Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-12
THE EXPOSITION HABIT.
In the United states IL Thirty-Five
Years OId--Its Great Cost.
(rrom the New York SUM

Tho United States acquired the expo
sition habit about IS years ago, when
an appropriation OF sl63. $40 81 was made
for display in Vienna. The next af-
fair was the centennial in philadelphia
In 1876, which cost the federal treasury
nearly $so0oo0. Since that time appro-
priations have been made for 2S others,
"A Of them domestic and IA foreign. Tho
total appropriation. including Vienna
and Philadelphia and all other shows.
down to and including the jamestown
fair. has been $27,Is7.T372
Deducting the $6zz7, o46.43 which has
been repaid. there is left a national ex-
penditure OF nearly s2i ,ooo, ooo for the en-
tertainment and education Of American
citizens and foreigners by means OF fairs
and exposiions. The Is foreign displays
have cost us s2,3Oo,675, and the remainder
is charged to the domestic account.
Having acquired the habit, it is diff
cult to break It, and exposition funds
are now virtually included in our fixed
charges. jamestown appears to have
cost us about $500 00o; yct. undismaycd
by that experience. Congress is now dis
posed to give Seattle for her Alaska
Fukon-racinc exposition next year tho
sum OF N,l75.coo Ecuador has invited us
to mako display at Quito next year:
Argentina VIII probably ask us to tax"
part in her centennial in 1910. and Japan
is TO have an important exposition in
1912.
We believe few others. domestic and
foreign. are being planned. The foreign
exhibits are not usually expensive and
nj Oh ,,Jp m
doubtless profitable They are. more
over, courtesy which We cannot we'll
decline. Tho Paris affair of 1910 cost
us a trinc less than N.5o0.ono and tho
show in that city in 1859 cost us s2-0.t00
The range If other foreign expenditures
Is from 500 in three instances to siS7,-
$50 In paris in 1878. The domestic ac-
count shows such items as Buffalo,
100000: New orleans, sls50,ooO: Chica-
20, $4,000, and st. Louis, ss44oo0
In the face Of the fact that apcropria =
tons have been made for expositions at
Philadelphia (2). at Cincinnati C). New
orleans, Louisville, Chicago. Atlanta,
Nashville. omaha. buffalo. Charleston,
Portland NreGon). st. Louis and James
town, it is difficult though not impos-
( siblc to refuse the Application of Seattle.
other applcat tons in tho wears To come
In 50 far as Snattlc's request is limited
to a government display it is perhaps
reasonable.
At all orr fairs and oxpositions tho
federal exhibits have been among the
strongest attractions and their cduca
tonal valuo t. the people is beyond es-
innate. Tho government exhibits at
and unqucstionahlc benefit The objec-
tons to such appropriations are prac.
ticallv removed If the expenditure car
he hold down to the original sum ant
the money used only for the official ex.
hbit A fair shot Is made in that dlrec.
ton In tho Seattle bill by the inclusion
OF a provision that
''The United States shall not in any
manner or under any circumsta nee:
make any loan. directly or indirectly, q
the Alaska-Y ukon-Paciflc exposition o.
for the benefit OF said exposition or fol
any OF the purposes thereof. and shall
not appropriate for any purpose what
soevcr in connection with said exposi
ton any sum. Of money other than tina
provided in this act'
This is good only as far as it goes
/ While II furnishes an excellent reason
for refusing any further appropriation
il docs not absolutely prevent the pas
sage by some later Congress OF a Seattle
exposition relief bill.
In theory the Alaska Yukon Pacifi
exposition Of 1909 is to he genera
roundup OF all the products and TO
sources and people of all the American
territory located in the immedia to vicn
ity of the Pacific ocean. II Is to en-
brace everything and everybody from
the Arctic ocean to the Celebes sea, a.