Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-07
New England and tae vienna Exposition.

To the Manufacturers, Iurmiors, and An.
sans Of -Ne,r Eagimd:-
But twenty years have elapsed since the
Worlds fair was held in London and during
that brief period OF time such enterprises
have come to be regarded a. among the
most important aids to progress in the arts
and sciences. 1t is well known that the
crowning glory of the French Empire was
in itS Exposition Uniyerselle; encouraged
bv its success, Austria has planned simi-
lar exhibition for 1873 and has held forth
the strongest inducements for all nations To
become exhibitors. From most nations the
response has been prompt and hearty Eng
land. France, Germany. Italy, Switzerland.
Brazil, China, and Japan have taken up the
matter with degree of zeal that insure5
creditable representations. Each Of the
nations have made large appropriations
from government funds. and all are now
waiting to see what our government will do
in the premises. So far il has done little.
and the success Of our department in the
Exposition must in a great degree rest with
the personal endeavorS of our manutactur-
ers. There is among no class of our citi-
zens greater national pride, no greater en-
terprize. To both these we appeal Tor
creditable representation of American in
No section of the cauntry can do more
than New England yet up to the present
no section has done - little. 1t is under
| stood that the South has responded nObly
| with her raw and manufactured staples, the
| West with her appliances for internal com
merce, and the Middle States have fully
represented their various special industries.
| New England has hardly made a response
to the general call for universal representa-
| ton. There Is no sufficient reason for this.
| We have made vast progress in the mechanic
arts during the last decade and our school
system is unsurpassed. With little effort
we could easily fill the entire department
allotted to the Uuited States yet unless
there is a prompt and energetic action on
the part of our people we shall be chiefly
conspicuous in the Exposition by our alb
sence. In view of these facts, we appeal
most heartily to manufacturers, artisans,
educationalists and all others interested in
the ecauSe of universal progress, to interest
| themselves in making the New England de
partment of the Vienna Exposition properly
representative Of our best industries
1t Is desirable to act without waiting the
action of Congress, in order that the yalu-
able time already lost may be more than re-
deemed in the few weeks that remain. Over
| looking the direct advantages which the ex
| position offers to manufacturers we would
have the question made one OF national
pride and acted upon in that spirit.
Steps towards organization with this end
in view have already been taken in several
Of the New England States to make them
successful requires the hearty co-Operation
of the people at large. If this rs freely
| given we shall at the close have lost none OF
the prestige gained at London and Paris
| and can with better right ask the aid OF
| Austria and the world in making our forth
coming centennial celebration a success.
". Il. WASHBURN,