New-York tribune., 1876-02-14
neglect to take IN time the most obvious and
necessary steps for carrying out that Pledge
THE INTERNATIONAL JURY.

THE INTERN11IONAL JChl'
n rightly carried out. the jury system
adopted by the Centennial Commission VIII
make the Exposition of 1876 OF more lasting
value than any of its predecessors. Instead OF
medals which have little significance, because
they tell nothing of the especial merits OF the
articles for which they are bestowed, the awards
are to be in the form of carefully written re-
ports, in which the particular points OF excel
lence designed to be recognized and rewarded
will bo clearly stated. Thus the volumes OF
reports will form complete encyclopedia OF
the Exhibition. which can be consulted on all
disputed questions as to the relative merits OF
objects of like character, and will be an au-
thority TO settle the quarrels of rival manu-
facturers and inycntors about the value Of
their premiums Theoretically the system is
admirable. and there are no obstacles to It's
success in practice if the right kind of Jurors
can be secured. 1t is essential that they should
he men of high character and of manifest lit
ness for the lines of work to winch 1t Is pro-
posed to assign them. They must be thor
oughly honest, so as to be beyond the reach OF
the influences which exhibitors seeking to OBJ
tain their favorable Judgment will be pretty
sure to bring TO bear, and they must have SUI
fcient practical knowledge of the articles in the
croup or class upon which they are to pass TO
enable them to judge inteligently. Alleged
ignorance or suspected venalty on the part oil
any of the jurors would vitiate the whole sys-
TEN and make it worse than the old one oil
giving medals.
The jurors will number two hundred in all
One hundred are 10 be appointed by foreign
Governments, and tho remainder by the Cen
tennial Commission, or rather by It's Executive
Committee. The foreign jurors will nnques-
tienably he men of considerable emlnence
in art, science, literature or industrial pursuits
MANY will be specialists of distinction, who
will come to study our institutions and re-
sources. Our American jurymcn should equal
their associates from abroad III ability, tcciim-
cal knowledge, and personal character and
how To Dring this about is problem that tht
Centennial authorities are now labollng 10 solve.
The salary of 81 600 to be paid each Juryman
has brought ont tbrOng of applicants. Nearly
one thousand letters from men wanting places
for themselves or their friends have already
been received 1t is safe TO presume that
nine-tcnths of The wOuld-bc iurymen have no
sort of fitness for the work they are eager Ia
do. Some, 10 doubt, have axes to gIind
Others would like to have good
time in Philadelphia this Summer with
ont expense 10 themselves, and still
larger number merely want the thousand dol
laI.. The Commissioners would do well tn
throw the whole batch of applications int the
fire. and To shut their ears 10 the opportunities
of the applicants. One man thinks he has
claim 10 Il place on the jury because he ha'
subscribed for Centennial stock, another he
cause he is backed Ivy Congressman who
voted for the appropriation. third because
he has a relative who Is u Commissioner, and
still others advance other claims equally bad.
All such considerations we hope will bc disrc-
cardcd. Artists, engineers, skilled artisans,
manufacturers. chemists, mctallurgists, ma
chlniSts. architects, scientific farmers. hOricul-
tuIists eminent educaiois-such are the men
wanted for Jurors. not Ofcc-se, kcrs-mcn whose
names will carry such weight that their reports
will he unassailablc men whose knowledge
and character will be everywhere accepted ~
an iudisputahc guarantee of the importantly
and wisdom of their verdicS. . If the Commits
sion will select hundred such men and IN
duce them to serve, they will put fitting
crown upon a work which has thus far de
served little but praise.