Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-21
THIS Is THE PLACE FOR IT.


FAR should be Held I'm Washington.
THI cLAns OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL Flo
eUESrLY PRESENTED IN THE HOUSE OF REP
REsENTATIvEs BY MEssRs M'CoMAs, LEE, COLE
NAN, COMPTON AND sToCxBRIDaE.
Just before o'clock yesterday, after the
claims Of New York, Chicago and st. Louis had
been presented, Mr.. Wilson OF West Virginia
took the floor in behalf of the patriotic claim
OF the national capital 20 he selected the site
for the worlds fair and Nposition. He at once
yielded to Mr.. McComas to open the argument
for Washington. Speeches were made by Mr.
McComas, NJ. Lee. Mr.. Coleman, Mr.. Comp
ton and MIR. StOckbridge in advocacy of the
national capital, and they were all loudly APP
plauded from the crowded galleries.
Mr.. NcComas' Eloquent Opening.
Mr.. McComas said:
Mr.. Speaker, wherever this exposition is held
! am for ii. If it be in Washington, am for it
or il held in Chicago. ST. Louis or New York, |
favor it. After four hundred years contact
With the civilization of Europe it is time that
the three Americas should challenge COMPARE
son with the governments of Europe and Asia
in a great exposition to be held on these
shores, whittier Columbus pointed the way.
Historically no filter place can be named than
the beautiful capital district bearing his name
the seat OF government of a republic oil
65,OOO.OOO Of Americans, the Chosen meeting
place of all the republics of the three Americas
actually holding congress at the other end of
yondeT avenue while we debate at this end.
After all the stormy contentious of many
months, above the clashing rivalry of many
cities seeking purely commercial leadership.
above the DIN OF this war of words, wherein il
appears that New York st. Louis and Chicago
discovered America and the name of Columbus
finds little reverence, | want to call the House
back to :he original proposition. approved once
by all OF these cities. that this great nation at
Its capital should celebrate this great anniver-
sary. gathering about perpetual memorials to
Columbus the sister states of America here
where they can come to meet the representa-
tIyes OF Spain and of all nations; that here. on
the spot dedicated to his name. millions of
living eyes may behold the triumphs of our
civilization. our arts and industries alongside
OF the functionaries and the habitations of this
government of the people. Here alone to for
elgn minds can we show both the scroll and
the interpretation. Here alone can this cele-
bratlon rise above the level of hippodrome or
suggest motive beyond a mere commercial
boom. Come back. then. brethren of three
rival great cities plague both your
houses. Let us find peace in national ceIe-
bration.
THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
As after the war of the roses, that long and
II
and the red rose found peace under a king in
whose veins was the blood of Lancaster and
York, king who wore the blended colors white
and red, so would blend and harmonize YOUR
rivalries now. In this fight, after the belated
peace at Albany, We look again upon the white
rose of New York. And the color of Chicago is
red. he'd not because of the embers OF an
archy she so braveiy stamped upon, but let me
say out OF compliment. to her able and brilliant
representative, who has so wrought for
Chicago, with hair scrambled. with the smile
OF a cherub on checks so round and rosy-let
me say that ChicagOs check. ample as the
shield OF Achilles. flushed with hope of success,
Is red. Red IL the color of Chicago. ST. Louis,
the beautiful queen of the Mississippi valley,
with all her marvellous growth of recent years,
Tor this one last occasion only, i'll this race for
the fair, st. Louis is the bluest of all blue
distances. and ST. Louis colors are blue.
Here let us blend the rivalry of these three
colors of these three cities, discordant bellig-
erent and sectional, in the cOors of the national
capital-W ashington-dedicated to the red
white and blue. Let them float here at the
sanctuary OF our flag over a national exposition
IN the District of Columbia. Applause on the
floor and in the galleries.l
The Speaker-The chair will inform the gal
leries that order must be maintained. Applause
Is inappropriate.
PLENTY OF ROOM IN WASHINGTON.
Mr.. McComas, resuming. said: Nowhere else
the map you behold the mall with 800 acres.
while the open lands reaching from the State
department 10 the observatory add 220 acres
more. There, too, are the flats, two years
hence giving noble park on the broad river
adding 100 acres more. Is it buildings and
the plant OF an exposition you seek? Already
here S50,000.000 mot five or fifteen) are in
vested In the museum, the Smithsonian, the
monument, the patent office, the Capitol and
other public buildings, far exceeding whatfifteen
million can accomplish elsewhere. The plans
Tor the new Smithsonian the new agricultural
building and the geological museum are already
prepared and can be built and used for the ex-
position, then used forever by the government
The new library building will then be COM
pleted and Is adapted for an exposition art
gallery beyond amy ever used at worlds fair.
The Sl5,OOOOO provided By the bill of the
committee Will not. therefore, involve the loss
elsewhere suffered by tearing down the build
lIgs- All the main structures wouid be utilized
by the government now paying 100000 an
nuai rental Tor private buildings N this city.
TRANSPORTATION AND LODGING.
The transportation problem is easily solved
here. The Pennsylvania road, the Baltimore
and Ohio. the Chesapeake and Ohio. the Rich
mond and Danyille system and Atlantic Coast
line can today handle SOC, 600 passengers daily
Within two years their capacity to handle
crowds at an exposition would be practically
without limit
Washington today has go, 900 people In 1892
II VIII exceed 100000 population. 1t is city of
boarding houses. Fix the exposition here and
huge fats will spring up, numberless temporary
hotels, and ample room for all the people
Quick trains in less than forty minutes will
carry 10000 tired sightseers to Baltimore every
day. My experience last summer taught me
that an exposition crowds the huge city more
than the lesser one where the fair is held. I
found London oyercrowded by people coming
from and going to Paris, while In Paris room
was abundant. Payis had the exposition but
London had the crowd. This was the obserya-
ton Of the visitors met there.
Thus. friends of New York if the exposition
be held in Washington your city will be
am sorry Columbus did not wait until 1893 be-
fore making his discovery. Here in Washing
ton you could make year of exposition. be-
ginning October II, 1892 and give the deiigh,
OF this climate in autumn and the charm of its
early spring to the people who gather here
then Let 1t be here, then, that New York may
have splendid exhibition building, with all its
gold and gliding. Here plant the corn palace
OF the great west Here let Chicago shower
on the sovereign people her pearls and swine
Here let St Louis display her pageants. and
Freedom from her marble trance" above this
dome will bless the rival cities who met on
common ground and buried local rivalries In
this uncommercial but nationa! CITY. affordino
great national exhibition under nop-partisan
governmental control
Mr.. Lees Patriotic Speech.
Mr.. Lee said: