The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-24

In my opinion great mistake was made
in selecting Chicago as the site for
Worlds fair, but now that it is beyond re-
call think we should do like a general
who gets his army in bad situation, viz:
fight it out in the best way possible, 1t
has now passed to the stage where we
must invoke national pride to insure sue
cess. If national pride is lacking
and the government enacts a parsi-
monious role, then the fair should
not be gwen under its auspices, but
turned over to private individuals. New
York had $i5 000, 600 raised. a sum that in
sured success without any aid whatsoever
from congress, and yet in the face of this
splendid fact the body that has the right
TO pass federal appropriations decided in
favor of Chicago. | do not wish to indulge
in harsh retrospection and reiterate the
incontrovertible statement that a sea-
board city with nearly 100000 inhabit-
ants, the metropolis of the Western hemis-
phere, would naturally attract more visit
ors, more foreign exhibitors and have.
from the start, the prospect of great sue
cess. In juxtaposition to this picture
we see an inland city, 1000 miles
from the seacoast, not so populous,
struggling to get some 100 subscribers to
pay an assessment of 2 per cent. and
calling on the government for aid, in a
feeble Oliver Twist voice. which is going to
keep on saying more" Will foreign ex-
hibitors be eager TO go so far into the in
terror, and will not the mere fact that the
fair is not To be held in the chief city in the
Union have decided effect on foreigners?
These are pertinent questions. Now /
come to the vital question of whether the
national government should make appro-
priations. The government has already
officially invited foreign nations to partici-
pate, and has therefore taken official cogn-
iza n ~ nf he fni
II the fair proves monumental failure. as
things stand now, the odium would natur-
ally fall upon the government, and Justly
so. 1t would he a lasting disgrace to the
country. Ifthe governments does not intend
10 give sufficient money to insure a sue
cess that will eclipse the Paris exposition
then | think il should repudiate the Fair
altogether and let IL be held as a private
enterprise. The idea that great and rich
nation should condescend TO appropriate
such small sums toward fair that il has
officially recognized Is preposterous in the
extreme. \ stingy rich man can never
grow richer and never make n success of
any undertaking. W hat the government
does should be done in q liberal enough
way TO insure success beyond 4 peradvent-
ure Now, if the government intends to
have any buildings AZ the fair they should
he magnificent patterns OF the hnest style
OF architecture and excel IN every partiCu-
elbow kind OF \ structure, labeled
Federal building, should not be put
M 10 be q laughing stock 20 foreign rs well
as home visitors. such policy is Just the
kind that prompts the government TO rent
pOStothce buildings in some towns and
cities instead of erecting structures that
would last for years and III the end save
money. No such uiggardly, parsimonious
policy should be followed IN regard 10 the
fair, II the people of this country expect to
see 1t . success. And yet | am afraid the
representatives, from the agricultural
regions of the Northwest and the South
appropriations for the fair. They are
not so apt to view the success
or failure OF the fair as the East would,
and might treat il as matter Of in
difference. They have less money in
those sections and naturally may think
large appropriations reckless waste, not
understanding the political economy which
returns ten-fold Investment where the
people derive the beneHt and IN large
measure nave the money distributed
among them. Ii is an idea of mine that
the Fifty-second congress will not be liberal
and simply allow the fair enough money
10 pnt bright patch here and there. a
kind of shabby genteel appearance, in
order 10 say that Uncle Sam WAS repre-
seated. Uncle Sam was n humiliation NJ
the Paris exposition. bat that is no reason
why he should be 50 at Chicago.
II the next congress does not consent 10
make appropriations sufficient 20 insure
success for the isiF. | shall vote against
any appropriations. Either be liberal and
father the fair or give nothing and repudi-
ate the whole business. 1t Is not the time
70 stand on the question Of so-calied econ