The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-04-14
The Chicago Fair.

The editor of the Port Deposit Press is
not able to see that the Worlds Fair can be
of little OR no substantial profit 10 the peo-
pie of this country. The class of profit refer
red to by us is pecuniary gain, and not that
which indirectly arises from education in its
many directions, from close contact and
comparison of the handiwork and methods
of the people from different parts of the
world.
1t is, or was, claimed by the boomers Of
the Worlds Fair enterprise, which will
open at Chicago next month, that the
exhibition would add to the wealth of this
country not less than $3.50, 100000. This
we denied and attempted to point out few
of the reasons such result could not be
attained through the Fair. There will but a
few thousand persons at most, visit the
show from foreign countries, other than
those who come to take charge of the
exhibits from foreign lands. There are but
two classes of our people who can possibly
be gamers. The railroads and steamship
lines .sand those persons in and about
Chicago who provide lodging and boarding.
The thousands Of families which our Port
Deposit friend thinks would share in the
profits made by the railroads, are certainly
mythical. The present force cf the rail-
roads will not be increased, or if at all, the
temporary increase will be so limited as 10
cut no figure. The companies will certainly
pay no more wages to their employees, and
consequently their families will not share
any Of the additional profits that transport
taton companies may secure. These fares
will be, doubtless, largely paid in Euro
pean countries, and the ticket purchased at
the foreign port will carry the passenger to
Chicago and back to his home. We very
much doubt whether the amounts realized
by transportation companies on World s
Fair travel from abroad will more than
offset their losses from the restriction of
immigration. If the transportation of
foreigners to this country by those COM
accruing enterprise, for the country. the
'tprofts made by the railroads going
towards supporting thousands Of families
as our Port Deposit friend believes, there
would not be such an cutlery raised against
unrestricted immigration. The money
OF the half million immigrants is the same
& III, fouoral
This number pited against few thousand
visitors, at most to the Fair would amount
in the aggregate TO sum vastly greater.
1t is evident, however, that whatever
croft arises from this source, but small
part of it will find its way outside of the
corporations lines, and their force of en-
ployes will be but little increased, and
whatever increase there may be, it will be
to accommodate our own people, who will
number hundred 10 one of the foreigners.
But that which most puzzles the Port
Deposit brother is how the foreigners are
gong 70 travel through the country and then
carry their money back. This is what is
termed clever -" pick up" 1t goes without
saying they are supposed to save enough to
pay their passage home. if they don't hap
pen 10 haye a round trip ticket. And
whatever they might have of American
money would be exchanged for the money
of their own country at their departure.
The fact we pointed out was that the money
Of foreign countries expended by the Wis,
itors would not add to the volume of cur
rency. That the foreign money would be
exchanged at the coast for the money
already in circulation, and when they
departed not singe dollar will have been
added to the circulating medium Of this
e,uutry. We will have sold no more sur
ylus products than we would have sold had
there been no fair, and prices will moi
advance, because an increase of the volume
of money alone advances prices perman'
entity. The foreigners will not load up with
oar goods to take home with them as our
folks do who visit Europe. Goods are
something higher here than there. Theil
food and transportation are about all the
foreigners will purchase and the price o
the raw material ofthe cuisine is fixed in
Liverpool, as the price of our silver is
fixed in London, aud the former largely by
the price of the latter. No. The Chicago
Fair will profit only the chieago specu
lators. And Congaess has given them
several millions of the peoples money.