Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-27
The Worlds Fair.

dustrial Exposition, in short, kind of
Fair, at Chicago. sometime in the ear
ly '90s in honor of gentleman called
Columbus, sort of Italian swash-
buckler of the 10Th century, who, be-
ing out of a job, got woman TO back
him up and went sailing westward on
the briny deep until he ran into an is
LAND, which act and island four centuries
have enchanted into the discovery of a
new world and the construction of a
hero large enough to form the base of
vast advertising scheme in which no
rosin soap and rising sun stove polish
shall form no inconspicuous features.
Well, now, in order to give this idea
tangible shape Vermont is called upon
to come down with a certain amount of
hard cash. And she has come down
to the extent OF $1,000. This seems
like large sum to many it seems a
niggerdly sum to some. The size OF
this sum depends very much upon the
way you look at it. Let us look at it.
Doubtless there are people in Vermont
who never heard Of Columbus, or if
by chance they have they associate his
name with the presidency Of the United
States or think IF him as general in
the Mexican war, when DIR. Talmage
surrendered the British army at Appo-
mattox. They may have been wrongly
educated in our commen schools, but
this is not matter for consideration.
Men looking at Columbus from this di-
recrion win naturally think that our
legislative appropriation is quite large.
No doubt there are people in Vermont
who regret thas Columbus ever discov-
cred America. If he had staid at home
and attended % his wool and sheeP-skin
business instead of worrying the big
bugs until they were glad to get him
off to sea, they might have been born,
If born at al, in sunny France or the
honae Of the Jersey cows. Such men
do not grow enthusiastic over the idea
of celebrating the primal caise of all
their woes 1t must seem foolish to
waste our pennies on schemes like this.
Snch a sum as our State approprlates
grows into magnificent proportions in
the eyes ,of men who are compelled to
weigh their tobacco PIids and stop the
leaks in their pipe stems in order to
pay their taxes, and who buy their re-
igion at ? l-2 per cent on a Sl.2o
SundaE. There are those who are
not willing to give Columbus credit for
anything stunning" after all. How
do we know but that some of these fell
lows saw the land before Christopher
and called his attention to it. He may
have asermed to be ''boss on the ship
] hut he had hard work TO hold his posi-
ton. lie must have passed the liquor
twice to keep them from throwing him
irto the sea. But srpposing he did
discover the island, there is agIeston
behind tins, who discovered Columbus .
If we owe Columbus anything we GER
tainIy owe something TO the fellow
behind who made it possible 8or Co
lumbus to bring posterity into debt to
him In view of this it would seem as
though we ought not to lavish our mo-
ney TOO freely on Columbus, but scatter
il the whole length Of a line OF causes
and effects Of which Columbus was the
.aterninus ad quem. In view of rea-
soning like this, we are not surprised
that our appropriation appears extTav-
agant. Now, there are plenty of Peo-
pie all around Us who perhaps would
! have liked Columbus if they had been
acquainted with him, and would nos
throw in something if the hat was pass
ed to help his widow and children but
they don't quite understand why his
name should be attached to the propos-
ed ssshow." They smell a speculation
| in it. 1t appears to be one of those
sort Of things where You pays your mo-
ney and somebody else takes your
choice. On the other hand our appro-
nriation looks small to those who re-
member Columbus when he was small,
and how hard he worked later to get
an appropriation TO help him come ov-