The sun., 1890-08-26
The Humiliation Of ChicaEo.

orntion OF the discovery OF America, we
warned the eager Western town that sorrow
aud humiliation only would come with its
victory In that preliminary battle. 1t
would be an exhibition not Of the worlds
progress in the arts Of civilization, but of the
unftness and incompetency OF Chicago fol-
such an undertaking.
The event is proving the soundness OF
that judgment In the first place, the time
for holding the Fair was put of until
1893 because Of the inadequaoy Of the
preparations Of Chicago for the great enter
PRISE The requisite money was lacking.
No site had been determined upon, and there
was no assurance that the fever OF enthu-
siasm over the project would outlast the con-
test at Washington and be succeeded by
normal and reasonable zeal In its practical
execution. All that had been demonstrated
was that Chicago wanted the Fair and was
determined to get 1t. Its blgness captivated
the imagination Of a town 30 fond OF big
things, and so eager for self-display; for
Chicago was not thinking OF celebrating one
OF the grandest events In the history OF the
world, but OF celebrating its own marvellous
growth and winning the consequent ma
terial advantages.
Now when 1t has become necessary for
Chicago to settle down to the practical busi-
ness OF making ready for the Fair, raising
the money, selecting and preparing the
site, and perfecting the details Of adminis-
tration, we find that everything is In con-
fusion. Nearly six months have passed
since the town hurrahed over its victory at
Washington, and yet the selection OF the
President of the enterprise and the appoint
ment of National Commission are all
that has been done. Where the Fair
is to be situated, how 1t Is to
be laid out, whence the necessary
capital is to come, and what are to be the
distinguishing features Of the exhibition, are
unsettled questions, and they seem to be no
nearer settlement than they were last
spring, though the time Of preparation for
so gigantic an undertaking was short even
then. II Chicago had gone to work after q
prearranged plan and with all the money 1t
needed in sight Immediately upon the deci-
sion Of Congress, it would have had brisk
work to get ready by 1898. AS it is, nothing
appears except a quarrel as to the site. and
the popular interest in that even is so slight
as to indicate that the town Is getting tired
Of ito prize.
The meaning OF IL all Is that the people
are beginning to understand that the job Is
bigger and more costly than they thought.
Its success involves too much work and too
much preliminary self-sacrlhce. The gains
are remote and not measurable. but the
labor and the money can now be measured
with something Of definiteness. 1t appears,
too, that big as Chicago is, with boundaries
- R~.k - oN H..
is within its limits no particular and obtain
able site Of paramount fitness for the Fair
Hence ensues a contest Of conflicting private
and public interests and OF individual
greed. Quarrelling begins at the very out
set and balks progress.
The trouble is that when Chicago got the
Fair the community grabbed what they
we're not entitled to possess, and more than
they could take care Of, and now they are
finding out their mistake. The proper site
for grand international exhibition cannot
be made by act Of Congress. 1t must be de-
termined by nature and the relations Of
commerce and civilization. A Worlds Fair
must be where the world would have it.
without regard to local vanities and ambi-
tions, and where the world will come with
its products and its curiosity. The nero
bigness Of town is no indication OF its fit
ness for such show. Pekin Is big but it is
no place for Worlds Fair. though it has
the advantage over Chicago that 1t offers to
view an old and strange civilization,
while the Western town Is new and raw
The site must be In accordance with natural
selection. or 1t will not be Worlds Fair
at ALL
II the exhibition Of 1898 is held at Chicago
1t will be the Chicago Fair. big and various
doubtless. but 1t will not be Worlds Fair
New York Is the only place for such an ex-
hibition in the whole OF the Western hemi-
sphere. according to the common consent of
civilization. Therefore, Chicago is doomed
to humiliation and modification. Instend
OF glorlfying itself in commemoration Of the
discovery OF America, 1t will display to all
the world its unftness for the grand enter
prise upon which it entered under tho in
spiration OF vanity and greed.
The New World may yet have grand and
adequate international exhibition in oele-
bration OF the achievement OF COLUMBUS.
but it will not be at Chicago In 1898.