The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

are to ascertain tho success of the enter.
prise. It's artistic and educational success
no one denies. 1t is the most comprehen.
sive and most beautiful exposition that
| ever was. Nothing now remains but to
make it a popular success, to induce the
| people to visit it in such vast numbers
that it may do the good and give the pleas
ure which it is capable of doing and giving
We care very little whether it is q financial
success or not. 1t will be a financial sue
cess if it pays its debts, and about that
there is not longer any doubt. If the peo-
pie of the city of Chicago who subscribed
and voted about eleven millions of dollars
to put the enterprise on its feet lose the
whole or any part of this sum, it won't
make much difference. They expected to
lose it, and are willing to lose it. They
are getting their money back in other
ways many fold.
The four hundred thousand or half mill
ion of people who go to see the fair next
Tuesday will get their moneys worth.
They may see the Liberty bell, which rests
on the floor just within the entrance to
the Pennsylvania state building. There it
Is always surrounded by great crowds of
visitors, and I have seen more than one
man uncover his head as he came into the
presence of the venerable relic of our bat
tie for independence. There is something
very touching in the homage which the
people pay to this cracked old piece OF
metal which first rang out liberty to the
land and all the inhabitants thereof, and
In the loving gifts of ratings which sur
round it, contributed by many states OF
the Union. Independence Day the old
bell will hold such reception as it never
held before, and not a tenth part of the
people who want to see it and to touch its
metal with their hands viii be able to get
near it. They may, however, see the
building in which it is housed, and which
is q fine model of the Independence hall at
Philadelphia, in which the greatest event
In the history of America took place.
The half million of visitors may also see
q reproduction of the bell in fireworks
and 1t Is expected this piece will be one of
the most signal triumphs of the pyro-
technic art, which on this occasion is to
contribute so much to the celebration.
The managers of the fair have voted a
large sum of money for the fireworks, and
the display is expected to excel anything
before attempted in this or any other coun-
try. There will be scores of Independence
Day speeches, from as many different plat
forms. There will be hundreds of bands. |
At night electricity and fireworks will add |
their glories to the enchanted scene. 1t is |
to be genuine, old-fashioned Fourth Of |
July at the fair, and the nations of the |
earth, represented here by thousands of |
their citizens, will have an opportunity !
which few of them ever enjoyed before, of |
seeing what vast assemblage of freemen
do when they meet to celebrate the natal |
day of their republic. Around the base of !
the golden statue of Columbia which rises
to great hight from the very center of |
the fairy scene the gondolas and launches
will carry representatives of all nations.
1t will be the world at the feet of the re-
public in more senses than one.
WALTER WELLMAN.