Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-25
The fact tina. Washington does not pe. tn

The fact that Washington does not get the
worlds fair Ii not so much Washingtou's loss as
the nations. The exposition at Chicago will be
local. not national. The grand accessories af-
forded by government city, with the finest
capitol in the world and some of the most mag
nifcent public buildings, will not be at Chi
cago to give supreme distinction to the COM
mercial features Of the exposition.
The action Of the House yesterday was the
result of a combination of circumstances, the
chief of which was the fact that two great
cities with large assured capital to ensure the
enterprise with but little expectation OF appro-
priations from the government competed for
the fair. Then local considerations Influenced
many votes that would otherwise have been
given to Washington The west worked hard,
supported by a tirst-class organization and the
public spirit of q great inland metropolis, and
the west won after a sharp struggle. The
nearly solid vote of the central west and north
ives. made Chicago's calling and election sure.
The prepOnderance Of republican party senti-
ment, too, was In Its favor.
II is expected that the Senate will ratify the
action Of the House. The fair at the site
chosen will be a grand exposition Of material
resources. There is no lack of heartiness in
Washington's congratulations to the successful
city. Chicago has the American spirit of pro-
gressiveness in a supereminent degree. She
will, with the whole American people, and
freedom-lovinS people everywhere aiding her,
make the year '92 memorable in the annals of
the last half of the nineteenth century.
In addition, however, to the exposition of
the commercial resources Of the republic
which Chicago assumes the nation ought to
nor
4O0th anniversary of Americas discovery.
Some enduring memorial of the great discov-
erer should be erected in the section of the re-
public which bears his name, and in the capital
OF the greatest nation in the hemisphere
which he discovered Some exercises of cele-
bration in which the nation shall play the host
and entertain national guests should be pro-
vided at the capital. The suggestions of
great memorial hall, or of a magnificent arch,
or of a national university, to be erected in
Washington as the enduring monument of the
event, are worthy of consideration. Ii Chi
eago should desire longer time to pre-
pare for commercial exposition which
Will do the greatest credit to herself
and to the national industries, and
compare favorably with the display recently
made at Paris, this exposition might well be
postponed for year or two, and the Columbus
celebration, pure and simple, be held at Wash
ington in 1892. But whether before or contem-
poraneously with the Chicago exhibit the ma
ton ought to commemorate suitably the great
event with a substantial memorial in its capt.
tai, and hold there an lat home reception to
visiting nations. The whole subject of the ex-
position and celebration is now to come before
the Senate, and if that body cannot reverse the
decision which causes one branch of the COM
memoratiye exercises to be locally celebrated,
II can at least secure in connection with the
commercial exposition at Chicago some suita-
bic national ceIe bratlon of the kind indicated
1T the national capital