Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-26
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 2G. 1890
Chicago and the World.


The history Of Chicago Is a wonderful
ono. 1t reads almost like a story taken
from the Arabian Niqhts' Entertainments 81
that is. IL reads as if IT might not be true.
In 1910 Chicago had n population of 4,S53
1850, az. 96S; 1860, 112,172; 1870. 295,2sl; IN
1880, 5O3,1s5: 1880. perhaps o million or
more, we have not the figures at band.
In the matter of securing for herself the
Worlds Fair OF 1892. Chicago adopted
julius CssAR's motto, EITHER find or
ms'.e a way" She entered tho lists de-
termined 10 win the prize; and she avon it
that is, so far as the House Of Representa-
tives is concerned. What the Senate will
do, we cannot forecast. but we arc conf
dent that the President is for Chicago.
II has been well said that more foreigners
would attend Worlds Fair held in New
York than one held in Chicago. On the
other hand, an immensely larger number
of Americans will attend the Worlds Fair
of 1892 in Chicago than would have at
tended IL in New York. We are confident
that in the end the people Of Virginia.
most of whom seemed 20 be in favor Of
Washington, will come 10 the conclusion
that Chicago will make q much finer display
and reflect much more credit upon our
great country than Washington would or
could have done. We expect the faro from
Richmond TO Chicago to be reduced to
less than twenty dollars for theround trip
perhaps to ten dollars. There is no such
feeling anywhere about Chicago az is ox-
pressed in the saying, "See Naples and
de-; but there is a general desire alto
Cether destitute of any element of mere
sentiment to look upon that wonder of the
world.
Chicago is cosmopolitan. 1t contains
hundreds Of thousands Of foreigners from
all the countries in Chrlstendom. 1t has
many churches. 1t has many theatres. Its
people are many Of them what we might
term heathenish Christians. or, reversing
the phrase. Christian heathens. Many men
of many minds make up the population.
There will be no restraint there upon con-
tinental Europeans who believe in keeping
Sunday in their own way. But also church.
going people will be protected in all their
rights and secured against any sort of in
terruption Of their religious ceremonies
and privileges. There are Anarchists in
Chicago; but there are also there courts
and juries that are not afraid TO hang out
breaking Anarchists,
Chicago would not have been q proper
place in which TO hold a Worlds Fair in
the winter. Its bleak. intolerably cold
climate would forbid such an undertaking.
The piercing. penetrating. cutting winds
which come from Lake Michigan. to say
nothing of the other sweeping winds
which visit too harshly that great city,
would keep far away in the cold season all
people living where q moderate tempera-
fure prevails the year round.
The case is altogether different in the
summer. Then Chicago is not much less
than what is sometimes claimed for it--a
health resort. The lake winds become
gentle and soothing and invigorating.
The air is kept pure too by the immense
volume of water in the lake, notwth-
standing the sluggish streams that try to
poison it.
Boss PLATr is ENDORSED. But for his
attempt to use the Worlds Fair as q politi-
cal machine, New York city would have
been the site OF il. No matter how much
yirginian might have preferred New
York. he cannot regret that Boss Plat S
nefarious intermeddling has been rebuked,
nor that Boss REED WAS unable to count "
o quorum for that city.
The selection of Chicago cannot but
have q good effect upon the country at
large. How can scctionalism flourish in
Illinois when her chief city is full of socia-
bic. agreeable, courtly sons of the South
Who that had visited the fair in July or
August could find it in his heart to wave
the bloody shirt in November or October