The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-20
From Our Regular Correspondent.
OUR PARIS LETTER.


like rocket and coming down like a
stick must be reversed in speaking OF
the Exhibition Of 1878. Nothing
could have been more unuttera6ly
miserable than the opening ceremony;
nothing more successful than that
which has brought the enterprise to a
close. For weeks after the inaugu-
ration the palace in the Champ de
Mars was to such an extent encum-
bered with unopened packing cases
that, except in the English section,
the Exhibition was delusion and a
snare, while the Troeadero was Kept
rigidly closed after the worlds fair
had been open full mOnth. Al this
moment the space that extends from
the Ecole Miitaire to the Place du
Troeadero contains, probably, more
treasures than have ever been collect
ed together in one spot since the be-
ginning of the world 1t is satisfae-
tory to have 70 record that the mana
gers who have worked up what
promised TO be gigantic failure to q
huge success have pro6ted by Tie ex
perience ofthe opening day, and have
avoided at the ceremony of the dis
tribution Of prizes oil the blunders
that converted the Inauguration into
a colossal failure No praise would
be excessive for the really wonderful
way in which the enormous audience
assembled to-day 10 the Palais de I
lndustrie were conducted to the seats
set apart for the different classes Of
actors and spectators. There was no
serambling for places, no obstruction
at the doors, nor was there az any
moment the slightest confusion 10 the
carrying out Of the necessarily elabo-
rate arrangements. Although some
p, 1000 persons were present, the Wide
avenues were never allowed to be
blocked up, and the guests were in
duced to remain in the plsces assign
ed to them by officials whose courtesy
was only to be PARALLEL by the obtuse-
ness of the police at the inaugural
ceremony. The consequence was
that to.day's fete was complete
success, aud that everybody was
deeply impressed BY the magnifcenee
of a spectacle fner than anything
that has yet been produced under a
Republican regime A reproaeh Of.
ten leveled against Republic is that
it does nothing ID satisfy the love of
splendor Inherent in the popular
mind-that in fact il stands at as
great disadvantage compared to a
Monarchy, as Professionalism does to
Catholicism in countries where the
love Of music and color and pomp is
breathed in with the verv air. No
such Teprosch can henceforth be
launched at the classically- modelled
head n which at to-day's fete the
French Republic was ideslized With
the single exception that tie famous
Cent Gsrdes were to-day replaced by
the Garde Republicaine, there wssi
no particular IN which the ceremony
differed from what ii would have
been if the Emperor had still occupied
the throne of France; and, although
the employment Of the militia most
certainly added to the effect of the
scene, there were not wanting rigid
Puritans who, if they could have had
their way would not have allowed a
bayonet to be seen in place which,
for the time being, was emphetieally
a temple of peace Bat, as soldiers
were useful 10 lining the avenues
that surround the Palsis and in mark
ing the blocks Of seats in the interior
of the buildings, it IS ungraeious, es-
peeially in q military country Ike
France, to object 10 their presence.
Thanks to the admirable decorations.
and to the extraordinary variety Of
uniforms worn by representatives Of
every country under the sun, the
coup d oeiI was as rich in color as
the most ardent sdmirer of Rubens
could desire. To say nothing Of the
diplomatists who formed q dazzling
group to the immediate right of the
President, there were scattered about l
among the delegates and commits
sioners Of foreign countries specimens
OF military uniforms and civil cos
tunes and such as rarely indeed are
brought together; while France sup
piled her quota of color in the coats,
covered with palm-leaves, of the |
members OF the French Academy,
and in the robes of the judges Of the
various courts of law. 1t was only
the Deputies and Senators who were |
conspicuous in their place Of honor by !
the plain evening dress which was
de rigueur for ell not in uniform who /
entered the building. As they were
msrsballed up to their places Of honor /
with the same state which was shown I
to the marshal, the words "C'est 5eta |
distiHgue" came t. ones lips. and I
one felt that under a Republic the
representatives Of the sovereign peo-
pie needed no costume to add to their 1
dignity
1t il not without reason that q
leafiDg Republican journal, while re-
GREETING the approaching end Of the /
Universal Exposition, which now as
on the opening day, is the object of 4
the wonder aud admiration Of the as
sembled world. describes it as about
to close 10 full success. Indeed, since
May lst, when the inaugural ceremo-
ny was marred, until 70 daE, when
It's last grand fete was celebrated
With pomp and dignity beitting such
an occasion. the Exhibition, so far
from displaying a single sign of de-
cline, has gradually increased in sue
cess The beginnings of to-day's
as far as regards the gener-
al population OF Paris, were not so
conspicuous for their enthusiasm as
they were on May lst, but il must
be remembered that the field vas in
comparably smaller The inaugu-
ration of the Troeadero ard the
Champ de Mars was the welcome OF
the French nation to the world. To-
days ceremony at the Palais de 7
Industrie was, as il were, a private
fste in honor of the officers, jurors,
and exhibitors who, ty their COM
bined efforts, have made the success
OF the Exhibition.
c. As.
T~a iit,Ia cb;I5ran :, lad,