Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-01-16


marks by saying that if it should be
where than in the National capital,
the citizens of the District of Column
bia would make every exertion, by
money or otherwise, to make it mag
nificent success.
Mr.. Anderson, secretary of the Ma
tional Board of Promotion of the Three
Americas Exposition, opened the argu-
ments. He said he represented a COM
mittee of citizens from all the States
and Territories who, under the name
of board of promotion, had been act
ing in the matter for the last three or
four years. He summarized the pro-
visions of the bills introduced by Sem
ators German and Faulkner and argued
that the buildings to be erected for the
fair should be permanent and should
be under Government control. It
should be in the nature of a museum,
free of charge and not an exhibit of
perlshable property. The two leading
features of the Exposition were these:
FirSt-TO commemorate great his
torical event, the discovery of America
by Columbus; and second the CONNER
cial idea, which might be called the
three Americas trade movement. The
details of the plan were to be left to a
Government commission. He simply
advocated the general proposition and
idea which, he thought, was enter
tanned by the people at large-that the
expense of the Exposition should be UNI
dertaken by the Nation. 1t was evil
dent that the whole people were ready
and anxious to celebrate the great
event and thought that the National
capital was the only proper site.
The reasons for selecting Washing
ton, the speaker said, were numerous.
Washington was the city of the Nation
and all the cities of the country, St.
Louis, Chicago and New York, by
which he meant the people of these
cities, had more control in regulating
the affairs of the District of Columbia
than it's own residents had. It was
the truly representative American city.
1t was composed of Inhabitants of all
the States and Territories. It was
governed by the people of the United
States through their Representatives
in Congress. There would be no waste
in having the Exhibition here, because
whatever buildings would be erected
for it would be needed for all time. 1t
was evident that the Exposition would
have to 90 to the Government or else
the Government would have to go to
the Exposition and he thought it more
dignified that the Exposition should
come to the seat of Government. There
was in the heart of the city park
more accessible than any park in any
city in the world, extending from the
Capitol to the Washington monument.
This park included 500 acres and could
be increased by 200 acres more from
the Potomac flats. Wharves could be
established OH the Potomac river where
exhibits could be landed from all parts
of the world.
AS to hotel accommoda lions Mr..
Anderson said that there was no city in
the world so elastic in hotel facilities.
The city of Washington was practical
ly boarding house. 1t was accus-
toned to be transformed into board
ing house on great occasions. There
had never been any difficulty in that re-
spect at inaugural ceremonies or other
great conventions Or gatherings. At
the recent triennial conclave of the
knights Templar 10000 strangers
were accommodated, and there were
from 900 to 1000 rooms left uncalled
for at the bureau of information.