The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-15
New Orleans Exposition.

A public hearing was held in the representa-
tives hall Thursday evening before the especial
committee on the New Orleans Exposition,
Chairman Arms presiding. General More
head of Mississippi, the originator Of the
project, was first introduced. He explained
the object and general features Of the exhi-
bition. The National Cotton Planters Asso-
citation at its annual convention in 1882
adopted resolution declaring its purpose TO
hold Worlds Cotton Centennial in 1884
The famous labor exodus had called alton
ton sharply to the errors in the agriculture
of the South Cotton was the sole crop Of
any consequence, and If that failed OF was
impaired there was suffering. Efforts were
made to induce planters to cultivate va
riety of crops, and by way OF giving pow
erful stimulus to agricultural Improvement
and development in the New South II was
decided to hold grand exhibition. The
year 1884 would be the centennial Of the first
expectation of cotton from America A
small cargo was shipped to England from
the port Of Charleston in that year, and in
the last year the seven million bales of cot
ton produced in the South clothed the
greater part of the civilized world. The
original intention was abandoned and the
scope of the enterprise enlarged by making
1t Worlds Industrial Exposition, impart-
ing to 1t national and international charac-
ter, which was subsequently confirmed by
an act of congress loaning the association
one million dollars. The exhibition would
be larger than any hitherto undertaken in
the world, far exceeding the centennial in
its scope and magnitude. This the speaker
said might seem like Boosting but he was
stating facts. The main building is large
enough to comprise the main building at the
centennial and two Atlanta expositions.
Horticultural hall, a building six hundred
feet by one hundred ninety-four feet, would
be the largest in the world An art gallery
two hundred fifty feet by one hundred feet,
Mexican building, building for factories
and mills, stock arena, extensive areas for
gardens and exhibiting growing crops,
groves of trees, etc, etc, are chief features
in the general plan. The special feature to
which General Morehead desired to call the
attention of his hearers was the government
building, a structure eight hundred eighty
five feet by five hundred sixty-five feet. To
encourage collective exhibits by states and
territories the association has appropriated
5000 to each state and territory making
such an exhibit. The members of the Union
have supplemented this sum by special ap-
preparations, varying in sums from 5000 to
| S5O,OOO-Minnesota voting the latter amount
| to enable her commissioners to make an exhi-
| bition of her resources. Texas voted $4,000
and the southern states generally have appro-
priated sums for special exhibits, varying
| in amount from $4,000 to $4,000. Turning
aside from the material to the moral scope
of the exposition, General Morehead spoke
| eloquently of the good that would come to
| the cause of national unity from this exposi-
| ton, and assured his listeners that New Or
| leans would give the people of the North
| welcome no less cordial than had been given
to him here. That his hearers had caught
| on to the patriotic and fraternal sentiments
| the speaker expressed, was evinced by
| hearty rounds of applause
| Colonel j. b. Mead of Randolph, who had
| attended the Atlanta exposition of two
| years ago, spoke of the wonderful displays
| of wealth and resources made on that ocCa-
| sion, and it was with regret and mortfica-
1 a. thprp ayhthitinn NJ
| resources of his own state. The practical
| question is, viii it pay? At Atlanta a
granite worker of st. Johnsbury exhibited
| a specimen of monumental work The
| hardihood of the man made him an object
of pity, but the result proved the shrewd-
ness of the lone exhibitor. That little piece
| of advertising has brought him. in less than
| two years, 100000 of sales in orders filled
and now in hand. Colonel Mead hoped the
| state would make an exhibition. He sug-
gested that the process of maple sugar max
| ing be illustrated, showing the progress
| made from the primitive method of " box
ing y the tree, dug-outs for buckets and iron
| kettles suspended from poles for boilers, to
| the improved ways of securing the sap and
reducing it to sugar in patent evaporators.
| Mr.. Albert Chapman, president of the Yer
| mont Sheep Breeders Association. spoke for
| his specially, recounting the fame and SUI
periority of Vermont sheep and favoring a
| a state exhibit. Senator Morrill, briefly
| sketched the history of world's fairs from
the original conception by Prince Albert in
London, and testified to the immense adj
| vantage the nations had derived from these
displays. Mr.. q. NJ. Tinkham favored
well-organized display of dairy products.
Butter and cheese are Nermont's best hold,
and i'll the production of these articles with
her sweet pastures and pure water. she can
beat the world III quality. An exhibition of
| these products in New Orleans would open
up new markets in Mexico and South Amer
ica as well as in the southern states. He
| expressed his readiness to work Zealously to
organize an exhibition such as would do
credit to the state. DR.. Cutting favored
complete exhibition of the states products
and resources. He spoke eloquently of the
grains, fruits and other products fthe soil the
state could show, of her cattle, sheep and
horses, her granite, slate and marble, her ma
pie sugar and white clover honey, compared
with which the product of southern bees was
like d" blackstrap." Honorable Justus Dart
was embarrassed when asked, What has
Vermont to show i'll the department of edu-
cation? Those who had preceded him had
spoken with well-grounded confidence of
the ability of the state to make showing in
material products that would be unexcelled
in merit, but he feared the people had paid
more attention to the barn than the school
house; that they had been more mindful of
raising sheep and cattle, of producing butter
| and cheese, than men and women. In the
| larger villages there We're graded schools
and academies which were doing good work
and which could make a creditable show
| ing, but he was sorry to say that he was I'M
able to speak with equal confidence for the
district schools of the state, and commended
this matter to the consideration of the men
who had the power to remedy state of
things which is not credtable to Vermont.
General Pardee of Connecticut closed the
| speech-making with a stirring presentation
of the moral and patriotic aspects of the ex-
position. All the speakers were generously
applauded, and if the interest that was
evinced by the goodly number of represen-
tatives of the people present is an index Of
public opinion, Vermont will not 90 unrep-
resented at New Orleans next winter.
Rob Roy in Vermont.