New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-19
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
NOTES ON OFFICIAL ECCENTRICITIES IN
THE OPENING CEREMONIES.


made. I suppose no great celebration ever can
have been carried through without some misnaps
and mistakes They are seldom worth dwelling
IN. nor do refer TO them now except IN conheo-
lion with the subjects on which first ana RaS'
treat deal has been said. mean French admin
istration and French hospitality: including unaer
this LAST French politeness Also and reserVlng
these latter for another time. hope you nave
not forgotten Mr. Godldn's rapture over the rcdiis
Of fooIscap covered by French officials IN seaton
A. a missing ten-cent piece That Eminent Emil
g,an. WA OF opinion that the history OF modern
civilization in its most beautiful development
svas 10 be read In those documents. IL STRUCK
me as it did him, or perhaps it struck me BECAUSE
Il did him, that this ten.eent incident was VPio"i
The French passion for official exacutuue hau
Ecldom been better exemplifed. The ExhlD'"on,
however, supplies number Of instances WINCH II
not better are fresher don't know thac u'ey
will interest you the general reader' ou' 'neS
attract Mr.. Godlin's attention for Single m"-
uent nv highest ambition win be gratihed.
The nassion for administration may be said TO
have reached its morbid stage when the end Is
systematically sacrificed TO the means The end
Is to do business efficiently and punctually. The
whole staff of the University of Commerce ana
The immense number of special agents appointed
for the Exhibition devoted themselves to the ereo'
t;on and organization of this show for months OF
rather for years. Time, money intelligence zeal
nothing seemed 10 be wanting. Yet, when inc
opening day came, the Exhibition was not READY
Every paper and letter relating to this gganuc
work was beyond doubt written, sent, recelVeu'
noted. answered, Endorsed, and filed Dut the op'
iect for which all this ink and energy had oeen
expended was not attained. The ceremony Vi
Monday had been worked out with equal minute
ness on paper, and with similar result. Inc
propramme broke down at every point where a
strain came II was a simple ceremony, but 1t
could not be carried through The organizers
Of IL allowed for everything hut human nature.
They dealt with human beings as If they were
30 many machines The President, his star,
his Ministers, the delegates OF the Senate ana
other great bodies of State were to walk IN
procession through the Exhibition or part OF
it, The public were to stand and look on The
bubhc declined TO do anything Of the sort.
As soon as they saw that the paper programme
was Of paper only they tore it to pieces, broke
up the procession, Joined it and laughed in the
Mortified faces OF the solemn ushers whose silver
chains were the d,sregarded symbols of public
order.
The police? Well, the police had their hands
full outside. The police force in the buildings
was far too small for the work assigned to 10
So unready were many of the sections that an
attempt was. made to close therI 10 the public.
At O'Clock the entrance gates 10 the Champ
de Mars were opened to the world in general, on
payment of three francs per head. But the scores
of thousands who pud their three francs per head
soon found that o great part of the show was
still closed to them There were barriers in all
directions; often Of kind most ir.
stating to an impatient crowd, glass
loors, with a policeman on the other side
There is great respect for authority in France,
and the policeman is held in kind Of terror, often
saIutary. But even Frenchmen, drilled all their
lives to hold q uniform sacred, break loose at
times. l looked on-I admit with pleasure-wbile
some Of these glass doors were broken through by
the surging crowd outside The police fought
va1iantly, using no violence, however. Some
times they succeeded in closing the door again,
only 10 see it once more burst open.
The entrances TO the Central Dome, 70 which IT
was known there would De no admission without
a white ticket, were never that siw brsieged in
earnest. All the authorities did in this matter
was 10 make il rs difficult as they could for the
holders of white tickets 10 present them at the
proper llacc They took possession OF the outer
gardens with troops. and nobody was allowed 10
pass the lines II you had come early, you could
look on these manocuvres from the inside, or from
the Terrace and they were amusing. To those on
the wrong side OF tho line OF troops they were not
amusing There was robody on duty except in
the Dome itself who knew or would tell be
wildered mortals where TO go. The most elemen
AIRY questions were treated by embroidered Off
yials as 80 many unaDswerable conCndrums Tit
Mosques for the sale Of plans and guides were no
open; unless you had brought your plan will
III AL .bf ,,t,{or will
lar labyrinth as best you could heard hun
dred questions asked during the day. 1 neve
heard one answered or answered correctly excep
sensath the Dome
There the official mind 10 be seen at its best
Il had proved equal TO the task Of distributin
fifteen hundred persons OF distinction int
well-marked groups. There were printed placard
IN little poles 70 marshal you the way 20
were to CO. and ushers in number 10 accompan
you 70 your seat Yet even at one Of thes
favored entrances listened 10 an odd Dialogue
musician presented himself with a musician
.ard of admission. The card was all right bl
she musician was not in evening dress, and ster
interroeatory was at once administered TO him
his name, where he got his card, why he had N
rot O different card. why he had not come earlier
anelly: What instrument do you plny?'
yiolinS Where is your violin ?" up there in q
gallery" And the trembling wretch was allow
TO pass in. heard aftcrward that any invite
yuest not in uniform or in evening dress was roug
" dealt with. There was nothing about costGn
On the card itself; nothing TO warn stranger tn
he was expected 10 array himself in broad daylig
In the attire which only the shades Of evenii
make becoming In France, or, ct least, II "
90 to French festivals, you are expected TO lno
crench customs ard conform to them. In En-
and less is exported OF you, and II any unusu
raiment is 10 be worn your card Of invitation tel
you plainly. However, the French, who so oft
dispense with the dress coat, and still more oft
with the white tie. in the evening, delight in DO
By day when anything official is going on. AS
bad TO arrive carly, it was my fate 10 live IN n
hress clothes from 10 in the morning Of Mond
till past midnight 1t IS not amusing, but it
easier to conform than 10 resist, and you esca
the rebukes and contumely which generally I