The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-01
logic LOSES TO LOBBY.

New Orleans being the logical, sensible, and
deserving place to hold the National Exposition
in celebration of the completion Of the Panama
Canal in 1915 the House of Representatives,
most naturally selected San Francisco. Logic
has proven impotent in combat with the polit
ical lobby Common sense and decent treat
ment have been subjugated to trickery and hur-
raining.
And as a result four years hence San Fran
cisco will have a grand Exposition. which will
fatten the purses OF the transcontinentai rail-
roads and replenish the Golfers of those who so
uberaily contributed to maintain the lobby in
Washington.
Thlrty.four hundred miles from the Panama
Canal San Francisco will make merry over the
opening Of the waterway and wait three weeks
for letter informing her citizens Of what hap
pened on the canal during any day of the cele-
hration II the Senate ratifes the action of
the House. as now seems likely. there will be no
Panama Exposition although there will be IA
big show on the Pacific Coast The government
will have no control whatsoever over the Expo
sition which the House has licensed. The only
tinge of nationasn will be an invitation from
President Taft to foreign powers to send their
hattleships to San Francisco
Yet New Orleans fought a valiant battle for
the Exposition, notwithstanding the overwhelm-
ing odds which her representatives faced, and
despite the fact that weeks ago they realized
that dinners, automobile rides and other cour-
iesies 10 congressman more persuasive
than mere logic. One thing must not BE- forgot
ten, however. and that Il the fact that New Or
leans was the first city in the United States to
suggest an Exposition In celebration of the open
ing of the Panama Canal. and the first city to
make bid for it Large sums of money were
raised in the Crescent City for Exposition pur-
poses The idea was rot much to have a
show and fill the air with noise, but to hold an
Exposition at the door Of the Panama Canal and
impress upon the commercial world the full
meaning of the great waterway
New Orleans asked to be designated as the
Exposition city; that the show be declared ma
tional and that 81 900, 900 for the United States
Government exhibit be appropriated, San Fran
cisco raised s17,560,000 for the Exposition and
asked nothing of Congress other than TO be de
clared the National Exposition city In the
House the Golden Gate city has 1t will
probably win in the Senate. Had other
city twice as far as San Francisco is from the
Panama Canal raised S35 100000. 1t is logical to
suppose that Congress would have voted for
that city 1t seemed to be a question of money
aud lobbying regardless of the significance Of
the Exposition the good to be accomplished
for the commercial interests of the country.
The vote taken in the House shows that the
New England Western and Central Western
Republicans combined with the Pacific Coast
representatives to give the Exposition to San
Francisco. The Democrats voted for New Or
leans, although Congressman Maynard Of Viz
ginia, was among those who did not. Our old
friend hindsight against foresight looms large.
Had New Orleans waited until the next Con
gress which wifi be Democratic. convened. the
CRESCENT City probably Eohld nave been chosen
Equipped the she in the struggle
with New Orleans. San Francisco should be sue
cessful in getting designated the city for the
holding OF an Alaskan Hudson Bay EXPOSE
tion some years later. the Golden Gate city be
Ing an equal distance from those places as
she is from the Panama Canal
WELD THE COMMUNITY.