Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-01
An Able Director.

Our esteemed contemporary, the NeV
Era, says:
1t Is all important who shall he put at
the head of the great New York exposition.
The right kind of man will make IL
great success the wrong kind Will lead il
into failure. General Hawloy was a prime
factor in the success of the centennial ex-
position of 1876 while General W. b.
Franklin, who is at the head of the Amer
lean exhibits at Paris, is failure, and the
recipient of much adverse criticism. He il
pronounced proud, naughty and unap-
proachable such man can never be
popular nor make n show great success
The New York people ought, therefore, To
take care whom they select for the mpor-
tant position Of chief of their coming
quadri-contennial. On this little fact may
depend its success or failure.
1t is not certain that the American
exhibit at Paris is failure. Reports
differ ms to that. There may be reason
for this difference in the various points
of view from which the observation is
taken. Necessarily our country is at a
disadvantage in any exposition held un-
der French auspices, for the people of
France manage such affairs with all apt
ness and completeness that no other race
can approach. If the American exhibit
does fall shsrt, however, we are loath TO
believe it is the fault of Gen. Franklin.
He is IA gentleman of great organizing
powers, of excellent manners and entirely
fit for the place he occupies. Some
newspaper reporter, probably, who
wanted to slap him on the back, NAV
have found him dignitied, or some dead
head may have discovered that he was
unapproachable +; but that he is TO blame
for the shortcomings of the work he has
IN charge We are not prepared 10 believe.
1t is altogether true that the New York
show needs some capable head 10 its
direction. That great city has such
man. He is to be found in Mr.. Charles
A. Dana, of the New York Sun. 70
thousands who know him only by the
political eccentricities Of his newspaper
and the frequently vicious vigor of his
assaults upon the objects of his prejudice,
he may appear as "a narrow minded and
one-sided person, conspiciously unfit To
lead great national or International
enterprise. But 10 those who know him
MIR. Dana il known 10 he one of the
ripesf, most vigorous and comprehensive
minds OF his generation in America. His
mental powers are as acute as they are
vigorous; he strikes with "a blade keen
Ms the Damascus steel but ponderous as
the battle axe. He is a profound scholar
and an accomplished gentleman. With
hands full of work he always has leisure
Tor culture and to the widest knowledge
OF men and things he adds the highest
apprecistion of the fine arts, profound
learning in the languages and keen
xest for the sciences. He is in the yigor
pf physical health he delights in rccre-
ation he reyels in books, and he is -, all
around by far the best equipped man
who IL or ever was in American journal
Ism. He is essentially am American be
has given study and thought to our his.
tory and 20 the growth Of what / $ most
characteristic in our institutions he
hos been one Of the chief promoters of
3 this cslcbration and he is indcpendept
ana FEARLESS enough when he knows bi,
wsy 70 carry IL cut. Possibly other men
cAn make the celebration success MFR
Dana certainly can.