The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-11
The Centennial.


We observe that Mr.. Washburne, our Min
lister in Paris, and Mr. Torbert, our Consul
General, propose to establish Bureau of
Information for the enlightenment of exhb-
ltors and visitors from abroad to the Centen-
NAL Exhibition in Philadelphia If this idea
is carried out intelligently it will be of great
value to every interest of the Exhibition. Mr..
Jay, formerly our Minister TO Austria, in
letter commenting upon the proposed Cen
tennial, complained that the American gov
eminent, through its agents, had not been
dillgent enough in bringing the Exhibition
to the attention of foreign Powers He
dwelt with mischievous emphasis upon the
fact that, while Russia was of all the coun-
tries in Europe the one with which we have
been ON the best relations its government
had conspicuously 'declined to take any part
in our Exposition. He suggested that the
correspondence between our State Depart
ment and the former Minister to Russia,
Mr. Jewell, might be published with advan-
tage, as throwing light upon the reasons for
this reserve on the part of Russia. The
absence of Russia from the Centennial Ex-
hibition is, as some say, to be attributed to
the i'll feeling that arose between our govern
ment and that of the Emperor on the occa-
sion of the visit of the Grand Duke Alexis
and the recall Of Mr.. Catacazy. The Emperor
has always felt since that visit that he had
not been properly treated by the American
authorities, and it is no secret that he has
never ceased to make this feeling apparent to
our Ministers to the Russian Court. At the
same time, while ignoring the President and
the administration, the Gar has affected to
feel the warmest respect for the American
people.
If this We're sincere respect the Car would
regard the Centennial Exhibition as not the
work of the administration, but of the whole
people, and allow Russia to take part in it.
But the presence or the absence of Russia
will be little more than moral result. The
resources of Russia are not of character to
impress the visitors to an exhibition. What
is very much needed to make it an interna-
tional success is just this kind of information
which Mr.. Washburne, through his bureau,
proposes to give to the people The great
difficulty in making an American exhibition
popular to the minds of foreigners is the fact
that foreign nations know very little of our
country They either have an exaggerated
idea of its wealth and prosperity and ad-
vancement, or their opinions go to the other
extreme What we expect to do in Philadel-
phia is to show the resources of America in
science, in natural products, our progress
in industry, our achievements in every
branch of literature and art. Our people
will be able to compare the results of hun
dred years of independent civilization in
commercial and industrial point of view
with the exhibitions of the older countries
of England, France and Germany 1t should
be the purpose of the managers to make the
foreign department as large and varied as
possible. The advantage to American indus
try will be in enabling our mechanics and
artisans to compare the achievements of their
own genius with the best results of foreign
workmen. If it can be shown that we have
failed in certain branches to do what has been
done by Frenchmen and Englishmen and
Germans then it will be our duty to apply
the advantages they have gained, and endea-
vor, if possible to improve upon them. We
do not expect the Centennial to be much of
an inducement to foreigners. An English
man or a Frenchman would much rather
cross the ocean to see Niagara or the Yo-
semitic than to spend his time in an agricul-
tural and machinery hall. The Centennial
will be an American event-an education for
American mechanics and artisans. It's sue
cess will be more and more manifest as we
are enabled to present our people with liv-
ing representation of what foreign nations
have been able to do in science, in art and in
industry.