Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-25
URGES TRADE EXHIBIT
AT NATIONAL CAPITAL
Lindsay S. Perkins Sure Ma
ti0nS of World Would Glad
Iy Participate.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The dispatches tell us that Great Brit
ain, Germany and Russia will not par
ticipate in the Panama exposition at San
Francisco. Various reasons may be as
signed for that stand on their part, but
the great reason is that 1.-THE world is
tired of worlds fairs as they have here
tofore been conducted. at too great an
expense for the short time Of exhibition.
AS business propositions they are a
failure to those participating, and a sub
stitute is sought which will do the work
better and cheaper. This will be found
in the permanent exposition or CONNER
cial agency and exhibition Of samples at
capitals of the world.
Representative J. Hampton Moore of
Pennsylvania introduced a bill Oh. R.
32o46 in Congress couple of years ago
to establish a national trade bureau in the
city of Washington, with a view to the
purchase of land and erection in said
city of buildings of sufficient proportions
to install "a complete collection of sam
pie products of the soil, the forests, the
mines and the sea as grown, manufac-
tured, improved or prepared for CONNER
cial use by human labor or ingenuity in
the United States of America or in any
foreign country with which the United
States may have commercial relations
now or hereafter. and illustrative of the
methods and opportunities of creating and
distributing wealth." Under this bill the
trade bureau was to "Organize and eS-
tablish q thorough system Of acquiring
and imparting to the people information
of every kind upon commercial and in
dustrial questions at home and abroad"
Other Bills in Congress.
Other bills were introduced by Turn
bull of Virginia and Collier of Missis-
sippi, looking to the establishing of a
permanent exhibition of national re-
sources at Washington.
The Turnbull bill brought about the or
ganization of a volunteer committee,
which spread the permanent exposition
response was quick and enthusiastic.
Across the nation a wave Of approval
went, Savannah vying with Seattle and
Trenton with Los Angeles, in boosting
exposition. Baltimore was particularly
warm in her Endorsement of the plan.
Hundreds of commercial, financial and
civic organizations voiced their approval
Kentucky Texas, Alabama, Mississippi,
Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, South
Dakota and other states appointed COM
mittees to look after their interests in
the exposition. Even the foreign coun-
tries OF Switzerland and Bolivia took the
matter up. and declared their desire to
participate.
Sufficient approval was elected from
high sources to prove beyond a doubt
that not only our own states, but many
foreign countries, would be only too glad
to establish and maintain permanent ex-
hibits and commercial agencies at our
National Capital is enabled to do so by
the necessary legislation.
What Is needed to bring this about Is.
first, for Congress to donate a liberal
amount OF land in the environs of
Washington to provide sites for the ex-
position buildings, the latter to be erect
ed by the exhibitors and maintained
without cost to the government.
The gain in interstate commerce alone
would richly repay the government for
the outlay involved: and the particlpa-
ton of the great and small powers OF
earth would not only be worth money
to them and to us, but would be of UNI
told value in establishing and maintain
ing peace. AS Charles w. Elliot once
said of the post office: ut (will be) an
instrument of trade and commerce. and
promoter Of mutual acquaintance among
men and nations, and hence Of peace
and good will" There is no site on
earth like Washington for such CEN
trail clearing house of commerce, knowl-
edge and good will, and it seems strange
that all the plans and bills in its behalf
i'm that regard have been allowed to
drag.