Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-05
At James town. aE.!Kaww

There is always stage at which
convention cities begin to receive in.
furious criticism. 1t has been so since
the Philadelphia Centennial. of. 1876.
New Orleans, Chicago. buffalo, st.
Louis and all the rest had the same
mud flung at them in turn. and it is
not wholly Incredible that they all de.
served good deal OF It, He must
be a very optimistic and inexperienc-
ed person who imagines that human
nature can be subjected to complete
occulatiton Mt the bidding of an un-
selfish local pride. This noble emo.
tion is usually monopolized by the
uncommercial element of the comm,l-
nifty, while those who have accommo-
dations to sell postpone their patriot
ic altrnism to another turn OF the
wheel. In this respect the history OF
the jamestown Exposition is n mere
abject imitation of all preceding his
tories of similar occurrences and
episodes.
We especially regret. however, the
present .ebullition OF hostile criticism
in connection with Jamestown. Quite
apart from the Importance of the
epoch i'll our history, which 1t is in
tended to celebrate, there Is the con-
sideration of its novelty of conception
and the extraordinary possibilities OF
It's properly realized design. AS ORR
gtnally proposed, or ut least as orr
ginally eXpounded in this part of the
world by General iFtZhugh Lee, it
contemplated radical departure
from the conventional and somewhat
shop-worn scheme. It's dominating
note was to have been that of military
paeeantry which all could witness and
enjoy from any and every shore of
the magnificent body of water known
as Hampton Roads. There were to
be industrial ana other displays for
such as cared to witness them, but
the gathered fleets and armies of the
old world would furnish the piece de
resistance of the banquet, and to this
unprecedented pageantry great multi
tudes were expected to. assemble as
spectators. Moreover, it was Gener-
nj Lees idea that untold thousands
of visitors could be Accommodated at
reasonable rates within easy walking
distance Of the grounds--not in costly
and more or less luxurious hotels al
distance, but in temporary though
reasonable comfortable inns and COT
tages along the water side, where all
the privileges of the average seashore
summer resort, bathing, sailing, fish.
ing, &C., would be available to, rich
and poor alike, without money and
without price. And as innumerable
refugees from our overheated cities
repair each year to just such asylums
of health and recreation without any
extra inducement, it seemed only fair
to suppose that the same kind of at.
traction, backed by the additional op-
portunity in question, would bring
multitudes to the jamestown Exposl-
ton.
To what extent this undoubtedly
alluring program has been amend
ed we can only estimate by guess
work. The newspapers are crowded
with complaints touching alleged ex-
tortion by the hotels, and IL
these be only approximately just, the
effect will take on many aspects OF
disaster. For all we absolutely know
to the contrary, the managers of the
jamestown Exposition are proceeding
with temperance and wisdom. AT
least we may assume as much, since
they have for their guidance a long
record of failure and calamity in 9TH
er enterprises of the kind. But the
injurious gossip we have here indi-
Gated is now in active circulation,
and If it be nnfounded and malicious.
as we believe and hope, there is still
time in which to controvert it. If 1t
be true that patrons of the Jamestown
Exposition and if it be n fact that
all Norfolk is in conspiracy to
fleece them, the prospect is anything
but roseate.
We are not at all disposed, how
ever, to accept the current gossip The
folly involved in the proposition is
inconceiyable..-N York Sun.