New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-14
THE TOHIU,S FAIR.

The final selection of q site or rathor "i
two sites, for the Worlds Fair seems to 10
only less unfortunate than continuation VI
the wIancle would have been. This is not
exactly equivalent to saying that the directors
deserve to be condemned for a foolish blum
dor. II has been evident all summer that the
rrincipal bnndcr WAS committed last winter
by Congress. IN spite OF ali that has been
said against them. we arc not convinced lha'
the unfortunate gentlemen upon whom de-
volyed the haraSsng task OF chooSln: ioca-
ton for the great show could have done bet
tor The radical trouble seems to hc with
Chicago and not with them jackson Iar~
has been declared on high authority I" be IN.
fit for the purpose. bnt nobody has s'lcr"'dcu
in proving tina: any other possible SIT" j. ic>s
80. Everybody acknowledges that DIVISION
Of the Exposition into two parts miles distant
from one another il n disadvantage. AMI some
Of those who are officially connected with tn"
enterprise frankly express the opinion that II
guarantees a failure in advance. lin" IT.
rectors nevertheless. were compelled to choose"
They were not appointed for the purpose OF
announcing the melancholy discovery that
suitable site was nOn-cNis"nt. ~ the pr"D-
lem really was nsoluble. they are to br p''ied
rather than blamed.
We assume tina, the National Commission
will ratiiv tho action Of the directors. II i
possible. however, tiut they may not. mas
much u some OF the members are known to
be di,gusted 1t the present situation vi the
affair. and somewhat soicitnus for their own
reputation. In truth it would not surprise us
greatly 10 know that majority OF them were
- q hmm n
donment Of the undertaking. II they really
arc in that mood, we urge them not to act as
il they were afraid ashamed to confess H.
This is not q time for falso pride. IL Is much
hotter 10 faro the situation now. While 'h're
is opportunity to weigh argument anu cVi'
dence, than to regret our trm"rlty when II Is
too latc to rcccdc. The country Is not so Tar
committed 20 Worlds Fair in 500 that
withdrawal would be 1isgraccful. II would
be rather hnmiliating To be sure ana we
should be compelled to hear good MANY )e>t'
at our expense; but that annoyance would be
brief and unimportant III comparison with tue
load OF shame and lcpr"ach which We SHAH
have to bear il the Instructed OPINION Oh inc
world pronul,ncCs our great effort failure.
We do not wish 10 be understood as advo-
eating at this timo that the project should be
POSTPONED indefinitely. We merely insist that
there is substantial reason for COnsidering
carefully as there has been more than one"
before in the history OF tho enterprise. whether
il il poxsible 10 succeed in the interval r"nmin-
ing for preparation. At the time when the
committees of Congress practically reached
the conclusion that postponcment until lS?"
was imperative twu years and two months
were still available That period was justly
declared to be too short, and a full year was
added. Moro than half OF it has already been
| wasted and the project is fast getting into the
.ame predimmcnt from which it was relieved
! last March, II there arc those to whom this
| ticmlarly desirolis not to be counted among
| them.
1t may 10 said that the work will advance
RAPIDLY, now that the site has been chosen.
| Unhappiy, there is little reason to anticipate
| that result. The financial basis OF the under
taking is not yet secure, and it is still without
| an executive head. IL has yet to be proved
that any man who is fit for the great post OF
director. general is willing to accept 1t. Several
ambitious candidates havo appeared in the
field, but that is discouraging rather than a
cheerful omen. 1t would be absurd to say
that the outlook is bright and satisfactory, and
therefore it is important to say the contrary.
There is no advantage to be derived from false
| prctcnrey or from silence, whereas some good
may come from plain speech.
| e