New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-22
A PLAN FOR THE BIG FAIR.
EDWARD ATKINsoN's LONG LETTER.
III is READ BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COMMIT
TEE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
SOME OF ITS POINTS.

|
preparing for the great Exposition. Despite the fact
| that the weather was hot and sweeTng, there was
no apparent diminulion on the part of the commit
eemen Of the earnestness and energy displayed at
| Tuesdays meeting Of the full committee. All OF
the Executive Committee now In the city were
promptly on time at IL o'clock They Samuel
D. Babcock, John III. Inman, August Belmont,
Charles s. Smith and j. Edward Simmons. J. Pier
pont Morgan, the chairman and Mr. Vanderbilt were
the sbsentees. Mr. Belmont consented to act as
Temporary chairman. and the committee at once went
to work.
Mr. Smith submitted letter which he had received
from Edward Atkinson, who was prominently iden-
tilted with the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition
and one of the promoters Of the Atlanta Exposition
Mr. Smith thought the letter contained some valu
able suggestions, and Secretary spier requested
to read IT,
Mr.. Atkinson wrote that he had watched with some
interest the of the discussion the exhibition
1t seemed TO him that the day had gone by for great
worlds fair or bazaar In which all kinds of goods and
wares might be displayed largely for purposes OF adj
versing without much system method aud without
any purpose In the general scope plan Of the eXhb
fon except TO make great show. About the only
permanent result OF the Centennial Exhibition Mr..
Atkinson thought, was general Improvement If such
IL might be called I'm the style OF furnishing dwelling
houses. a few individual exhibitors of machinery in
creased their market and little knowledge
countries There was, however. conspicuous
ception in the Centennial 10 the generally common
place character, want Of distinct purpose in tho
method of exhibiting. The Kansas and Colorado
hbit OF natural products and laid the found
alton Of the progress Of agriculture and mining ia that
section.
Mr. Atkinson's letter referred al length TO the At
lanta Cotton Exposition. Had the scope of that
exposition been confined to cotton as was originally
wrote 4 haV md
more TO the concentration OF Southern efforts upon
cotton only. 1t by interesting the Southern rail
roads, the owners Of land and the owners of mining
property that the wonderful collection Of timber,
minerals and products of the soil. which really formed
the most important part of the so called Cotton Ex-
position, was made possible.
lie believed that it would be pity TO waste any
great expenditure of the large sum of money that would
evidently be raised for the Exposition of 1902 upon
mere copy of worlds fairs. The motive Of the FIX
hibton of 1892 that the year recalled the date
Of the discovery of America by Europeans 400 years
ago, and the writer asked if the motive for such
exhibition ought not to be the progress I'm human
welfare 400 years through the application of
and invention TO the pursuits Of peace Continuing
he says in part:
Ought not such exhibition to illustrate the inter
dependence Of nations, the growth OF and
modern industry prophetic Of the time wheE shall be
fo hidden the command OF only within
the last century only since the physocrats France
first entered the study OF tn
other and since the publication of the Wealth OF
Nations in 1870 by Adam Smith, that the function
oil trade and begun be conceived among
civilized men.
Even at the present time the Europe, which,
we separate the unlnhabtable portions OF Norway, Swe
Den and Russia, is about equal in the the
United States, emitting ALASKA, is divided up into sub
stantally nineteen separate Empirs States each
of from the other by barriers mutual service and
restrictions upon their which taxes are
levied upon commerce; the avails of beins
than expended in the support Of armies and naves
which, except for these barriers mutual service, would
not be required Witness the other hand, growth
and progress of this Nation.
My general idea is that, either by way Of examples OF
graphic illustrations and OF figures and all combined
so far be. the exhibition should show progress
Of modern and Industry prehistoric typs or
the type Of 1892 down to the present For instance
he art Of weaving is older than history The prehistoric
loom was the the loom which .tonths Of
the material for clothing The people Of China now woven
the same as the handOCm which to-day opera
ton in the southern mountain valleys the the
sky" in Kentucky, in Tennessee and the Carollnas-
the the handoom which the French Inhabitants
OF Lower Canads stll make the fabrics with
which they are clothed 1t would be easily possible to
give the examples in action OF art OF weaving
within the limits OF small section Of great exhibition
buidingthe Chinese African, American homesDun
American and the modern all in contrast the Arab weay
ing shawls the Daghestan carpets the Navajo Indian
blankets etc.
The art Of spinning wool could be illustrated in the
same way while by way OF demand transmitted through
the State department to every the world the
articles Of common among the peope-thc costumes
Of old and new time-could be exhibited What a won.
derfu exhibit could be made Of progress in the art
Of clothing.
The conception might be adopted with resnect N
the art of milling. preparing grain, making bread Ex
ampes drawn to-day OF the prehistoric plough could be
brought from Egypt and alongside could be put the gang
plough the harvester the the thesher all operated
rho with Krlf.
culuvates harvests. winnOws threshcs and puts into
bags acre OF wheat at than dollar Der
There is nothing under the sun. II you want to
60 back TO the stone you to Alaska and
Patagonia for examples OF the stone Implements and YOU
may bring the whole history tools by examples into
single section OF the exhibition. And So as one looks
over the whole field OF art AMI Industry it becomes plain
that concrete examples of the progress all arts on
which human welfare depends be brought from different
places at the time illustrating 400 years
the Of which may be covered by the exhibition of
1892
such an exhibition Mr.. Atkinson wlote in closing
would show in form the object lessons with
which political economy has 10 deal, and he thought
would soon predicate on the record of the last 400
years the possibilities of the next yet it had been
only In the last century that the chief part of the
progress lad been made.
When the letter had been read. Mr. Belmont sug
gesied that a. IL would not be possible at this time
to hear each plan in detail, the various schemes sub
United should be handed around among the committee
men Tor careful and lesuIely study and consideration
The suggestion met with favor and was at orcr
adopted. 10 each member supplied half a DOZEN
pans. Those which he considers feasible, he win
report faN odbly upOn and eAplaln In detail al future
meeting VI the committee. ihc Executive COmmtee
Will then seicct those most fayOlably Recommended
ana report upon them 10 the full Financial Committee
which VIII have the power OF finally accepting a
definite pan, upon The basis OF which the Exposition
VIII DC ned No acton was taken upon thu uLe,tlou
Oi selecting permanent secretary at Yesterdays mee
ING, but IL Is generally understood that George :
wilson, SECRETARY vi the Chamber Of Commerce. will
be hnaiy chosen. 1t Is not iihey that aO tner mes
ING OF the Executive Committee will be he'd uufu
Ne SIS. Morgan and Vanderbilt return to he CITY al
though the secretary may call any time and
meeting OF the full Finance Committee Is subject 10
Tie cal OF The Executive Committee
A. h.. owen "A summary OF his several pJaus