The record-union., 1892-03-12
CHICAGO AND-THE FAIR.

ShAS05O . OIlOAG W AaNO SODSAOoo oO~
nate or loan further funds to the Chicago
Worlds Fair should meet with no en-
couragement. From the Chicago stand
point the fair possesses no other signif-
canoe whatever than is represented by
the local gain that will result from it.
States and nations having desire to
draw critical attention to their products,
their claims for immigration, the value
of their industries and trade, will exhibit
at the fair for these laudable purposes,
and pay their own expenses; they are
not seeking to fleece the Government, to
augment the local importance of an
American city, or to provide it with per-
manent improvements. Ifthey should be
led to suspect that the chief interest of
Chicago in the fair is selfish and not
broader than the city bounds, the effect
would be to dampen their ardor.
Chicago went into the fair business to
make decided local gains. We are driven
to this conclusion from all the evil
dences, and they are innumerable. Chi
cago, SO far as she is concerned, proposes
to make the Worlds Fair Chicago
circus, with side-shows that will coin
money for the people of that city. She
has antagonized the Federal representa-
tives of the fair scheme from the outset,
and manifested greed as unseemly as it
is Unsuitable. She wants the fair to be
run for Chicago's benefit primarily and
the acquisition by her of permanent ex-
hibition buildings, parks, towers, and for
the profits Of her people in entertaining
the visitors of 1893.
To these ends Chicago has had on foot a
dozen silly schemes, from the reproduce
ton of the Tower of Babel to the erection
| of Viking building, to remain as per-
manent gain to Chicago, and its exhibits
of the relics of the Viking age, to consti-
tute the nucleus for Chicago museum.
If Chicago has no loftier estimate than
this of the Office of Worlds Fair, the
title should be changed to the Chicago
| Worlds Fair and the Federal aid to the
institution be wholly withdrawn. Chi
cago got all she asked for from the Fed
eral Government at the outset. She has
managed the local Board of Control so
that extravaganza has marked all output
of money; and big salary lists, adver-
tising and travelling expenses have
mounted up enormously high. She has
made bargain, however, and should be
held to it. A Chicago show should not be
run in whole or in part by Federal aid.
The money in the United States Treasury
was not placed there for any such pur-
pose, and to divert it to Chicago's uses
would be gross misuse. Let Chicago foot
the bills for all the schemes for which she
is to be the only financial beneficiary.
! While California rivers and harbors
must continue under peril for lack of
means to protect them; while the great
question of irrigation and water storage
must wait until the National Legislature
sees less reason for retrenchment; while
score of claims for great public pur-
poses knock at the doors of Congress and
are told that they must wait. under the
necessity for greater economy in national
expenditure, it would be folly and incon-
sistency to pour out more money for the
benefit of Chicago and her big show. The
Government has given fully enough
toward the fair. IF it is properly con-
served, enormous salaries and outrageous
commissions cut down and the devotion
of the money strictly to the ends of a
true Worlds Fair adhered to, there is
enoughIgiven and secured already. Chi
cago, however, proposes evidently to
bleed the Federal Government, now that
most of the buildings are under way and
the park improvements have been laid
out to which Chicago expects to fall heir
Congress should not consent to any fur
ther aid or advance in the matter. If we
cannot have genuine Worlds Exposi.
ton without harnessing it to schemes Of
local aggrandizement, we can at least re.
fuse to put up for the cost and let the
beneficiary of the show foot the bills.