Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-05

| EInDOfute anu COWpreneIlSive ucS'sH"'
which embraced portion of Paramount
Park ms n cite, the Identification OF the |
unsightly banks Of the Srhuylkill. and
the construction Of buildings and palaces
that would ut once be glory and honor
to the city, were suggested.
Then followed n series of acrimonious
wrnngles In City Council over n site.
individual members sought to impose
their wishes upon the directors. but
finally the Par rkwny and F'airmount
Park site was selected.
Pull. Backs Get Busy
| During all these months an element
Of opposition had been gradually gain
ing n foothold. Members If the board.
and of the original commitN Nte of 100.
whether from motives Of petty jealousy.
personal disappointment. or whnt not,
started back fire directed toward the
original plan Of u celebration.
The North Philadelphia Mnnufac-
turcrs' Association was drawn into the
mnclstrom Of discomfort, as m opposi-
ton vOicing various pleas and excuses
for its attitude.
Samuel NJ. vnuc1nin and r. r.
Stotesbury were leaders of the Opposi-
ton.
Mr.. Stotesbnry arriving from a few
weeks spent abroad announced that the
nations OF Europe were too poor TO con
tribute Of their shattered finances to
any American enterprise such as was
contemplated.
The fact that these same nations had
contributed a total Of more than
81 .WN, 900 toward representation at the
!:rnzilian international Exposition in
ltio Jhn"iro. seemed to have escaped
Mr.. St"t"sbury's vigilant attention.
Weeks prior to this. however. Mayor
Muore had submitted to Council n
budget Of sl10.OOO.OOO for city i'm
provcineDs which he declared were
necessary preparations for the Centen.
nial exposition.
The Mayors Wet Blanket
To the casual reader and thinker.
nothing could have contributed to wet
blanket the whole proposition so much
as this budget estimate of Mayor
Moore's.
1f his Honor had deliberately de-
signed Il body blow to the Sesqui Gem
tennial he could not have contrived a
more effective method.
Council appreciated Mayor Moore s
proposition at it's real worth.
Without regard to faCtionnl differ
rnres it cast stcely eye on his $40.
600. 600 budget, then ridculcd it, and
finally laughed it out of the Cham
Der.
ON tho other hand. while the months
were passed in hesitancv and indc-
cision. the Chamber of Commerce to-.
geth"r with ffty.twO other civic and
political organizations continued to fight
for the original idea for Sesqui-
Centennial Exposition.
These organizations felt. as all for.
ward looking associations of their kind
felt. that the good nam" Of Philadelphia
was at stake and must be upheld.
When the proposition first came Ia
abandon the project. then to trans.
form it into what amounted to Perm i
sylvania exposition. and finally to de-
grade it TO the level of a county fair.
they resolutely set their faces against
it.
They have been and are the bulwark
Of the Scsuui. Centennial movement 10
whom, in the end. the credit must
largely be given for whatever is accom-
plished.
Senator Peppers Dream
Tho climax Of bizarre suggestions ws,
reached whcn United States Senator
Georg" Wharton Pepper tentatively
suggested the arcading "f th"stnu,
street. and the transformation Of Broa,
street int" a gloritird Midway l'laisanr'
ms n suitable adjunct I" any project foi
the celebration Of the S"S,ui-t t"nt"nnia
of the immortal Declaration OF lnde.
rendence.
As the distinguished gentleman hn,
vigorously asserted his r"rtitude OF in
t"ntiun and sincerity when Ii" outlined
this nightmare ui civic qualification
this combination Of cabarat. circus. nj
frrsco caf" and sarsapariila and nut
sundra soda stands, in th" shadow of
Mr.. Nalrluin's l"om"tiv" establish
mcu,. his word must be- accepted with
ont question.
lie did stat" subsequently that hr
vas for IN" ScsIui centennial FAR
mount Park site.
Mayor Moore finally resigned tho
snrntl"n. In his stead Colonel Frank
lin D'Uirr was elected to tn" vacancy
D'Olier Takes o. Rcins
As former and first head Of the
American Legion. Colonel bbli"r came
to the nthr" with tn" hearty inhorSr =
ment of lis fellow directors and the
full confidence" uf those who believe in
phlndcl,ha and her ability to do the
things sh" undertakes.
But the Welfare Federation drive
was tahiu- form. Colonel b'nli"r was
at the head uf that. Its demands were
immediate and inSiS,cnt, II" had tr
overcome tho defeat ~ last year viii
tho triumph uf this. For this the Srs
uui -rrntcnn!al needs must wait few
weeks.
('u,lrr his dirrrti"n. with III" aid OF
such mru rs Judge Martin, Edwar,