Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-20
OUR WORLDS FAIR EXHIBIT.

With the Commissioners.
It will be remembered that at q recent meet
ing Of the board Of trade resolution was
adopted to the effect that committee of three
be appointed to present to the Commits
sioners Of the District Of Columbia the
necessity and importance Of the District
Of Columbia making an exhibit at the
worlds Columbian exposition to be held
in Chicago in 1893, with the assurance that the
board Of trade would heartily cooperate in
every effort to promote this patriotic move
ment. This morning committee composed Of
Messrs. E. Kurtz johnson, Myron M. Parker
and A. B. Anderson called upon the Commits
sioners in connection with the above and were
accorded a special hearing in the board room.
Mr.. johnson spoke Of the necessity and inn
portance Of the District Of Columbia being
urged that an appropriation Of 100000 be
asked, for to be appropriated in two install
ments, ESQ, 900 by this Congress and S5O, 900 by
the next Congress. He also urged that these
amounts be embraced in the Commissioners
estimate for the expense of the gov
for this, "that he was Of the impress
sion, in fact. he understood that Chicago would
ask for a separate appropriation for the Chicago
directory and also separate appropriation for
the board Of lady managers. and If this sum
asked for by them was included in the Com
missioners' estimates it would not attract the
attention that separate appropriation would. "
THE LAW AGAINST SUCH COURSE.
Mr.. Douglass said he did not think the Com
missioners were authorized bv law to embrace
such an expenditure in their estimates, and he
read the law on the subject, which says: THE
said Commissioners shall submit to the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1879. and annually thereafter, for his
examination ana approval. statement show
ing in detail the work proposed to be under
taken by them during the fiscal year next en-
suing, and estimated cost thereof.
'Also the cost of constructing. repairing and
maintaining all bridges authorized by law to
cross the Potomac river within the District OF
Columbia, and also all other streams in said
District; cost of maintaining all public instii u
tions of charity. reformatorIes and prisons, be-
longing to or controlled wholly or in
part by the Distric: of Columbia, and
which are now by law supported wholly
or in part by the United States or District Of
Columbia. and also the expenses Of the Wash
ington aqueduct and its appurtenances; and
also an itemized statement and estimate Of the
amount necessary to defray the expenses Of the
government of the District of Columbia for the
next fiscal year."
Mr.. Douglass said that in view of this he did
not think that it could be properly embodied
u
1t was proper subject to discuss in the Com
missioners' annual report.
MIR. Parker called attention to the last por-
ton OF the last clause, which was to the effect
that the Commissioners forward to the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury an estimate of the amount
necessary to defray the expenses of the govern
men of the District of Columbia for the next
fiscal year. He thought that the Commits
sioners could properly include the world q
fair appropriation IN their estimates under this
clause.
Mr.. Ross said that he was not decided on the
point but that he would talk the matter over
further with Mr.. Douglass. He asked the
committee if they did not think 300, 900 was
exorbitant; that the people might object to
such large expenditure, when there we're SO
many streets that needed improvement Mr..
johnson replied that he thought that the good
which would enure from the exhibit would
more than compensate for the expenditure.
MIR. Parker said he thought $780, 600 was not
exOrbitant, and that it would take at least
this much to make proper showing.
MIR. Anderson referred to the fact that the
capitals of all the sister republics were going to
thought it eminently proper that the District
OF Columbia. the capital of the United States
Of America. should also submit an exhibit which
would compare favorably with the others.
THE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL
AZ the committee were leaving Mr.. Parker
said he desired to call attention to one other
thing before they lett and that was the ques-
ton respecting the celebration Of the centen-
NAL here in Washington. This celebration,
he said, should be under the direction of
the Commissioners of the District of Column
bia He assured them Of the hearty Coop
Grafton Of the board Of trade, and finished his
remarks by saying that he thought the hotel
men of the city would contribute handsomely,
SO that the District need not be put to any ex-
pense. grand ball in the pension office
building he thought, would be the proper way
to celebrate.
The Commissioners will discuss the matter
OF embodying in their estimates the amount
asked for the exhibit of the District of Column
bia at the worlds fair and decide whether or