New-York tribune., 1905-12-29
THE HUbsoN TER-cENTENARY.


The announcement of a public hearing, to be
given at the City Hall this afternoon by the
Hudson Ter-C Centenary Joint Committee, for the
purpose of receiving suggestions as to the plan
and scope of the celebration in 1909 is a re-
minder that in one respect, at any rate. the
Henry Hudson commemoration bids fair TO sur
pass all that have preceded it in this country.
We doubt if ever before any great public cele-
bration has been planned for in so generous ana
catholic a manner, with so complete taking of
the whole public into counsel and so deliberate
and solicitous a consideration of all preferences
expressed and all interests involved. The whole
question was pretty well discussed in print long
ago. The joint committee has received and
courteously considered many further suggestions
which have at its own invitation been sent to IT.
Now finally it gives an afternoon to public
hearing for the fullest possible suggestions from
the interested public. Such course merits the
highest commendation. and if the result is not
an achievement of the proverbially impossible
in the pleasing of everybody, it should at least
be such as will command the most thoughtful
approval.
We have been much impressed in reading the
recent report of the secretary Colonel Henry
w Sackett with the general practicability and
sense of the numerous suggestions which have
already been made to the committee. OF course
not all of them can be adopted Two or three
at most are all that are likely to be or that,
perhaps should be adopted. But there is scarce
ly one in the long catalogue that is not well
conceived or that would not be a worthy part
of the celebration. Nor are we inclined to judge
among Them at least until after tO-day's hear
ing has ELECTED such additional plans as may
still be in mind further than to emphasize the
eminent propriety of certain ones upon which
there appears to be all but unanimous agree
ment That the celebration should be such as
will enlist not only local interest but that of at
least the entire Hudson Valley goes. without
saying AS for the permanent memorial, the
plan of a Henry Hudson Bridge over Spuyten
DuyviI Creek has met with universal favor, and
an official appropriation Of $1,000,000 has been
made for it so that we may regard it as prac-
tically settled The proposal to make park of
Inwood Hill likewise is much approved espe-
cialy since that slightly spot is probably the
only considerable bit of Manhattan Island
which to-day is in substantially the same condi-
tion that it was in when Henry Hudson visited
these shores.
Beyond these points it may be as well not to
90 until the further and final canvass of sug-
gestions is made and is considered and digested
by the joint committee. From such a multi
tnde of counseIs we shall expect to see not con-
fusion but confident order and wisdom proceed
New-York has done some such things ILL and
some uncoE1monly well. 1t has not often had
an occasion and an opportunity equal TO the
present for doing something really credltaDle
and praseworthy; and, TO judge from the man
ner in which the affair has been taken up and is
being handled we expect that the chance VIII
be improved as it deserves to be