New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-07
THE VIENNA EXPOSITION.


WORK or THE MASSACHUSETTS, coMmissIoS-nis-
GRACEFUL AND NOTIFYING CONDITION or THE
AMERICAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR THE
CENTENNIAL AT PHIIADELPHIA-THE AMERICAN
DISPLAY NOT EQUAL TO WORCESTER COUNT
FAIR--THK AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS mooih'
IGNORANT AND woRrInEss-MoNEY SPENT oN
State AGENTS AT ExPosHIoNs wAsrED-PRhfA-
RAIToNs FOR THE CENTENNIAL SHOULD BE No
LONGER DELAYED.
The following ia the substance OF the report oi
Charles Francis Adams, jr, appointed by the Tower
nor of Massachusetts, Commissioner on the part OIL
the State to visit the Exposition AZ vienna anu W
report TO tho Legislature OF 1874
Under the first section OF the resolve referred to- the
Governor with the advice and consent of the Council
yas authorized 10 appoint otzea OF the Common
wealth and such associates as might DO necessary 70
visit the Universal Exposition ut Vienna, to assist the
contributors the State to examine the various In
dustries manufactures and economies which might DO
exhibited or presented and TO report thereon to tho
Legfslature OF 1874 A not exceeding $4,000 was
appropriated to carry into effect the provisions OF the
resolve: which was passed. and received the Executive
approval on the sd OF March Just 90 days before the time
fixed for the opening OF the Exposition Shortly after
landing in Europe I heard In Paris OF the unfor'
tunste difficulties which had arisen In the American
department OF the Exposition. and OF the suspension OF
the United States Commissioners by the authorities as
where arrived Oh the evening Of the first OF May, the
day upon which the formal inaugursting ceremonies
had taken place immediately put my own services
and those Of the other gentlemen composing the state
Commission at tho disposal OF the American Minister,
of those temporarily charge OF the American de-
partment and the occasion seeming TO be one OF some
what pressing nature. applied myself to the work OF
obtaining information as the whereabouts Of my col
leagues Certainly no circumstances could we'll have
arisen in which a wellOrganized and seltpOssesseu
State Commission might have proved OF greater service,
or have more fully justified Its formation. than we're
then presented.
TIKI VAN BUREs SCANDAL Al VIENNA
The condition of affairs the American department
disgraceful iudicrous. and notifying The con-
fusion was apparently complete The work to be done
was neither large difcult-hardy equang, indeed,
the arrangements IN this country OF any ordinary
Institute display considerable county fair Had any
State Commission been upon the spot organized In
advance understanding itself aud knowing both what
ought to DO and how do it, the conduct of the
matter must inevitably and naturally have fallen into
its hands The difficulty would then at have disap
peareu Unfortunately far the bringing about OF
results was concerned. the Massachusetts CON-
mission In less effective state, IL snch
thing were possible. than that OF the United
States Just appointed and wholly unorganized It's
members scattered over Europe and In no COM
muncaton with each other, 1t illustrated with singular
When, therefore, Mr. jay and the gentlemen Temporal
ry charge expressed the utmost qualification at the
prospect OF having organized body to relieve them
from the embarrassing position in which they found
themselves IL at became evident that the Massa-
chusetts Commission in condition TO perform
that service Before it could be made even through
tho energetic telegraphng and correspondence,
the OCCASION fortunately for IT, had passed away While
| was anxiousy looking for the arrival OF my several
associates, the appointment OF Mt Jackson 5. sehuz'
az United States Commissioner in place OF Gen van
Buren, was announced and at once solved the dmcuiy
In regard to the scandals and difficulties which gave
An unen gable notoriety 70 the American department
during this period OF the Exposition. neither nv asSo-
oates nor myself the time since have found II ne
cessary TO express indeed 10 form, any opinion IL
was painfully evident that the acknowledgement had
been complete from the beginning forward IL required
investigation to make that fact patent 10 any one
"A to who responsible for this result or the mo
tYes which sctuated them, these were subjects which
1t was wholly for us TO pass upon AFTER
tho arrival OF Mr.. Schultz 1t only remained for US TO
consider maturely why had been sent 10 Vienna.
and having arrived at some definite conclusion upon
that subject devote ourselves TO the work before u.s.
SUGGESTIONS THE AMERICAN CENTENNIAL
propose TO enter into general historical,
descriptive, statistical report or the Vienna Expo
siton Upon all these matters the country has been
kept very fully informed by the writer's for the pub
lie press that any further details regards them
power TO supply would TO be quite supeIhuous.
As however, preparations now making for the
American Centennial OF 1875. In which Massachusetts,
q State will not mprobaby feel obliged TO take prom
inent part. shall briefly refer to few points. due
consideration OF which, 1t seems TO me- may save US
from grave mistakes. 1t is true that Massachusetts, is
not directly responsible this undertaking. and
exercise but very limited influence in its direction.
But IT, proposed, At Is TO be National sfar-and
as such will necessarily be regarded 10 all foreign
fat Nth
matters of moment to each OF the several States
As universal exposition that OF Vienna undoubt
eddy the largest aud most ambitious attempt Of the kind
| which has vet made. In some respects it a
most brilliant and gratifying success in others II
not but be considered q very lsmentable failure
From the careful study Of in each aspect many useful
lessons touching the coming Centennial might be drawn
Among the features OF the structures aud
unprecedented gnitude. Yet magnificent aud inpos
ing respects constructive skill and the space covered
hardly be considered as having been well adapted
to the purposes i4r when tney %erT Iney
graphical pan that 49, taking them in order the visitor
| passed through the whole range OF countries as
tbey occupy the surface of the earth the Americans
being extremity and Eastern Asia at the other.
This ia an admirable arran cement for bazaar ia which
the largest possible sales by eIpostors is the single
end In View and 1t so proved IN tins case H. however,
| an exposition building IA designed. not general
| saesrOom OF the world but competitive field OF
excellence, arrangement than that described
could scarcely be devised. At Vienna productions OF
the same nature from different countaes not only
brought into contrast and comparison with each
other the last Paris Exhibition, but they seemed
TO placed that both comparison and contrast were
impossible. Not only guide. but very experienced
and competent Ruide--one VINO bad made special
study of class Of obiects-was an absolute
necessity TO any one who sought to ieIamlne all
that the Exposition contained Of objects OF that
class. Both morally and physically the search was
made as wesrsoine and eIbausting as was possible.
The invest gator equally oppressed with The mum
variety OF the exhibitions discovered and by
distance tayersed In the journey of discovery The
method OF arrangement thus became practical matter
deracting seriously from the general popularity OF