Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1890 — A WORLD’S FAIR SURE. [ARTICLE]

A WORLD’S FAIR SURE.

THE HOUSE PASSES THE BILL FOB ITS ESTABLISHMENT. The Great Columbian Exposition Not to Be Held Until 1803—The Government Exhibit—Debate on the Amended Bill by Member* of the House. Washington dispatch: The House has passed the world's fair bill bv a vote of 202 yeas to 49 nays alter an amendment was adopted changing the date of opening to May 1, 1893. The contest was admirably conducted. Its successful issue has not unduly elated the Chicago contingent, because it was a foregone conclusion. ' The New York and St Louis Representatives came down handsomely, and the last fragment of opposition to Chicago has disappeared. The country is now united to make the exposition an achievement of supreme splendor. The scenes in the House were interesting to crowded galleries, and at times exciting in themselves. When the final vote in approval of the bill was announced the spectators broke Into cheers.

Mr. Candler, chairman of the special fair committee, called attention to the st ipulation that the debate was to end at 4 o’clock and the vote taken at once. Ho said said that the time of those in favor of the bill would be controlled by himself and the time of those against the bill by Mr. Flower of New York. The world’s fair bill was then read bv the clerk. « The reading of the bill ended Mr. Candler said ho desired to offer some amendments. The first, unanimously reported by the committee, added to section 0 a provision for the appointment by the national commission of a board of lady managers to bo associated with them and to perform such duties as might bo assigned to thorn. The amendment was adopted without objection. A second amendment, also agreed to without dissent, provided for a separate building for the fish commission exhibit. Mr. Candler then addressed t"ho House on the merits of the hill.

It was a matter of gratification rather than of regret, said Mr. Candler, that these three great cities had contested for the location of the fair. It was becoming the patriotism of the republic that great municipalities should thus vic with each other for the privilege of celebrating the discovery of the now world. The Issue of an exciting contest in the House has been to locate the exposition In Chicago. It had been thought expedient, therefore, to change in some particulars the original bill so it might better subserve the interests of the fair.

The substitute offered by the committee for the original bill had been accepted by the World’s fair committee and was, the speaker ventured to say, generally satisfactory to all Interested. In regard to an appropriation for the -fair he said that the gentlemen ought not to object to that. Such an appropriation had been made for the Philadelphia exposition, the New Orleans exposition, and the Atlantic fair. Mr, Kilgore of Texas, asued if the money was not loaned to Philadelphia and repaid. Mr. Chandler said It was not; that $160,000 had been given for the purpose of the fair outright by the National government. Chicago has done .more than we expected her to do in preparing for the fair, said Mr. Candler. Five millions of. dollars have been raised by the citizens of Chicago—ss,ooo,ooo that are as solidly, secured as though by promissory notes; but they have not stopped there; in addition to these $5,000,000 they guarantee that another $5,000,000 shall be raised, making in all $10,000,000? They have secured this by guarantees by business men who have a national) reputation for probity and financial judgment. But the committee has not stopped there. They have put in the bill an additional check, and that is that the President of the United States shall not Invite forlegn governments to participate in the exposition until $lO,000,000 are raised, as provided for. Mr. Belden of New York said: “Mr. Flower, Mr. Hatch, and myself have signed a minority report objecting to this bill. We object to It because in our opinion Chicago has not given proper guarantee to raise $10,000,000. and without this amount we do not think the fair will be a success. The Chicago representatives on this committee have shown us no subscription list. They, have given us no statement, no signed! guarantee, nothing that we can put our fingers on. I asked for the subscription list and I was told that I might, look at the list in confidence, but that' I must not make It public. The first name on that list was that of Mr. St. John and opposite It a subscription of $395,000. I asked the chairman what that meant, and he gave me an explanation I could not understand. I gathered that a meeting had been held by citizens of Chicago and $395,000 ' promised, and that is the kind of a guarantee they want us to accept. This supplementary provision makes the guaranty $10,000,000 absolute or. tnere will be no fair. Speaking upon the amount of the contemplated appropriation, he said that $15,000,000 was not an extraordinary amount, and it should be remembered that only $320,000 was to be appropriated for the present fiscal year Mr. Candler then offered an amendment in his original motion, to be considered as pending, providing for the dedication of the buildings of the world’s fair with appropriate ceremonies, October 12, 1892; and vidlng that the exposition shall be opened to visitors not later than May 1, 1893, and close not later than October 30, Herald that tills postponement was not asked by Chicago, but he thought that it would Inure to the benefit of the exhibitors who were to take part in the exposition. The House agreed to Mr. Candler’s amendment postponing the fair until 1893. • r / Mr. McCreary of Kentucky spoke of the benefits which would accrue to the entire country by the holding of the ex- | position. . I