New-York tribune., 1876-01-22
THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
LETTER FROM MR.. JOHN JAY.

|
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The gratifying details furnished by Mr..
Bultt to the Congressional visitors to the Exhibition of
the progress Of home arrangements and the foreign
| acceptances, well fitted to enhance interest ana
confidence in the approaching celebration. II is pleasant
TO know that not only Italy and Russia will be repre-
sented-the one identified with the past. the other
closely associated with the future OF Europe-but that
Siam and Persia have also accepted our invitation ana
that the Oldest kingdom in the world OF which read in
sacred proane history will with her treasures OF
the Orient and scholars versed in the literature OF
Arabia, TO assist in honoring the brthyear or
Republic To the most prosaic and practical o our
countymcn there must be something impressive in the
idea OF procession Of all the Governments and nations
OF the world celebrate the centennial OF the Decara-
ton Independence the spot where ii was Issued ;
the American Government nagurating the stately cere
monal, and the soyercigns OF the earth accepting lite
CORDIAL invitation, sendng forth ships with Imperial ana
royal commissioners ilustrlous In art and science
and letters with representatives OF the inventive genius
and industry their people in branch OF human
development bringing their choicest productions to add
| to tho spendor OF the august occasion.
We need not for a contrast to such jubilee go back
hundred years. or recall the OF Patrick Henry in
1883, when, in the Constitutional Convention of Virginia
he said Europe is too much engaged about subjects o
greater magnitude to attend to On that great thea
ter OF the world the little American matters vanish"
We have but to recall the events OF the decade before
the last when European Cabinets believed and began To
base policies the belief, that we we're In the
sgones of dissolution and that recent experience may
help to appreciate the true signicanco OF the
ceremonial presently to be enacted at Philadelphia
by the nations gathered honor and ain the interest
OF peace civilization. and international friendship az
they win bearing tributes to the culture OF the age
France and the Isles giving presents, Rome, Persia, and
China bringing gifts. The national Importance OF such
celebration thoroughly appreciated by the expe-
| =. NJ
strous and accomplished Prince Gortschako1 at their
head that surprise Alt that 1t has been apparently so
s understood and little cared for among ourselves
1.-THE Exhibition at Philadelphia" says the Russian oofos
will only epoch in the history OF The
United States, but will have immense political Import
ance the way OF International relations As It's char-
| scer and oapabiy for national advancement be-
come and clear TO people, their pride III re-
gard the perecness OF its arrangements VIII become
the eJactDg for the reason that the management
will he criticised the spot by accomplished experts of
all nations who recently witnessed our discontinue
at Vienna and that the world will be apt to accept our
anaguInent OF the Centennial fair illustration of
tho executive capacity OF u republican government
Among our foreign visitors may DO many who hold with
Pope .
That which best administered 10 best
And American pride will demand that however excel
lent the management OF similar exhibitions at London
Paris or Vienna an equal superior excellence should
]
people, and the people," In matter that concerns the
country the past and the present. the honor OF tie
living and the memory Of the dead
The subject IL seems will be brought before Congress
by the demand OF the Centennial Commission Tor
81 57 100 the estimated amount still required TO pre-
pare the opening the lOth May, 1876 II ths sum
sha seem to any eXtrayagant amount to he paid by
the American Government for the celebration OF the
American Centennial let 1t lie compared with the appro
priatiuns for the same Exhibition 10y foreign govern
mepts with the SlJO,OOO voted by Spain despite the
demands OF her two wars or with the SGOoooo voted
by Japan. And yet already objections are made
| 10 the appropriation askod for as an I'm
proper use Of the public money" even bv
Journal Of the weight and influence Of The EreniHG Post
to which the Of Bryant, Frightening as the decaes
pa.s continues lend both grace and dignity. The
original estimate by Congress OF the amount tht might
be REQUIRED appears have been twenty millions OF
which 1t authorized ten millions to bo raised In Centen
na stock aud an equal by bonds OF the corpora
tou The total cost as given by the Commission
Will be SG72i,SjO, OF which S5,ls770O have been
raised 10y subscription and appropriation, but does not
appear that this estimate have been included the ex
penscs international Congresses nor Of the reception
OF tho of the world should Congress decide
that proper courtesy demands that should ask them
10 view the celebration to which they are cordially
| lcrdins their assistance
Ths President in his late message says OF the EIhib
On: "The value In bringing 10 our shores nnumerable
useful works of art and skill, the oonmngling of the
citizens of foreign countries and of and tho In
| tcrchange Of ideas and manufactures Will far
exceed any pecuniary outlay We may make
I'm tins view the President is fully sustained by the
other countries. The result OF tho Exposition
At Vienna described the Vienna dispatch Of Jan 30
1874. read to the Srnate by the Hon A. A. Sargent or
California appeared TO tell another story when 1t simply
stated the deficit at l3OO0OOO norinS, or S7OOOOOO
But the omitted paragraph. which will be found the most
important showed IN the LAM yuagc used by the Finance
Minister Of Austria his Excccncys view OF the gain To
the Empire in giving to ts art industry stimulus ana
prestige and opening markets FOR its productions
Look. for example, at the first international Exhibition
OF England in 1851 which this will correspond IA the
first national affair OF the Kind in America In 1870 the
exports of ENGLAND flJl 900 600 sterling and In
lS-3 th,s had risen to a2li,0O0,00o-an Increase OF
| SilJ,OOO, 900 That increase was attributed chiefly
| to the influence OF the Exhibition aud from
It came also the South Kensington Mu
scum. which. by educating and developing tn"
artistic taste OF England has enabled her to and
maintain her artistic prestige, and has added untold
millions her yearly revenues Can American states
men safely ignore the bearing Of such facts upon our
coming ceebratont Can they, looking at the present
duness OF American trade and the langushng OF certain
industries discard the lessons taught by he experience
OF ElroIet Will they assume that apart from that art
| education essential 10 enable us to compete with
Europe which the Exhibition at Farnoun VIII AFFORD 10
millions OF our country who. unable To travel, could
obtain IL In other way, the Exhibition Will not open
| new markets for coal and metals and natural
| products well as for our varied manufactures, ana
prove he step the revival Of trade, industry com
morcc confidence, which tie country awaits with 80
much impatiencei
IL would certainly seem that no more interesting
.ntcct whether viewed historically, diplomat cally.
commercially, in reference to our relations win
foreign powers and national prestige throughout the
world the development OF American art the reward