The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-12-14
THE BALTIMORE CENTENNIAL EXPO.
SITlON

The plans and arrangements for Balti-
more'S proposed centennial exposition in
| 1897 have now arrived at a stage that iuSti-
! fy a direct appeal to the public fgrrhe sup
port and Endorsement of the great enter
prise. Up to this time the Centennial As
soriation has been engaged in determnin e
the nature and scope of the exposition,
studying its various phases and POSSIBLE
ties, estimating, by careful comparison
with other exhibitions of similar charac
ter its probable receipts and expenditures.
and organizing and marShaling into an
| intelligent, systematic and business scheme
all the branches and details of the impor
tant and complicated undertaking. This
preliminary work has at length been large
| lv completed and the general plan of cam
paign mapped out. and the Association has
| reached Il point when it must receive sub
stantial aid and comfort, if it is to make
| the project il success if it is to transfer the
| exposition from paper to solid ground to
| convert it from a scheme to an accomplish
| ed fact. In :; word. it is now about to pre-
sent its plans to the capitalists and bust
ness men of Baltimore and ask for sub
scriptions to the stock Upon the finan-
cial answer which is returned to the Asso-
citation will, of course. depend the POSSIBLE
ity of holding the exposition. Money in
hand is absolutely essential to the inaugu-
ration of such a scheme as this. Mere
good wishes and good words will not do.
They are pleasant and desirable but that
sort of currency will not pay the necessary
before going further the Association wants
to know precisely the amount it can count
upon from popular subscriptions.
\ little pamphlet which has been pre-
pared by the Association presents in de-
tail the estimates of receipts and expendi-
lures, probable attendance and all the
business consideration likely to effect the
success of the exposition. The calcula-
tions of the Associations are founded upon
a careful investigation Of the experience
of other cities. and their figures and argu-
ments are conservative and sound. The
geographical and commercial elements
which combine to give almost absolute
assurance of success. if the fair is manag-
ed with even ordinary business ability.
have been dwelt upon frequently in The
Sun, and are repeated in detail in the
pamphlet referred to. In all of these res
poets it is shown that Baltimores advan-
tages are superior to those which Chicago
could claim in connection with the Worlds
Fair. The accessible population upon
which we can draw for attendance within
a radius of 200 miles of this city is nearly
IL, 00O. 600 while within the same radius
from Chicago there is but {. OOO,0 600. Anoth-
er important fact is that within one hours
ride of Baltimore's exposition site there
| are 80. 900 people. and within two hours
| ride there are nearly 2,0OO.OOO. The
Southern States have a population of
$4,000, 900. not including the population
estimated as being within a radius of 200
miles from Baltimore New York has
800, 900 people outside the radius named
! that are within easy travelling distance of
us. Ten transportation routes stretching
North. South and West. extend into terri
| tory connected with Baltimore by natural
| commercial ties and interests. and will
furnish abundant facilities at low rates to
to those who may desire to visit the ex-
position. And there can be no question
that in addition to the large numbers
! whom such fair will attract simply for
| the pleasure and int connected with
visit to it. there will be thousands of others
capitalists and business men. from abroad
as well as from this country. who will take
| advantage of the opportunity to study this
city from a business standpoint and to
look critically into its resources and posi-
bilities. Baltimore is a natural commercial
centre toward which all business roads
lead from the West the North and the
in every respect. and all that is needed to
enable it to secure all that belongs to it is
to assist the operations of natural COM
mercial laws. The exposition will present
a magnificent opportunity of doing this,
attracting to us as it must streams of
| travel and business, which may be taught
| to flow to us in permanent channels, and
| opening the eyes of outside capital to
Baltimore's wonderful adaptability to
manufactures as well as to commerce, and
to every form of industry and enterprise
which minister to domestic activity or to
foreign trade.
There can he no manner of doubt that
| the exposition can be made success. and
| that it ought to be made a success. but
whether it is to be held or not depends
upon the financial encouragement which
is given to the Association. The city the
State and the Federal government may in
due time he asked to aid the enterprise
but it will not do to depend altogether
upon municipal State or Federal assistance
God helps those who first help themselves
and governments do the same thing with
| regard to eNpoSitiOnS. Before we can ask
| such aid we must show what we are willing
to do for ourselves. The practical question
| just now is this: How much do the business
| men and the people of Baltimore want
| this exposition: how much do they believe
| in it: how much are they willing to help it
| in dollars and cents. Other cities have
been able to make such affairs successful
and Baltimore can do quite as much if
| her people choose to do it. The leading
cities of the South and Southwest will
hold similar exhibitions during the re-
naming Years of the century and every
consideration of patriotism and profit
should appeal to Baltimorcans to make
theirs the most notable and most successful
of the SerieS.-Sun.
Col r. c. Wood, representing Mr.. Chas.
Broadway RouSs. of New York. who is en-
| dcavoring to establish a museum in the
| South for the preservation of Confederate
relics, was met at Richmond, Va, Monday
hy committees from Lee Camp of Confed-
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