The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-17

Treasury for back pay freshly in the minds OF
the people, it is some consolation to find that
the Senate, SOLITARY and alone, sets ball
in motion to bring about if possible, reform
in an important branch Of one of the stealing
departments of the government. 1t may be
blocking the stable door after the steed is
stolen but ''better late than never" There
is still something left of Uncle Sans grand
farm.
The Austrian Prize Article-A Rally
Ing Cry to seribeisrius Americsnus.
The Vienna Exposition will, under Provi-
dence, produce any quantity of extraordinary
results. These international shows have their
prophets with the ruddy glow of rosy-fngered
morn ever tipping their tail feathers and their
wings. In the Lotos land it was ever, "GoOd
afternoon, stranger" in cosInopolite show
land it is ever on the smallest provocation,
''Good morning, friend" 1t is the. dawn of
peace, the sunrise of universal brotherhood, the
matin song of worldwide harmony. We love
an optimist and these prophets are optimists
of the most gushing order. When there ia an
exposition of the truly Philadelphian stripe
the Beechers, the Spurgeons, the Hyacinthes
and the Gavazzis and all their genus hasten to
bless the gathering and become rapt into
prophecy. Unfortunately these people are
seldom looked on as prophets in their own
country, and hence they become impassioned
over the opportunity presented to talk goody
goody to the array of dry goods and hardware
from every corner of the world dis
played at an international gathering.
The London exhibition of 1851 we
know prevented the Crimean war from taking
place. That of 1862 knitted all Europe
and America in loving bonds, stayed the
hands of federal and Confederate and pre-
vented Prussia and Austria, like two big
DULLES, from making war on plucky little
Denmark, and hindered the former from an
nexing Holstein. 1t also prevented the two
big DULLES from fighting afterwards about the
matter and kept Italy from attacking Austria
in the rear. The most signally successful of
all was the Exposition of Paris in 1867. Were
it not for that France would to-day have had
bloody war with Prussia, would have had
the Germans ON her soil, and would have
been a republic trying to pay off the fifth
millard of war debt. When these things
are remembered it will be appreciated how we
are inclined to hail with effusion everything
that smacks Of international peace-securing
expositions.
And here is something. 1t is proposed to
send copy Of every periodical in America to
Vienna, to show what literary people we are
T., 81, ,k:,
parts of the world the Austrian Emperor has
offered prize of five thousand dollars for the
best article of less than column on Austria
Our breath ia taken away as we contemplate
what this golden bait will tempt from the
inner consciousness of our literary geniuses,
who want not only the fame but the dollars.
Those who have enough of the latter will
write for the former, and those who have not
will accept the fame without pang, provided
it brings in the money. AS matter of pa
triotism alone thousands will dip their quilts
in the writing fluid and let their thoughts
loose upon the land Of the elder Kaiser, that
the Stars and Stripes may wave over the five
thousand dollar prizeman. They would sooner
write till doomsday than let quill from the
Gallo rooster or the British goose carry away
the coin and the glory that should belong to
quill plucked from the setting-sun wing of
the great American eagle The materials for
the article are at hand. For those who will
confine themselves to simple facts school
geography will furnish enough. Where the
nspirant seeks more picturesque man.
ner, good guide-bOok will suffice.
For still more ambitious grade,
the encyclopaedia will expand its ample treas
ures With such wealth of material origin
atty of comment will be the next requisite,
and when we look back through nearly thirty
seven years Of American exchanges we are
satisfied that that at least will be plentiful A
strong point for the last paragraph of the
article will be the glowing embodiment of the
writer's representation Of Austria's future,
when the relics of the Exposition building
shall have been sold for 6rewood, with the
rejected articles thrown in. Some of the pro-
phecies would surely hit the mark. The
editors of papers who make calculations dur
ing Presidential campaigns will find them
selves at home in this part of the business.
We have no desire to dictate to our literary
brethren, but we warn them when they pre-
pare for this glorious task to free their minds
of prejudioss. Be impartial ; be calm, even
though your bosom be on fire with enthusi-
asm or your brain be charged with futurity,
like the Sibyl before she indited her high
priced prophecy. Let not your close alliance
with Bohemia cause you to do injustice to the
| rest of the great Roman Empire. Be not mad
dened over Moravia, nor rhapsodical over Ga
licia. Your fondness for Illyria should steer
| you clear of wronging Syria. Let the
capital Of the Austrian be no more to
you than that of the Czech be magnanimous
to the Magyar, for he is of Hungary. Do