The Morning herald., 1876-05-23
r,-ss week Of the ExhlhlslOn.
NEW York Tribune.l


u o;ose of the first week of the Expo
.aion M sill leaves in doubt the question
Hbs,her s,U it will pay for itself in dollars ana
sn.s e,nts But it's success is assured IN polh,s
ssfmt :Ssn,,eN more important than any purely
lnnnnoiaI lnlnI one. In the first place, the ac-
nun"oI naummoIations provided prove sufficient to
connh 'o'nra The absolute comfort of the pubic.
Tso l",a buildings and grounds are SO large
,hat i"t a large daily attendance does not pro-
.n" ..os a crowd, The great concourse at the
uatu .ates melts away into the vast houses;
srsry s man has breathing room, and that
a,u} ''mi}ortable sense of license and quiet es-
so son,ial to thorough comprehension OF the
ohiect before him.
Another marked success is the prompt
,o.s with which the Exposition is recog-
ni,ed and received by the masses OF our
avn people, not as show place put as
school, There is very little saunterlng, ex-
cent by new comers on their first visit. In
e tbe groups surrounding an exhibit the faces
of Americans, keen, alive, quick-eyed, are
distpo,lshabe from all others,~ and the
Questions asked by them are usually shrewd
and intelligent. Specialists, of course
spek out their own department of study;
art, mechanics, agriculture, ceramics, etc.
But the multitude are in search OF That
General information which everywhere
sharpeps the American mind to its excep-
tiopal readiness and facility. Western COL
leges already are sending up their students,
mothers bring their boys, young girls from
the interior jot down points for study at
home; the habit, indeed, of carrying note
book and pencil is common among all clas-
ses The French came up to their Exposi-
ttop, as will be remembered by all who
visited it, as though it were grand fete;
the Americans are going to make all the
practical use they can of theirs.
The third point of success is that the E1-
hibition does not fail in any regard to sup
ply the information demanded. The ex-
hibits are fuller in most classes than was
anticipated European nations experienced
in International Exhibitions display great
skill in the completeness with which they
represent their industries. In many cases
maps of the physical structure of the cour-
try are hung up, with pictures of it's more
advanced landscapes, cities, etc., which
even to child serve to identify 1t with the
red or yellow patches on his atlas. Now It's
Minerals vegetables and manufactures are
before him, and representations of the
houses It's peoples live in, their carriages,
clothes, household utensils, and in the
mist, AS a rule, living native to explain
it all. A child can learn more of the ply
sical condition, the products and civilization
of the world from weeks visit to this Ex-
position than from a years study of geo.
graphy and atlas. 1t offers to the intelli-
gent student the advantages of travel
epitomized into brief space and time. For
this reason the chance should be especially
accepted by the farming class of this coun
try, who travel less than any other. All
their disadvantages, as they acknowledge,
come from lack Of friction with men differ
ent from themselves. The Tribune knows
how large its constituency. is among
this class, and urges them advisedly to
sacrifice part of the years earnings, and
time for a visit to Philadelphia. 1t is not
chance likely to occur again in middle
aged mans or woman's life. 1t will lift
them as nothing else can do out of the dull,
petty level of every day thoughts. They
will be healthier and stronger all their days
Tor knowing how large is the world they
I'VE in and how small is their part of it.
Another feature of success is the whole
some, hearty spirit of determination in
which Americans come up to this national
rendezvous. The people meet in these great
buildings with a cheerful, even joyous, good
VIII very alien to their usual temper. The
beauty and space and grandeur of the sur
'oundings have their effect, no doubt, OF
emporary exhilaration; but each man feels
himself host, and is proud of the stately
Welcome he gives to the older people of the
'arth. He goes home more of an American
md wiser man than he came. What other
uccess can the Exposition ask