Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-13
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 10. 1882
Coliimhns nnd Amn1aarrlc,;a,.

f -.
achievements OF CHRIsToPfIER COLUMBUS IN
the literature OF the day, and the many
celebrations organized in Italy. Spain. and
America to do honotlt 20 thefour-hundroth
anniversary Of his Discovery and Ldnding
will somewhat atone for the neglect he
has suffered at tile worlds hands.
OF all the great navigators he seems TO
have deserved most at the hands Of his
countrymen; but 1t was little that ne got
besides abuse. misreptesentation and i'm
prisonment.. fbe value OF his discovery
was not understood by his own age, and
later generations have given no great
thought to the matter. True there have
been several monuments erected to his
memory, and some States, districts, and
towns named after him. but the name Of
later explorer became identified with the
continent itself. OF the monuments to
him one Of the best is at Genoa where his
early manhood was spent, and near which
place il Is supposed that he vas born. This
imposing memorial of marble stands in
an open square near the chief railroad sta
ton. and is therefore seen by nearly every
person who enters into or departs from
tbs. city.
Whether CoLUMsus was born mt Genoa
or not IS a matter of uncertainty. So is
the date Of his birth, though the year
1893 is the generally accepted time It IS
quite certain that he died In Yalladolid
May 20. 1906. His father was poor wool
comber, which trade the son also followed.
At another time CoLUMBUs was a book
seller; but very early he went to sea, and
the sea became the mistress of his afec-
irons. His real name was CK1sroFoEo Co
LoMBo. which he Latinlzed according TO
the custom of the period into COLUMBUS,
and when he went TO Spain he adopted
the Spanish form Of it-CRIsToBAL CoLoS.
Uncertainty seems to have followed him
or his history even to this day, for whereas
it appears that he discovered land-what
particular point Of land is still q mystery
on the 18th of October. 1882, and landed on
the 10Th, there has been great contention
of late whether the 18th or the Dist of DC
tober should be celebrated. Corrected ac-
cordiug TO tue present calendar, October
2ist is the proper anniversary Gay; but not
a few persons have held out for the 18TH.
However, the people of the United States
with charming business sagacity have ar-
ranged to observe both days, and 50 we
are pretty sure TO be right.
In New York, Richmond. and many
other cities the 12ta-y Yesterday was OBJ
served, and on the 21st the ceremony Of
decorating the buildings of the Columbian
Worlds Fair at Chicago will take place
with all Of the pomp and inprtssiveness
possible IN view Of the fact that the hack
men have resolved TO charge no less than
800 per day per back and that the National
Guard of lliiiois will not parade unless
their expenses are paid, which money, it
seems, will not be Forthcoming
Italy gave COLUMBUS to the world but
Spain enabled him to find our shores.
Italy furnished him; Spain put into
his hands the Instruments with which
to do his work Genoa, Portugal Venice,
France, and England all had denied TO
him the vessels which FERDINAND and
ISABELLA placed at his disposal.
These are all matters of history (of
"ancient history" indeed, but the i'm
portance of them Is more manifest the
more the land which he discovered (but
1t is of but little consequence to say that
other explorers visited these shores before
CoLuMBts did. He 1t vas who really
opened this land to Europeans.
The Colum biap Worlds Fair at Chicago
was originally designed to commemorate
the 4OOth anniversary Of the landing Of
COLUMBUS; but it could not be gotten
ready IN time. and long ago it was post
poned for one year. Meanwhile 1892 is be-
ing celebrated in other appropriate ways
and in 1898 we shall have at Chicago a
great exposition of the arts and industries
of the Old and New Worlds prefaced by "a
great naval display IN the harbor Of New
York and in Hampton Roads
The Chicagoans are not displaying as
much unselfshuess with regard to the ex-
position as we should like to see. but it
will no doubt be q grand affair neyerthe-
less. No other country in the world could
or would have put up such beautiful
buildings for an exposition as we have
erected FOR this one, and they are pretty
sure 10 be filled with interesting objects.
Meanwhile, New York has been quite
outdoing herself III the richness OF the
pageantry which she prepared for this
years celebration. Richmond. too. has
done her part. The ceremonies which
took place yesterday under the auspices
Of our Italian citizens were very creditabe
to them. 70 their patriotism and enter
prise is due the fact that in few cities of
our size was the 18th of October more be-
cominely observed than IN Richmond.