The Portland daily press., 1890-01-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Mr.. Depew Entertains the Commit
tee In Presenting New York's
Claims for the Fair.

WASHINGTON. January 1.-THE announce
ment that New York, through her distin
| guished representative, would present hel
| claims for the location Of the proposed
| worlds fair before the Senate special com.
mittee on the quadro-centennial today, was
sufficient to attract crowd TO the Capitol
that speedily exhausted the accommodations
| OF the Senate reception room, where the
hearing was held.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the New York del
egatiOD, nearly 100 strong, entered the room,
headed by Mayor Grant and ex-Secretary
whitney. The appearance Of Hon. Chaun-
cey Depew was signal for a slight outburst
Of applause.
Mr.. Depew was listened to throughout
with the closest attention and frequently in
terrqpted by applause from his loyal New
York supporters.
The salient points of Mr.. DeDew's argu-
ment are as follows:
ANY American who was at Paris during
the past summer and saw the great exhib-
tion held there became impressed with the
TACT that there was no greater necessity
lald on the American people than that
OF holding an exhibition which should equal,
If it did not excel, the one held in Fradce. In
conversation with the representatives of the
various countries, | saw that the impress
sion was produced that the United States
might be immense in area of territory,
nlation. might have free institutions, but
that, in the competition for the trade of
the world, 1t was absolutely deficient In
skill. The only thing there which attracted
the attention OF the assembled nations, was
petrified wood from Arizona. and one of the
representatives Of Great Britain, endeayor-
ing to compensate me for my modification
said your representation Of perrified wood
Is absolutely uneQualled In this great show
Naughter.)
"a national exhibition never has been
successful In any country unless it was
held at the metropolis of the country. 1t
has been tried elsewhere, and where
ever tried 1t has been a failure. If the
citizens of st. Louis. Chicago and Wash
ington would lay aside local prejudices
and view the matter with fair mind they
would realize that they would not go to
q fair held in any smaller city of Great
Britain or Europe, but If the fair was held
at London or Paris, or Berlin, all would CO."
:, New York, he said, was, without doubt,
ths metropolis of the United States. There
was not an industry that started, or wished
to start, that did not come to New York and
establish its headquarters. 1t was the great
financial barometer of the United States.
Unless great numbers visit the fair daily it
Is failure, and no other city could supply
the number of constant daily visitors that
New York could supply. Within the limits
OF what constitutes the city of New York,
Jersey City, etc., etc., you have three Chi
Cages. Eight million persons in the vicinity
could visit the fair at New York for sum
Of not more than So, and from that down to
hve cents On the transportation problem,
he said, depended largely the success of the
fair.
:, Mayor Cregier Of Chicago argued in
vel OF the western hemisphere" Thomas l..
Bryan and E. l.. Jeffrey also spoke in favor
of Chicago.