Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-02
THE VIENNA SHOW.
nir,rernlnE A.pecl oI AnaIrs.


Bayard Taylor writes from Vienna ia
the Tribune as follows:
There were about 5000 visitors TO the
exhibition, in spite OF the weather, To-
day the returning sunshine, though &C.
companied, as usual, with furious and
cutting rain, attracted about $4,000, II
was pleasant enough, after one reached
the main building, TO pick ones way be.
tween the piles Of unlocked goods, stroll
more freely through the finished tran
sents Of Switzerland and Tunls; watch
the increasing order Of England, France
and Germany, and even to see that d
grouud. plan Of display is at last laid for
| Inc unfortunate United States. But
when / plodded through loose wet gravel
10 the Hall of Art, found its doors still
barred. only learned that the central
hall will be opened in three or four days,
and will contain a picture by Wiertz OF
Belgium, covering 1000 square feet; one
by Cabanel, Of 800 square feet, and one
by Piloty, of $50 square feet. The Hun
garian Art Commissioned courteously
admitted me into his saloon, but most OF
the pictures were leaning against the
wall, on their heads or sides, and more
or less dusty. 1t is, therefore, not fair
to speak of them yet
All the royal personages go about
plainly dressed, with very few attendants,
seek to avoid being recognized, and ac-
cept the inevitable stare when they are
with a patient courtesy which is the per-
lection of good manners.
Our own sovereigns, now congregated
here, are not so quiet in their ways. I'm
patience in the exhibitors, embarrass-
ment in the commissioners, wrath in the
old, emotions of every sort in the sew
enty or eighty Honoraries, and the un-
speakable modification in the citizen
spectators of the scene, make Vienna
anything but pleasant to an American
Just now. have tried not 10 write OF
this, but it is part of the situation, and
must, at least, be mentioned. The Di-
rection of the Exhibition simply waits,
and is patient. Most of the representa-
tives of other countries know little,
and probably care less in regard to the
matter; even the English, so far as my
personal acquaintance extends, main
tain courteous silence, the reason OF
which it is easy to feel But our situation
is none the less burning disgrace. Had
the new Commission overcome its inev-
table embarrassments, were the Amerl-
can Department in order, and the rivalry
for places among the exhibitors snbdued,
we should feel it with equal keenness.
The root of the evil lies behind the
Irregularities of this or that Commits
sioner. We may say that the chief guilt
has been fixed upon one who is not an
American by birth-in fact, a native of
Vienna; but what system is that which
sends here, to represent US before the
congregated world, thirteen Executive
Commissioners, only two or three OF
whose names have ever been heard by
the people of the United States, five Of
whom are of foreign birth, and two Of
the latter Viennese? Some of the sus-
pended Commissioners | know to
be men of character and honor, who
are deeply Inundated by their po-
sition. 1t is the system OF re-
warding party services by Office
of putting any man into any place
which they must accuse. l will say
nothing of the absurdity Of Honorary
Commissioners, and anywhere from
three to twenty Commissioners from
each State, for very few of them are
recognized by the Austrian officials.
Those who come with purpose and intel
ligence, will quietly accomplish their
work, while the ignorant and the swag.
gerers among them are stripped of all
authority. The Executive Commission,
however, should have been composed of
known and honored individuals, men
fitted by study or experience for their
places, men qualified to meet their fellow.
Commissions from other lands on equal
ground of character and intelligence.
The New York and Erie rings and the
Credit Mobilier exposure have already
sufficiently damaged our national name
abroad But they were domestic mat
tiers, and net understood here, or only in
a very confused way. This is black
smutch, thrust directly before the eyes OF
all nations, on an occasion when our
eseutcheon should have been new y bur
nished and proudly held. Every honest
and upright American, no matter what
his party, will understand our shame;
those whe make politics trade and Of
fee bargain will not and cannot.