St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-13
THE WORLDS FAIR CONVEN-
TION.

1t sees to be conceded that there is
no sufficient quantity of public opinion
favoring a special session of the legis-
lature to make an additional appropria-
ton for the worlds fair to give the gov
ernor the needed backing in reconven-
ing that body. 1t is not probable that
this plan of raising the money will be
much considered in to-day's convention,
but it is evident that the commission in
tend to obtain by indirection what they
clearly see they cannot get straightfor-
wardly. Possibly the method put out
by Editor LANPHERE, of the co minis
sion, does notrepTesent the views of the
whole body. but it probably does.
He proposes that the extra 100000
be pro-rated among the counties
of the state on the basis of
the apportionment of taxes, assigning
to each the amount it would pay If
taxed for it. Then good, solvent citi-
zens of each county shall execute their
notes for the amount assigned the
county, payable, presumably, some
time after the legislature of '93 meets,
bearing, probably, per cent interest,
though ne omits these details; and then,
when that body meets. the signerS will
bring pressure enough on the legiS-
lators to make them appropriate enough
money to pay the notes and interest,
which, meantime, will have been dis
counted; and, with the money thus OBJ
tanned, the commission will have made
their display.
If Editor LANPHERE's plan has not
the merit of novelty. it has whatever
there may be in its audacity. The main
idea is borrowed from the man agement
of our state fair on several occasions,
whose managers borrowed money to run
the fair on, giving their notes and
pledging the state to their payment,
which pledge the state always duly re-
deemed. He evidently thinks that a
precedent set for state fair will fit the
occasion of a worlds fair. But it has
the quality of audacity. 1t seeks to
compel the state to do what it has de-
cided that it will not do. 1t attempts to
make the people of the state contribute
thrice as much as they, by their repre-
sentatives, after full consideration, felt
able to give. The GLOBE protests
earnestly against it. 1t strenuously
objects to this dragooning of the
state into larger expenditure. 1t
objects to it because it is indi-
rect and unmanly. 1t opposes it be-
cause it assumes that few citizens may
take on the function of passing judy
mention the action of the legislature and
overruling It's decisions. 1t is pre-
sumptuous assertion of power to say
what a future legislature must do. The
state has spoken. Let its decision
stand. 1t is now the turn and oppOr-
tunity for special interests, of citizen 5
to be benefited, to say how much they
will give.
1t is possible that, with that prone
ness to make the common purse the bur
den bearer of all enterprises, rather than
undertake the task of asking individuals
to go down into their own pockets for
the additional money the commission
would like to spend, the convention viii
adopt Mr.. LANPHERE's plan; but, if
they do, the GLOBE trusts that the next
legislature will have the wisdom and
the dignity to repudiate all responsible.
ity and leave the signers Of the notes to
pay them, and thus learn a needed les
son in the value of attending to their
own affairs and leaving the proper body
to attend to those of the state.