Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-07
FRIDAY. OCTOBER Z, 1892
The Parade and Exposition.


only o success but surprise.
II exceiled oil expectation IN the mum.
Der of exhibits made and in the beauty OF
the floats" upon which they were car
ried and proved, as we had foretold.
revelation even TO our own citizens as TO
the variety OF our manufactures.
Here we havea city pursuing conservative
methods. advertising herself to the outer
world very httle. laying slight claim 10
"hustliug.n Dragging not half enough, ana
vet growing all the time, and at fine rate,
in nopulation. business. and wealth. The
advances of each year are not only held,
but are exceeded the next year. Property
values GO up to stay up. We hold fast and
move on.
Our great strength is in our manufac-
turers and jobbers They are the people
who 90 out and find customers and who
hiring the orders and the money here
which give employment to thousands Of
clerks. mechanics. laboreTs, and profess
sional men. Out of their profits elegant
houses are built in the West End and fine
euuipages are put upon our streets. In
deed, they bring wealth here TO be distrl-
buted into every channel of business lie.
Yesterdays parade was not only an ex-
hIbit of our industries but of our public
spirit. Richmond is often slow TO move,
but when an idea takes possession Of her
she moves with ali of her majesty and
might. She's the concentration of energy
when once brought into action. We may
well doubt !; any other city of the
South-or, indeed. any city of our size
could have equaled the display that we
made yesterday: display which not only
presented u TO the world tavorably as an
industrial community. but which spoke
volumes for our volunteer soldiers and
military bands: while our police won hon
ors as well bv their representatives IN the
parade as by their efficient work in
handling" the crowd.
Re it said. however, that the crowd was
q good humored one. All that it wanted
was vantage ground from which to see the
long limo OF maIshals and mounted citi-
zens. military, floats, &C., and to hear the
music which came with inspiring effect
from numerous bands. On Main street
particularly view OF the crowd was very
Impressive. There is wonderful fasci-
nation in the sight of thousands and tens
of thousands of people, young and old,
men, women. and children, gathered from
city and country and thrown together, as
they were on this occasion. into one gene
raj human heap. And what made yester-
days sight All the more interesting was
that satisfaction could be read upon I'LL
faces.
he trades parade was but the presage
Of the Exposition. which was opened yes
teraay under circumstances which indi-
cate that it will prove TO be very attrac-
tive, and that in consequence great num-
bors of people will come to see it.
OF old it was Richmond's custom to
have an annual fair This was broken
into 10y the war-when the "Old Fair
Grounds" and the new as well were taken
for military camps, and for several years
subsequent to that important epoch our
people were too poor aud too troubled :" to
think about fairs When, however,
these exhibitions we're resumed they were
regularly continued until the Exposition
of 1888, when that exhibition was substi-
tuted for the annual fair.
The Exposition of 1888 elected favora-
BILE comment from nearly all visitors, and
no doubt proved beneficial to the whole
Commonwealth There is no reason why
the present Exposition should not succeed
as WE'LL and to that end we shall constant
" invoke the public spirit of the Agricul-
turai Society. the railroad companies, and
Richmond.
We should like to see permanent or
ganlZation for the promotion of these ex-
positions. Such body might be formed
as an auxiliary to the Agricultural Society
and might save US much of the trouble
that we find every time that we attempt
10 arouse public attention In favor of an
exhibition. The Chicago exposition will
swamp oil rival exhibitions next year. and
it would be- suicidal for US to attempt to
enter the field then. but in 1894 and after
wards we shall need exhibitions TO draw
the people to Richmond in the fall, and to
that end permanent organization would
be useful. As il is, all of this work and
much of the expense devolves upon few
pubhc-spirited men. The burden ought
to be distributed among a larger number.
However, we may be looking too far ahead.
Our present duty is to make the present
exposition as great q success as the trades
parade Of yesterday was.