St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-05
Convention Committees Wig
orously Prosecuting a FL
nancial Campaign.
Hotel Men Expected to Come
Literally to the Front
Today.
Detroit Regarded as the Only
Rival Really to Be De-
feated.
Some Further Talk Of the
Auditorium Thought
Necessary.

The canvass for the guarantee fund
proceeds without serious interruption
The weather was far from balmy or
conducive yesterday. but the stout
hearts engaged in the cause of st. Paul
do not pale at incidental conditions that
do not happen to be of the most pleas
ant sort. Everybody realizes that in
order to land the prize the necessary
money must be pledged ard available.
The convention means great deal for
the prosperity and progress of the city.
In the first place, it will place over
sl,000,000 in money into circulation in a
few days. and it will acquaint the world
with the natural resources and advan-
tages of the city and the Northwest, and
the benefits that will insure will be
lasting.
The committee on hotels is scarcely
| satisfied with the inducements offered
by the carayanSarieS of the city, how
ever, and the ground will all be gone
over again. A national convention
means great deal for this class of St.
PauPS business interests. Mine host is
especially interested in the contest. and
he is looked for to do the proper thing
in this emergency. The opinion obtains,
| it should be added, that the general
committee is of the impression that the
hotel people have been labOring under
some false impression, else their sub
scription would have been character
| lied by a great deal more liberality.
That they will readily see the fallacy of
their attitude is confidently believed,
and the landlords will be in the van
| today.
The saloon men and liquor interests
are always made the burden of all pop
ular public gatherings, and in this IN
| stance they are standing well up to the
rack. A handsome per cent of the total
amount that will be required will be
subscribed by the people who pay 81, 900
each for the privilege of doing business.
One more day is to be given to the
canvass, and the chairmen of the differ
tcOmmittees expect each individual
member selected to defend the name of
st. Paul will make a strenuous effort to
reach the very tOpmOSt notch before
this evening. A general meeting is to
be held in the chamber of commerce to-
night, when all subscription lists will
be turned over for the purpose of de-
termining the aggregate. Mayor Smith,
the chairman, will be unavOidably ab-
sent, but he has so arranged matters
that the work will progress just as
though he were here.
Detroit is considered the only really
dangerous rival. indianapolis ranks
next, but there seems to be little fear of
any OF the others, and every citizen en-
gagged in the crusade feels perfectly con-
tident that if the people of st. Paul are
simply true to their own interests vic
tory is assured. Parsimony and progress
are Incompatible. The first gnaws at
I, taI1 Of %E,n Lat irrI,+ k~r i
really the only possible danger of de-
feat.
Very little was said yesterday about
the auditorium. 1t has become accepted
that the only possible plan to provide an
audience hail of sufficient capacity to
accommodate convention of this kind
is to accept the market house PROPOSE
ton. All the better and more eX-
perienced architects agree that this is
true. Said Clarence II. johnson to a
GLOBE reporter Yesterday:
Il see there is some talk of a scheme
to sell the market house site and ap-
propriating the proceeds to a magnifi-
cent auditorium. That would be an eX-
cellent idea, were it not absolutely nec-
eSSary to get convention hall ready
for occupancy early in June. This be-
ing the case, it is absurd to entertain
the proposition of any other site, unless
one is chosen with the improvements
already made insequally advantageous
con dltionS. Otherwise no prominent
structure could be provided in time. 1t
might be better in the end, it is true,
to choose an entirely new site and build
the whole up new. But time is the
transcendental incentive. and to save
time the market house ground is the
only site l know of that can figure in
the arrangement -
Mr.. Johnson had not drafted any
plans, even of a curSOry nature, but his
brain is bubbling over with auditorium
ideas and is willing to submit sketches
as soon as the committee of one hun
dred is ready TO entertain them. He is
opposed to the old-faShiOned square,
fOur-cornered hall style, and urges that
the city will always regret hasty
movement that will give all auditorium
based solely upon the principle of Secur-
ing the required seating capacity. The
style should be somewhat modern, and
the science of acoustics should be en-
ployed to the very fullest. 1t is his
idea to give the city structure that
will give the space, the comfort, the
acoustics and be an enduring ornament
TO the city. All This cannot be done in
time for the national convention,
but the audience hall can be placed in
readiness Dy IildG TINE III 100 inucI val
liable time Is not fooled away in idle
controversy. Mr.. Johnson says that the
plans must be decided upon within the
next thirty days at the farthest, and the
contracts for supplying the materials
must have been awarded by that time.
The auditorium must be constructed
largely of wrought iron. wood and glass.
These materials can be manufactured
this winter, and be i'll readiness to be
bolted together early in the spring.
Indeed. they may be put up during the
winter months, if they can be supplied.
and then only the finishing will have to
wait for warm weather. The one mill
tax contemplated will cover the neces-
sary expense.
The question of possible opposition
to the one mill plan has been widely
discussed. A prominent and influential
Republican, who is a member of the
committee, remarked yesterday that =
ANY citizen who is narrow enough
to fight this popular movement stands
in imminent danger of ducking in tine
river"