Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-24
COMPARISONS THAT TELL.

products.
COMPARISONS THAT TELL.
Taking the American exhibit as a
whole, it cannot be called discreditable,
except when we place it beside others.
1t would not have been discreditable to
any of the Spanish-American States, but
| for the United States it is not credit.
The Argentine Republic built place for
itself at cost of $2l0,000-a magnificent
glass-and-iron building, with enormous
glass doors. 1t was Illuminated by means
of electric lights shining through medall-
ions of artificial turquoise. In the two
stories of this building were all the pro-
ducts of the Argentine Republic so ar
rang ed that you stepped into that country
when you entered the building
The Mexican Republic had one of the
finest buildings on the grounds. 1t was
built of iron and bronze, in imitation of an
old Aztec palace The steps, in the an
cient fashion, reached from the ground to
the roof, and the building was surrounded
with tropical garden, to which had been
transplanted the cactus and other native
Mexican plants. Inside of the structures
were grouped the displays of Mexico
united under one roof The British Gov
eminent had an imitation of an East India
building, bolted and painted to represent a
massive palace, in which were grouped the
products of the East India colonies.
AMERICA TREATED sHABBILY.
"Then to think that there was not one
building on the grounds over which floated
the American flag. Here the United
States was, the only great country to Off
cially recognize the exposition, and all the
space the French allotted to us was $4,000
square feet. The British Government re-
fused to recognize the exposition, yet En-
gland was given 234,000 square feet.
These are facts and figures. Belgium, too,
did not recognize the affair, yet Belgium
secured 1880 square feet. Why did we
not have more? The reason is because
our high Commissioners did not 90 over to
Paris until two weeks before the exposi-
ton opened. To be sure there was an
American over there, and we had two
Americans and Frenchman in attend
ance, but they were only clerks and had
no authority. England's committee of
merchants had men in authority in Paris
arranging for their exhibit for a year ana
half. They had been fighting for more
space and getting it all the time.
$50 far as California is concerned, | can
say officially that demanded how much
space California would be given. We
wanted place apart. The reply was that
it conld not be given, as the former Com
missioner had said California would not
make such an exhibit. In short, the Com
missioners would not give California a
,N1aca p,,f, E,,I l,+ IL II.
fish committee secured separate space for
Australia, in which have been grouped al
the wool, cereals and other products of the
antipodes. Our Commissioners tell US
California could not have such an allot-
ment, but Australia's space was right in
the official building of the exposition. We
asked the same thing and they refused it
to us"
CURIOUS CONDUCT.
Mr.. De Young said that although the
American Commissioners had been given
$3.50, 900, which they had carte blanche to
spend, they had refused to encourage the
only really American exhibit-the corn
palace. The money collected for this in
the Produce Exchanges Of New York and
Chicago has proved insufficient, and after
securing the space by his own efforts the
American agent had applied to the Com
missioners for 1900 to build the inner
frame, over which he intended to put the
corn. The Commissioners refused to give
him this, and the corn palace was not
built. As it had been intended to manu-
facture and give away corn in the palace,
Mr.. de Young regarded this as a subject to
criticism, as an American industry would
thus have found way to introduce its
products in France.
The feeling of American visitors, Mr..
DeGoung said, was one of intense disap-
pointment at the insignificant nature of
their native lands display. But France
had determined to overshadow every other
nation, and had succeeded. All great Eu-
ropean nations having refused to recognize
the exposition, France determined to show
the earth what great country France
was, and every other nations exhibit was
cut down accordingly. American art was
relegated to the second floor of the Art
Building, and the space had to be fought
for by the artists themselves, for the Com
missioner said she didn't care blank"
Australia, Denmark, Spain and countries
where art is not fostered were placed on
the main floor opposite Frances display.
The American display in the beaux arts
was on the second floor.
"They wanted me to beone of the jurors.
but ] declined, said Mr. DeYoung, "for
intended to speak my mind. And the
Americans were only allowed forty jurors
in the l,500 or 1900 appointed, and were
not allowed to select the committees upon
which they would serve. In brief, the
French did not propose to be handicapped
by any majority against them"