New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-06
THE VIENNA EXHIBITION

o,,cIS OF TIE UNDERTAKING-lIs SCORE ANU
CFNrEAL DFSIGN-PECULIAR FEATURES.
,rRoN As OCC ASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE Tlh i"n'''.
y,rNNA. Jan. e9.-lt is a well known thing,
,oae,nc that great International Exhibition W W
n.,d in Vienna next wear All the world Knows IT, ou'
only very small portion OF the wor'o mas % i"i 'I
tested much interest or satisfaction ~ 'no vi
II f. truc that in Vienna the Exhibition 10 .ne p'vr"
tonic OF conversation, the CHIEF Thought ana npe VI 'o
inhabitants bnt am much mistaken II the undertake
,hos o,,r,cted much attention elsewhere. And even
&-o soc,cfv may be divided into two great classes
tho peopc who believe in the thorough success OF inc
r,hiton and those who do not. Whatever may be inc
n,non inter on when the work is more advanced and
hotter opporuuty has been afforded for Judging OF the
energy and ability of the mon nrusted with the under
taking for the present certainly there are nearly as
many douhors as believers. Every one holeshOr the
best. but many DO not expect II.
good sign that all persons connected with or d-
rccy engaged in the enterprise speak with tho utmost
confidence OF its certain success But must add that
many persons Of authority not so connected and there
fore likely 10 he impartial judges express eonsd'
erabie doubt about the ultimate result In the first
place the time short-sCarcey fifteen months to the
opening aythat people do not believe 1t possible for
everything lie in readiness by the appointed time
There strong party in favor OF putting OF the date
Of opening for twelve months but on the other hah"
an equally strong division which believes the EXnoh
Is not unlikely be hindered by foreign war or serious
domestic troubles considers that the only chance Oh SUI
lies the early day for which II is announced "
the opinion OF this party to put 1t of for wear would ne
Ia mt il or forever press and all influential people
strive panfulv TO remove this want " confidence,
which II long continued would certainly grievouSy ar
rt the success OF the Exhibition II appears to IRE the
Austrian people wanting in sclfreance and conf
dcnce the same feeling which leads them to fear for the
result each they in also affects their prog
notifications regarding other great undertakings lher
spirit cOwed by repeated and great disasters Tbcy
need pattiug on the back and encouragement
OPINIONS N VIENNA ON TIE SUBJECT
Naturally al tradesmen hotelkccpcrs houscowncrs,
beside great many others, look forward To the summer
~ 1873 and expect make rich harvest These PEG
pie, and indeed the majority of the inhabitants OF
Vienna are favorable 10 the Exhibition; Int there are
other classes decidedly opposed TO it. The small pour
geos officers and civil servants living on their pen-
sions. and in fact, all those people who will Suher
through the ri>e in the price of all commodities without
receiving any corresponding benefit consider the antci
paied influx Of visitors sort of barbarian INVASION
Thea many who fear that when the trades
people have become accustomed TO quick profits and
large returns they win decline 20 return to moderate
prices. Thgro is doubt whatever hut that the EN-
hhition will prove minc Of wealth 20 large proper
ton of the inhabitants money will flow about and
change hands a. il has done before in Vienna
every with money invested in trades all business
people workers OF every class M reap large profits
But other people living on fixed incomes pensions or
auuuitics lud there many Of them I'm Vienna
will curse the pOmps and vanities Of the Grea; Fair AL
ready the employees in Government Offices have held
meetings discuss what steps they shall take to Induce
the state to increase their salaries. II Is not only the
employees in subordinate positions who are acting In ms
manner hut also officials of high standing who ere them
selves hac lcd upby men of the highest rank. The Gov
trument has received something like notification
tia, total efusal to hearken 10 the pray crs Of the pct-
TONERS VIII Le followed by general strike As such a
strike would entail complete cessation of all Official
lu.mes-woud close the post and telegraph Offices, the
houses. all the departments and even the Pro-
Nincia Government ofices-it is clear some attention
must he paid 20 the claims Of the employees This how
ever ia wandering away from the subject in hand al
though 70 nGods opportunity Of jndging of tie mem
b,rs who view the Exhibition with 10 friendly eye.
some perons have raised Elections against the Vienna
ExLi bom on the ground that the days Of exhibitions
past that the thing had been Oyerdonc; that The
world in fact had had enough Of them. These argu-
Icns have duty before however app opiate they
may have been other they ont of place
t occasion. shall De surIri. cd the Vienna EXhib
ton does rot mark era in the history of such nsu
tons ana cIvate revolution in their programmes, pur
po.cs and proceedings. The approaching Exhibition
Will differ in many respects from those held i'll Paris and
in London. and viii include features not even dreamed
Of connection with those undertakings. Hitherto Ex
hiGons have merely horne the character Of very gigan
nc and superior fairs and bazarS They have been
aud expensive sEowrooms Il large SCALE where goods
were I've ser and dearer than anywhere else. Their
scope was limited; their teaching limited; every
thing about them has been limited except the promises
Of regeneration and civilization with which they
started and which they have failed to realize The Aus
there has not yet been perfect Exhibition;
each has failed in point or other and that the
scope OF an has been too much triCed II remains TO
IT, seen whether the novel features proposed in this
VIII add 10 the and importance OF the Exhib
tou and whether they legitimate additions to such
undertakings.
HOW TIiE PROJECT ORIGINATED.
Already 1882 it proposed to have grca, Inter
national Exhibition in Vienna. But while its promoters
were discussing the subject with the Government and
the Town Council, the Cnmean came and put an
end to deliberations. Again in 1855 the subject
mOOted the Government in favor Of it, the people
seemed ready take 1t up vigorously, and the ground
on which the building to stand was even marked
out the Italian campaign interfered and the matter
was forgotten until 1864. Again this occasion.
siderable progress made in the preliminary arrange
found impossible 10 carry into effect
the plans which had been prepared For over year
that ~. until August, 1S65the proposal for an EX-
hiition discussion this occasion the pre-
In,inaries were far settled that the man
ncr OF raising the necessary funds, and the
date on which the Exhibition sbOuld open
ns6D were decided on. Bat already, in 1865,
the PrussaD seen looming ur, the Government
became TOO much involved in Preparations and dipo-
matte negotiations 10 attend TO the Exhibition, and this
time the matter allowed TO drop out of sight
aud memory. Not disheartened by their want OF
cess the promoters OF the scheme for a Vennese Exhib
On took the matter up again In 1863 the year following
the atiOn between Austria and Hungary. They
- far succeeded in their undertaking that the Govern
ncnt again expressed its willingness TO lend its assist
nncc aud guarantee that the necessary funds should
DE forthcoming. The press and the public took the
matter up warmly. aud 1871 selected the year in
which the Exhibition should Open 1t is scarcely
sary to add that the FrancoGerman inteered this
time a. the other wars had intCTfeTcd before.