St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-26
MIR. HARRIsoN,s PLAN.

NJ. B. HARRISON, of the worlds fair
commission, makes very sensible sug-
gestiOn when he says that Minnesota
should cooperate with one or two other
states in the erection of building at
Chicago in 1898. 1t is very remarkable
that the idea has not been advanced
before, and it is altogether happy
thought and a credit to i IS author.
If every state and territory in the
Union, and every pricipality and
power under heaven besides, builds
an Independent headquarters on the
exposition grounds, as seems to be the
generally favored plan, there will be a
bewildering maze of structures, through
which a visitor can find his way i'll
nothing short of lifetime, and in the
confusion of which he will lose his in
tereSt and his ambition. Suppose one
of these many buildings should belong
to Minnesota alone, who, in the midst
of such competition, wonld ever go into
it? Everybody from Minnesota, to be
sure, would; but why should the
strangers from New York or from Cali
fornia? And yet, without patronage and
attention, our display, no matter how
complete and admirable it might be,
would tell the story of our resources and
strength to an audience but little more
encouraging than could be found at one
of our own local fairs.
But if Massachusetts, and Florida, or
any other two states like them, should
unite with Minnesota according to Mr..
HARRIsoN's notion. how much more in
teresting and satisfactory the result.
The building materials from three di-
verse quarters could be employed with
the most delightful effect in the con-
struction of an exhibit hall, and the eX-
hibit itself could be made most attract
i've. The tropical products of Florida,
grouped with the fruits of our rich
northern prairies and the output of
Massachusetts, mills and factories, each
distin ct in itself, and yet each supple
menting and emphasizing the other
by the light and shade of con-
traSt and comparison, would command
the interest and study of the Sight-seer
as no Independent display could hope
to. Every Floridian and every FlOrid-
ian's friends, every son of MasSachu-
setts-and there are millions of them
scattered the country thrOugh-and
every loyal citizen of our own grand
commonwealth would spread the It'd
ings of what the allied exhibit had TO
show, and give it a prominence and
popularity which would be at once graf
flying and profitable.
The GLOBE does not believe that the
commissioners are inclined to hoist the
ensign of surrender or to halt in the
work which they have undertaken.
They are able and experienced men of
the world, accustomed to encOuntering
difficulties and accustomed to surmOunt-
ing them. They will 60 on in spite of
the complications of the situation, and
will solve the problem in way which
will bring credit to the state. They can
take much encouragement from the re-
Election that they have already in
this idea of Mr.. HARRIsoN's de-
vised one of the most promising
projects which has as yet been any
where advanced. The GLOBE predicts
that it will be extensively copied, and
that many groups of states will be
found uniting in the erection of COM
mon buildings. They will economic by
such a move, add to the beauty of the
occasion and proclaim aloud to the
world the wonderful truth of our n a.
toms diversity and unity. Over one
country. which embraces the equatorial
heat of Florida, the compact and we'll
settled urban life of Massachusetts,, and
river bottoms of Minnesota. clad in
summer with the gladdest verdure, and
in winter with deep mountains of ice
and snow-over this one country floats
a common flag, for whose honor 60,00O,-
900 people stand ready TO die.