The morning call., 1892-05-02
WANTED-ss. 900, 600.
The Chicago Tritune saws ::

The Chicago Tribune says:
The fair needs IS. 100000 more. II II eau get
five from the Government il can borrow easily
Tie other three. But ii cannot borrow eight.
There would not have been need OF so large a
sum If the rational Commission had not laid out
the fair on so grand scale but 1t is rather late
in the day to begin cutting down. A million OF
so might be say. by dispensing with attractive
features and then the people would protest.
The committee who visited Washington
to see if Congress would appropriate
s.. 600, eco on the security accepted by the city
of Chicag0-that is, the gate receipts and
other sources of revenue-have abandoned
the. proposition in that form. An effort now
will be made TO induce Congress 70 make a
loan on security. Tie security may be in
the form of first mortgage Oh gate receipts
OF in the form of a guarantee by responsible
Chicago citizens. But there is More app2
rent objection TO the loan proposition Oh
constitutional grounds than to gift on
stock subscription. Under strict con-
sfTuction OF the constitution neither is pos
sible. Congress is nowhere authorized ex-
plicitly 10 invest the peoples money in
industrial expositions or to loan money 10
projectors Of such eXpOsitiOns. But under
the rule Of construction Congress could not
do many things which every Congress does
do. 1t could not appropriate money to buy
foreign territory. to improve rivers and har-
bors within the boundaries of State. to
build dams to restrain mining debris or TO
prosecute other kindred works. II may be
said, in fact, that the Government has never
been carried on four years without departing
to an extent from strict construction of the
constitution. The question involved in the
Chicago proposition is one of expediency.
Is it worth while for the Government to
spend $4,000. 900 to enable the fair managers
to continue The work on the grand
scale it has been designed upon? II
ID not to the point that Chicago
members of Congress promised that Chicago
would provide all the money necessary.
The fair has outgrown original estimates.
and consequently the money then thought
sufficient falls short Of being enough by
about 80 per cent. II must be borne in mind
that a partial failure Of the fair would
prove matter OF lasting regret. The c0un-
try would not recover from the effects Of
such a result until In the course of years il
should redeem itself. While Congress has
no right to waste the peoples money, it is
constantly exercising the right to promote
the public welfare by the use Of the peoples
money. From local point Of view we do
not expect much from the fair. The State
will make a fine show of its products, but
the amount of benefit we shall derive from
that show is predetermined. There are
great many things to be done in this State
before we can expect a large immigration.
The shackles must be removed from busi-
ness. Farmers must be assured OF markets
on terms that do not consume the proceeds
of sale Of their products. The manufac-
turing enterprises of San Francisco and
interior cities must be brought closer to the
consumers Of their goods. Land must be
put upon the market at reasonable prices
and in lots to suit purchasers. We must do
more Of our work at home, and thereby
check the flow of treasure East, to Europe
and Asia. When these things are done
California will be the most desirable State
in the Union both to do business In and to
live in.