The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-10-11
PARIS, August soth, 1878.

PARIS, August 30th, 1878.
All arrangements are now made for
the ceremony Of the distribution Of
prizes to take place at the Palais do O
Industrie on September tho 18th.
Seats have been placed for about %, 900
persons It has been decided that the
official procession viii be formed at tho
Palais du Corps Legislatif, from which
it viii proceed to tho Champs Ulysses.
Great discomfort is expressed in the
foreign soctions at tho small number Of
medals thgt are to be awarded them.
The French arc to have the lions share
Of the prizes and decorations. IL this
often repeated unfairness were to alto
gether do away with the prize giving
system il would do well. II is false
from beginning to end. When meritis
we'll backed by money it succeeds, and
then only. A well known mechanical
engineer speaking to me on the subject,
said: "Unless one goes into an Ex-
hibition.with spirit there is nothing to
be DONE" asked him what lac meant
by "spirit." His reply was "Why,
to do things in a handsome way and al
together regardless Of cost. Apart
from the expenses of my stand, 1 have
spent nearly $4,000 in bringing my
machine before tho public" 81 sup
pose" observed, "this was in adver-
tisements." 'sNot a cent Of il, he an
swered. ':It was in lunches and din
ners to jurors, 10 commissioners, to
Ministers aud to people connected with
tie press. Nobody has been coarsely
brfbcd but every one thinks kindly Of
me, and If there is prize going / shall
be the man to pick it up. At Vienna
I spent naerly as much, and am afraid
| spent IA good deal more at Philadel-
phia. We're / older slIeuld think Ex-
hibitions and the cost they entail a
bore. But so far have enjoyed them.
feel all the excitement Of man en-
gagged in a race tor a prize, and know
that if mind myself and make no
blunder | am sure to win" To what
nation this cnterprising exhibitor be-
longs, / viii not say. believe he told
me the truth and nothing but the truth
though he may not have told me the
whole truth. 4 French Juror, in the
class Of artistic bronzes, said to me this
tmorning: ''There should be no such
thing a prizes. All we should be asked
fer is reports. We do great mischief
| in awarding medals. The house in the
habit Of carrying Off the laurels is in
| iured If it leaves the exhibition except
as victor. A house doing just as well
will not have Tn opportunity TO rise If
VIC do not grant it a prize. Customers
viii fall off and the notion will get out
that this firm is no longer able to do as
we'll al it used. Often our awards are
guided by personal taste, for which
there Is no accounting. This artiStic-
ally designed candlestick is just as P +
feet as that, but like that one best, 80,
| / say, crown the maker It is not a
question Of merit, but of my liking, and
the preference may come from some
thing in it / associate with my child
hood. When we find six manufac-
turers of equal excellence, and 1 have
found as many, what is a man to do
My advice to my colleagues has been
TO draw lots and let the world know
our mode of procedure. But this was
rejected as excentric. Mankind must
have beaten paths and good deal o.
humbug in its general life. Since they
would not take my advice | have form.
ed my plan. Doyou know what it is
will decide my votef A young woman
came to my house few days ago. She
was shown into tlle room in which
was breakfasting and was accompanied
by two small children. A servant fol
lowed carrying bundle of account
books. The lady when she went tc
state her case burst into tears. It was
embarrassing to me, but / encouraged
her to proceed. She said, Il am doing
very extraordinary thing but / can
not boli.it. : NJ nec'ass;ty must be my
excuse. She then told me that she was
the wife Of, whose bronzes | must
have seen and admired in the Exhibi
ton. / confessed to having thought
them admirable, We'll she went on
please look at these account books anG
see what treme ndouIs sacrifices we have
made to appear we'll at the exhibition
Nothing but a medal can save us. She
gained her point, I confess, and I prom
ised to give her husband the prefer
ence. Why. should mott He i
abreast with the greatest houses II
Paris, and it is better to preserve
drowning man than it is to hand anoth
er from a good boat into a luxtiriou
barge. There are cases in which vote
Of the visitors to the exhibition shoull
be taken. If female suffrage were ar
pealed to in the needle embroidery sec