The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-24
The Next Worlds Fair.

sition TO be held at Paris in 1873. Although
the project oontemplates works of colossal
magnitude ard All enormous excess of out
lay over receipts II has been sanctioned
by unanimous vote OF the French Cham
bers. and the Municipal Council of Paris
has consented, but not without reluctance,
to contribute n large sum to the under
taking.
AS in the last French Exposition, the site
OF the principal structure will be the
Champs de Mars, but the edifce will be
one-third larger, covering 10000 square
metres against $4,000 in 1867. The ma
terial is to be iron, and the ground plan
is adapted to rectilinear passages, allowing
classification by products in one direction,
and In the other by nationalities. In the
centre will be a museum of fine arts, iso-
lated, however, by gardens from the neigh
borhood of the combustible substances
accumulated in the departments OF manu-
features. Finally, supplemental buildings,
devoted to agriculture and horticulture,
and having a superfcies of not less than
10000 square metres, are to DO erected on
the slopes OF the Trocadero, and connected
by galleries aud bridges with the main
the works are intended to be permanent,
with the possible exception of large con-
cert hall, capable of holding 10000 persons,
which is to occupy the summit of the Tro-
cadero.
1t is estimated by the Minister OF Com
merce that the entire cost of the new FIX
position must exceed seven millions OF dol
lars, while the aggregate returns, including
receipts from the sale of buildings and
materials, are expecte ed TO fall short Of four
millioDs. Two-thirds of the heavy deficit
will be borne by the state, but the city OF
Paris was requested 10 assume portion of
it, amounting to million and a quarter of
dollars, in view of the impetus to CONNER
municipal taxes which might be looked
for.
The report of the committee of the Mu-
nicipal Council plainly shows that the mo-
tives of interest suggested for granting the
above-named subsidy are entirely chimeri-
cal. Thus the Exposition of 1867 has been
commonly regarded as exceptionally sue
oessful. the number of visitors having ex-
ceeded 100000. Yet, a careful inspection
of statistics would indicate that IL was q
positive detriment. and not n benefit, to
Paris Undoubtedly, certain kinds of petty
trafiio-for example. the business of res
taurants and boarding houses-received
temporary stimulus, but no substantial and
durable impression was made upon the
general course of trade. During the three
years which might possibly have been
affected by the great fair, the Paris octroL
or municipal mposts collected at the city
gates. were actually less than the average
from 1863 to tue Franco-German war. The
statistics of the Banque de France for the
same period are even more significant. In
the year of the Bxpositio n there was IA fall
ing off In the aggregate OF discounts of one
hundred and seventy millions OF dollars,
and further diminution OF twelve mil
| lions In the succeeding year. Another
index of commercial depression is found
in the rate OF discount, which dropped
from per cent. in 1896 to 2T per cent.
in the next year, and remained at that
| figure during the whole of 1853.
| The revival of trade, on which the parti-
sans Of the Exposition reckoned so conf
IDENTIFY, not having taken place, what fol-
| lowedi An unparalleled dearness OF pro-
|
NAL aggregation OF human beings, pressed
with all its weight upon consumers, in
| other words on the whole mass of the
| Partisan population, taxing no less gIiev-
| ously those who had no share In the outlay
made by strangers than those who en-
| crossed the profits. After such violent
dislocation OF economical conditions CON-
munity is slow 10 right itself; and 1t IL
affirmed that In the matters OF rent and
| food persons dependent on wages and
small incomes have not yet recovered
| from the effects of the last Paris Exposi-
| ton.
No doubt there were two disturbing
causes in 1857 which ought to be taken
into account One was bad harvest, but
that may occur again in 1873. The other
was the Imperial policy, which by Its fail
ures, irresolution, and theatrical audacity
engendered u feeling Of universal insecur
ity. The latter cnuseis, happily, no Longer
operative. After all allowances, however
we must hold il demonstrated that an In
ternational Exposition 10 not OF itself a sur,
means of developing trade, or of augment
ing the revenues OF State or city.
How does it happen that after explod
ing current fallacy respecting the utility
Of such undertakings the Municipal Coun-
oil Of Paris has acoeded to the Govern
ments plan, and voted the large subsidy
required Its members were not move(
apparently by the hope OF improving thu
technic arts through the comparison o
diverse products, for the report of theil
committee clearly intimates that the civil
izlng influence of Expositions has been ex
aggerated. Neither ia view OF the event.
which succeeded the experiment OF 1856,
do they seem to have been ut all impressed
with the humanizing tendencies of such
pageant, or disposed to regard it as inaug
uratng new era OF fraternity and peace
Their motive is much simpler and NOR
ineligible. II is to manifest in concret
and striking way the marvellous resource
and elasticity OF the French people, to con
trast the prosperity Of France with tn