The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-14
THE MODERN ROME.

II my friend, Mr. cumming, ms kept
track OF my Chicago correspondence he
will have noticed that l have duly re.
cognized and paid high tribute therein
to the Chicago spirit OF which ho
speaks. ln my opening letter l used
almost tho identical language that he
employs In his characterization OF it.
/ spoke OF her as q modern Rome that
successfully dared, like her great proto.
type, attempt any scheme however
tremendous and with apparent rock
lessness aa to the pecuniary outcome OF
it. With all her spirit aud pluck, how
ever, 1t remains true, as set forth in
my letterof the I'd of October, "to q
community that has such millions in
improbable ventures Of an individual
or corporate character growing out OF
the tair, the possibility OF losing millions
more in the shape Of the bonds and
stock OF the fur, IN such times as these, Is
a matter Of no small moment, and
hence tho nrousement to which have
alluded, viz: tho demand OF the news
papers and the stockholders for an OK.
tensiye and vigorous application OF the
pruning knife" II Is true as
stated by Mr.. Cummings, that
the debt Of Chicago is quito small for n
city Of her population aud wealth Qess
than twenty millions) and also true that
with all the dtsappointments eneoun-
tered as TO results thus fur (mainly rs
respects the miscarriage OF so many
semi.specutative ventures) the people
do not whine over it, and I verify be-
lieve that few indeed, II any OF them,
regret that Chicago embarked in the
fair, whatever may betide the stock or
thebonds Bnt still, with all this spirit
of forLitude and resignation, Chicago Is
not by any means indifferent to the
fact that 1t Is Of great Importance to her
financially that this fair shall pay its
way, even If she has to Barnumize it to
certain extent to assure success, rs
witness, for instance, some Of tho lnto
newspaper suggestions here, especially
the following from Thursdays Herald:
"CirCus or nc. circus, the proposition to fur.
nlsh amusement Tor the Worlds Fair crowds Is
good one. War Ounces, swimming races. canoe
races aud ahorlgi concerts may slnaCk OF the
side show, but the people like them, The his
tory Of the music department OF tho exposition
shows that visitors 10 tho inir-or large major.
ity Of thGmdO not go to Jackson Park to be
educated but to DO entertained They go to SEQ
tho htg buildings, the rare aud curious exhibits
and the strange and outllndish people To DO
found there, They are out for recreation, not
for education. This fact may be disappointing
TO people with "hfghOr aims but Il Is faCt,
nevertheless, and the exposition being AplacO
OF entertainment on Il large sonle the public
must be catered 10 or the public will stay away,
II has taken q good while for the officials IN
charge OF tho show 10 realize this fact, but II "
never Let the circus go on. The people want
CHICAGO SHOULD PATRoNIzE THE FAIR.
While, US remarked ut the outset OF
this letter, the attendance at tho fair IL
ON tho increase aud while II will in all
probability (unloss the present Anan-
cial and business cloud gets very black
indood) increase still moro decidedly,
yet 1t viii remain for the Chicago poo.
pte themselves TO wake UP aud to u
greater extent than at present pour
themselves through the pay turnstilea
into tho fair grounds, and not depend
too much on their country cousins.
their country cousins arc, sad to say,
not In near as good shape as they woro
thrup months ago. The toilors III tho
shops end tho Aelds constitute now a
great aud disappointed multitude.
1'hOy wOrO bont last spring on coming
to this fair, but confronting rs thoy
now do 30 many lido factories, no many
closed banks, aud 90 many parched and
stricken fields, thoy loot unable to
spare tho money that II costs to como
and stay hOre. As said In my last
lOttor. "thU moro's tho pity, that this
should DO tho case. for this generation
and quito possibly succeeding genera.
lions, mny not soe another such ialr."
For some reason tho Europeans have
failed to show up at tho fair to any.
thing like tho extent thoy woro expect
cd u. A decided prejudice against II
soOms TO have boon justified into tho
European mind by certain New York
papers aud other agencies nm In rc.
celpt oil letter from nm Intelligent
English gentleman that serves to Illus.
trnlC tho widely prevalent prejudice in
England and othOr parts Of Europe
about tho fair lilo remarks, In allud.
lug TO the fair, IN fol0Ws:
From all lhpnr II IL terrible tlaaco /,
moro like gallantry show than q great