Chamberlain and VIM, T. Harris. The
city of Chicago is favored by the Cover
nors of Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa {:
by Senator Allison, of Iowa, and Con-
gressmen Springer, of Illinois, and
Struble, of Iowa. Senator Ingalls,, of
Kansan, says anywhere but New York,
and Horace E. Scudder is not certain
but Columbus made a mistake in dis
covering America anyway.
One noticeable thing about these
answers is the controlling power of To-
cality. The votes for Chicago are all
near Chicago. The votes for New York
are mostly from the states 10 its neigh
borhood. All the region south Of Wash
ington favoIs Washington.
Another noticeable point is taat so far
as sentiment controls, it all works for
Washington. Congressman Russell, who
is close to New York, says that strength
and unity come to our nation and peo-
pie from a reasonable and pleasurable
recognition of our capital city" This
feeling is clearly expressed in the choice
of those who have written US from the
Southern States, land it is a g, eat pleasure
to note the expression. So far as patri-
otism has voice it chooses Washington,
the seat of the national Government,
with its magni iceDt public buildings,
It's beauty and its roominess. The one
end only argument for New York is its
commercial supremacy. Here is the popu
lation which will crowd the Exposition,
here the we lth and the public spirit to
supply what the Government will not
provide, here the convenience of access
and the ability to lodge and feed the
visitors. 1t is very curious to observe
the difference of views as to Washing
tons ability to provide for the public.
Some declare iSutterly impossible there
to house the crowds that will come,
while Others say it can be we'll done, and
that Baltimore will easily care for the
overflow. 1t is a question of hospitality
against sentiment, with the votes in
favor Of the sentiment, and, we suspect,
the hard facts for the hospitality.