The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-03

The argument of the Hon. James A.
Tawney Of Minnesota in favor of holding
great international exposition at ST. Louis
in 1903. to commemorate the centennial
anniversary OF the acquisition of the Louis
lana Territory. should appeal with pecu-
liar force to every member OF Congress.
Mr. Tawney calls attention to the fact
| that. since the Worlds Fair at Chicago,
there have been annexed to the United
/ States fourteen million people, who, save
for a few Of the more intelligent. are en-
| tirely unacqualnted with our institutions
and have but poorly formed notions of the
/ greatness Of the nation TO which they now
/ owe allegiance. As Mr.. Tawney points
out, we owe to these peoples. and we owe
! IL to ourselves. TO see to it that II they
remain under our sovereignty they are to
be made as contented and prosperous as it
is practicable for us TO make them. And
even if We should conclude to part with the
Philippines contingency which We do
net regard as at all likely to arise-then
we would not fulfill our duty to c.vi,iza-
ton unless we afforded the Filipinos ev-
cry opportunity within our power sue
Cessfully to work cut their destiny with
our lofty ideals as their guide. 1t is OBJ
vious. therefore. that whether considered
from the expansion or the anti-expansion
standpoint, the holding of a great inter-
national exposition in the metropolis Ct
that section Of the country known as the
Louisiana Purchase would be helpful TO
the contamination of our duty TO our new
citizens and to civilization. Their repre-
sentative men would attend the exposition
and 60 back among their people as mis-
sionaries.
The centennial anniversary Of the Louis
lana Purchase is an event in American his
tory Of sufficient importance 10 justify its
celebration on the broad and comprehen-
sive scale proposed, but when to this rea-
son for its fitting observance are linked the
greater reasons for what it would accom-
plish for us in our new mission as a world
power. the argument in favor Of it is I'M
answerable The proposition made to the
Federal Government by the promoters Of
the exposition is liberal and business like
The city OF St Louis offers to contribute
ten million dollars the State Of Missouri
one million dollars. and all the other
States in the Purchase can be relied upon
10 make liberal contributions fer their
proper representation. The amount asked
from the Federal Government is five mil
lion dollars, which is less than half the
amount St Louis and Missouri stand ready
TO subscribe In view of the vast national
benefits which would result from the ex-
position we are OF the opinion that Con
gress should make prompt and favorable
response TO the request OF the Louisiana
Purchase States.
The proposition belongs to that category
OF affairs brought before Congress which
are received with indifference rather than
with opposition because they do not appeal |
either TO partisanship or to special inter |
ests There can be no "politics' in this |
worlds fair proposition. because the sec !
ton directly concerned contains in iss |
great sweep Democrats and Republicans in |
about equal numbers. with a notably large |
sprinkling Of Populists and nondescripis |
But it should arouse the active interest
Of every member Of Congress who appre-
ciates the tremendous potentalities usb-
cred in with the acquisition by the nation
Of distant territory and alien peoples. No
finer object lesson in expansion could be
afforded the country and the world than an
exposition OF the character proposed. In
deed. the central thought the vital force of
the projected enterprise is the principle Of
the extension OF cur domain and sover-
eighty That thought would be uppermost
in the mind OF everybody who attended
the exposition.
The enterprise will perforce be aban-
doned by its promoters unless Congress at |
this session affords the encouragement
contained in the bill now pending before a
special committee appointed by Speaker
Henderson TO consider the subject The |
chief danger to the bill seems to reside in
the indifference to which we have re- |
ferred. and also in the not improbable like
lih0od that in their eagerness to force ad- |
journment before any more mistakes are !
made the Republican managers may so |
crowd the calendar Of Congress with other
measures as to shut out the st. Louis |
Worlds Fair bill. II therefore behooves |
the friends Of the proposition to look close |
ly to it's safety at this time.