New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-24
THE FAIR WITHOUT A SITE


Chicago is tremendous city in some re-
spects. but she has her well-deiincd llmita-
tons When 1t comes to picking out site
for Worlds Fair she is far from beng
clittering success. For good many weeks
she has been struggling with the problem ana
at last accounts seemed no nearer ITS solution
than when she first began to consider IT. Inc
repcated failures which she has achieved serve
TO establish the diScreditable fact that lnclud-
ed in her population are large NUMBER
of persons who see in the Fair only IA hne OPP
portunity 10 advance their own selfish INFER
ests. and who consequently exhibit not spark
of disinterested public spirit in their relations
10 the great enterprise. II is 70 be hoped that
the majority are not Of this sort, but II they
are not. il is difficult to understand why the
Fair was not furnished with satisfactory site
long ago Chicago ilatters herself that she Is
the most entcrpriSng city on the continent
Her citizens are never tired of Boosting that
they can dispatch more business III gwen
time than any other people of any other munic-
ipalitv the world over Perhaps these boasts
will hold water But the fact remains that
the champion sugcard who declines 10 60 to
the ant could scarcely have beaten Chicago's
stoned to find her Fair site.
"The Chicago Tribune closes long leader
entitled 1.-THE Fair Site Not Settled fet"
with these remarks
There is no cause FOR worrIment. II the directors
cannot choose site site will choose Itself and relieve
them from their difficulties. Most OF the bother ana
ANNOYANCE they have met with has been due 20 The
chase after that will o'thc WIsp the Lake Front.
Pnraiing that they did get stuck. But they are done
with It now. and Will lind henceforth brighter skies
and smoother road, 1t will not take them long 10
work their salvation II they are slo" about IL the
people viii DO II for them.
Clearly there is not the promise and potency
Of Fair site in this sort of talk. Sites, owing
TO circumstance, not under their own control,
are debarred from choosing themselves. The
assertion that if the directors are "s slow about
it"-as if they had not already demonstrated
their genius for indeciSion- the people OF Chi
cago will come - TN" rescue. must be regarded
as meaning nothing in particular. II may
he however. that "Thc Tribune knows of
tho existence OF scheme looking 10 The
deposition Of the entire Board Of Directors, and
| the transfer OF their powers and duties to
| Committee of the Whole. composed OF oil the
people Of Chicago. such a committee would
be apt 10 prove unwicdy, and very Likely
would find it desirable 10 delegate It's func-
| tiOns 10 a subcommittee which might or
might not give better satisfaction than the
| directors now in Office. We seem 10 remember
| that when these directors were selected 1t was
generally admitted that they were the foremost
citizens of Chicago As regards character, gen
cral capacity and special ability to grapple
with so great IN undertaking as Worlds Far.
| If they are unable 10 give the Fair site, IT'S
chances of ever being furnished with that
requisite would seem to be somewhat poor.
And what is Fair without site? Perhaps
the author of the sweet ballad " What is Home
| Without a Mothcr?r will see i'll the question
the material for new song.
Still the situation is by 10 means hopeless,
seeing that there are three sites at the dis
posal of the directors, Jackson Park, Garfield
Park. and what is known As the North Shore.
"The Tribune does not state its preference,
| contenting itself with saying that each has it's
merits and dement's, and pointing out in what
the merits and dement's consist. Jackson
| Park is on the lake shore and il would seem
10 be "The Trbunes" first choice, provided
the necessary lands can be obtained. On the
other hand Mr.. Olmstcad the eminent archi-
tect whose opinion in such matters counts for
so much, favors the North Shore Let the di-
rcctors 90 ahead and apply the rule Of the sur
| viva of the fttest If they do not know by
| this time which one, all things considered is
the fittest, when will they know?