New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-05
THE WORLDS FAIR And THE NATIONAL
TPEASuPY

Dispatches from Chicago report activity and
progress in Worlds Fair work. Jackson Park
is undergoing the transformation essential to
building operations. Numerous contracts have
been let and q general plan Of construction and
arrangement Is emerging from chaos. State
appropriations are under discussion or about to
become available, and the country is slowly
putting into acton whatever interest it feels in
the enterprise. SO far as these things 90 the
outlook is becoming hopeful. But several ques-
tons of vital Importance remain unanswered
and there is no jealousy or disloyaty in asking
the managers for full and frank statement Of
their intentions and expectations regarding
them.
We refer of course, to the problem of ways
and means. Is it not fact that the managers
are relying upon huge sum OF money from the
National Treasury, and that II they were now
certain that this contribution would not be forth
coming they would at once confess the neces-
sity of abandoning the undertaking. we are
informed that this question can be truthfully
answered only in the affirmative. we nave
been told on pretty high authority that the man
ayers intend to say as little as possible about
the financial situation during the next SIX or
eight months, in the meantime committing the
country irrevocaby by extensive operations at
homo and urgent solicitations abroad to the
completion of the undertaking, so that they may
90 before Congress next December with the as
surance that their plea OF absolute necessity
cannot be disregarded If this is the plan OF cam
paign, and il il succeeds, no serious harm may
result, and possibly in the light of brilliant
triumph in the face of the world we may all
rejoice in the shrewd diplomacy which mastered
a desperate situation. The American people
generally accept accomplished facts at least with
complaceDcy.
But suppose that this is the plan, and that II
miscarries In that case the managers may nnd
that they have drifted into hopeless rum a1ter
the manner of the merchant who hasn't the
moral courage to take an honest inventory
In that case are States, communities, corpora
tons and individuals to be made the objects OF
frantic appeals for succor with the alternative
of dismal and disgraceful National fasco
staring them in the face? Is the Worlds Fair
to become a Grant Monument enterprise on
huge scale, with the fatal attachment OF rigid
time limit? This il legitimate question, and
il requires a candid answer, for there is grave
doubt whether the Chicago managers can create
al emerStuCJ ~ BicdU IhiI OhO LII" NN"SASSS
will recognize it with the practical gift OF mill
ions from the National Treasury. The House
will be controlled by an overwhelming Demo
cratic majority, and that majority is likely to
be controlled by those who have conceived the
idea that the Worlds Fair is Republican en-
terprise with which they do not need to con-
Germ themselves Moreover, to put the case
gently, there are likely to be members OF both
parties who will be slow to admit that they have
been driven into a corner from which there is no
escape except by means of an appropriations
"Stand and dehver'' is not message which
sounds pleasantly in the ears of any one. AT
the very least it is inconceivable that great
sum of money should be voted without pro-
longed discussion; and the consequent delay and
uncertainty Would be only less disastrous, at
that stage of the preparations, than ultimate re-
fusal
THE TRIBUNE takes no pleasure in suggest
ing these considerations but it is imperatively
necessary that they should be brought to the at
tention Of the country. IL the managers have
any other hope of financial salvation than the
public funds they have succeeded in concealing
it and if their only reliance is in an act OF
Congress nearly year hence they need to take
the people into their confidence forthwith.