1875: The Centennial in 1876

The Centennial in 1876
Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser: Honolulu. Saturday. August 7, 1875

THE CENTENNIAL IN 1876

The American Centennial celebration and exhibition in Philadelphia next year, will afford us a great opportunity which we must not neglect. Our islands have become better known, and more and more popularized in America, owing to the auspicious visit of His Majesty. The American people are in a kindly expectant mood towards us, hoping good things of little Hawaii; and so when the nationals are gathered together to make a display of their skill and taste, and natural wealth in the great industrial palace in Fairmount Park, we must fill a place with our best, and in a way worthy of the expectations of our great continental friends.

We hear of some preparations of geologic specimens, woods and ferns, and of packages of staple productions. But this is not enough. We should send a full illustration of the capabilities of our fertile soil. Besides the products, the quality of the soil itself should be systematically displayed. And then an illustration of the surface of our Archipelago would be of the greatest interest and value. We do not mean mere map, but a raised models of the islands. We have the skill and the material for such a work, and we only need an application of funds designed to assist in the proper presentation of our Archipelago, and its products at the great centennial celebration, to get up the model.

Fathermore we should fully illustrate the character and abundance of our heritage and pasture, so unusual in a tropical climate. A full display of our fibrous plants, and of the lint and fibre they produce would awaken a great interest. Our ancient coral masses that lie inland of our shores are deserving of attention; as also our chalk and other mineral deposits. Our forest trees will of course not be overlooked, which abound in valuable barks, leaves, and roots, as well as furniture woods; and also there are the shells, mosses, lichens, lcyhopods and hepasticoe to add beauty and interest to the whole display. 

Our native appreciation of art ought to be displayed by our skillful native band, which could in 1776 make musical echoes around the old State House in Chesnut street, and then would remind the thinkers there present that at the time that a great branch of the English family was springing into independent national life, there was a great and enterprising Englishman about to make known unto the world in Pacific waters the savage sires of these tuneful band boys.

We trust this national work of collection and arrangement is in the hands of those qualified by inclination, taste and opportunity to mask it a labor of love; and that interesting little Hawaii, who will be hailed with favor from America, will be gloriously illustrated at the great American centennial exhibition in 1876.