The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-22
At the End of Her Tether.

The Chicago Tribune has printed n curious
~ frank statement concerning the finances
Of tho Worlds Fair and the policy" OF
Chicago in her application for money from
the United States Treasury with which to
carry on her undertaking. We reproduce
in another column this singular outbreak
OF wrath. disgust. and consequent candor
1t deserves tho widest publicity. Every
Congressman should read the article Every
taxpayer should read 1t.
Tho proposition that the Government
shall subscribe to S.. 900 Of the stock Of
the Illinois corporation known as the
Worlds Columbian Exposition has been
abandoned. A committee Of directors went
to Washington about two weeks ago in
order to look over tho ground. and this
committee reached the conclusion that
there was no prospect OF the passage OF
bill making the Government stakeholder
and partner in the show enterprise. AS
THE Sun informed Chicago long ago. the
obstacle to such an arrangement is nothing
moro or less than the Constitution Of the
United States.
The result OF this discovery Is return to
the earlier idea of S.. 600. 900 loan from the
Government. secured" by a second mort
gage on tho cato money. Tho Chicago
committee in Washington believe that 1t is
this or nothing; that las the five millions
must be had. tho only practical means OF
getting it must be adopted And this
conclusion excites anger in the Chicago
Tribune. which maintains that the game OF
bluff and bunco has been badly played. IF
It had become evident later on" remarks
tho Tribune. that the bill could not pass.
thcn it's friends could have asscnted to the
loan idea as compromise. But now the
latter are at the end Of their tcther. They
hare nothing left to compromise on when the
bill is attacked. us it will be even IN its
present form"
The Chicago Tribune Is quite right in sup
posing that the bill will be attacked, even
In Its present form. Tho proposed loan Of
q, OOO, 900 by the United States to the Illinois
corporation. with second mortgage on
gate money as security. is quite rs uncon-
etitutional as the stock subscription Of
IS OOO. 900, or us the gift Of S5.000O0O outright
would be. Our Chicago contemporary ad-
mits this in its wrath over thes aban-
donmcnt OF tho direct appropriation idea.
III loan Is constitutional says
the Tribune. $50 is gift" If gift Is un-
constitutional, so is loan on second
mortgage on gate receipts. II tho security
offered by Chicago is good. shc can take it
into tho money market at any time and
procure tho $5.0OO.COO without troubling
Congress. II the security is not good. she
Is asking for gift while pretending to ask
for loan. and Is therefore at her old game
Of bunco again.
That the security is by no means good Is
Tod T.
paper. "The Fair needs $4,000 900 more"
it says. IF it can get five from the Gov
eminent. 1t can easily borrow the other
three. But ii cannot bo,voc eight" We
should say not.
Is it true. as the Chicago Tribune alleges.
that tho promoters Of this speculative local
enterprise are now at the end of their
tether, and that when the second-mortgage
loan bill Is defeated they will have nothing
left to compromise on We suggest that
they cndcavor to compromise on the basis
of the original promises which induced Con-
gress to send the Fair to Chicago,
1--WE will ask no money from Congress"
said the Hon. WILLIAM NJ. SPRINGER. Eek
cept what will be required for the buildings
ana exhibits of the Government"
make this statement" said the Hon.
FRANK LAwLER. and will verify it again.
that II $5,Ooo,O0O or $4,000. 900 or s25 900 900
arc necessary to make the Worlds Fair
SUCCESS In Chicago. it will be raised within
tho next six months"
II desire to state" said tho Hon. Shelby
M. CuLLoM. lin behalf of the great city of
Chicago. either as an organized government
or as great body OF over million people.
that there Is no purpose on the part Of any-