The free press., 1892-11-10
THE WORLDS FAIR.
yu.TTHE COLUMBIAN EAhlbi-
,r,oy WILL DO FOR AMERICA.
I, Will Far surpass the Paris EXh'
bition in Artistic Interest me
Most Beautiful Spectacle
OF Our Generation.


for us to consult, that the Chicago EH-
bibjtion will far surpass even the farS
ono of 1889 when considered in Its ell
tiretv and for its artistic interest. a
much more beautiful, scholarly and mon
umental type of architecture has oeen
a1onted for its main buildings; acces
sory works of an ornamental klha wiz
he more numerous, more imposing, ana
more original, while at least equally J ar
tistic in character; greater care IS beng
taken that harmony of effect shall not be
injured by the aspect OF minor WORKS Oh
utility or decoration; and the neighpor-
hood of the great lake, and the novel
and sk:llful way in which WIDE eXpanses
of water and varied plantations nave
been made the basis of the plau OF the
Grounds themselves, will much more
than compensate for the absence OF
rushing river like the Siene and dom
mating hill like the Trocadero The
Eiffel Tower is marvellous, an interest,"
ing, and hardly an ugly structure; but
it is not an artistic structure. 1t did not
conflict with its surroundings at Paris.
But anything resembling it-anything
remarkable chiefly for size or for me
chanical ingenuity-would look pain
fully out of place on the Chicago
grounds. This fact sufices to prove
their higher degree of beauty; and the
fact that no conspicuous structure ap-
pealing in any way to mere curiosity, or
to the love of the new or the marvellous,
has been contemplated by the authorities
at Chicago, proves how seriously and
wisely artistic spirit is controlling the
great enterprise.
Those who fail to see the exhibition OF
1898 will fail to see the most beautiful
spectacle which has been offered to the
eyes of our generation. But those who
have time to see only its general aspect,
without studying any OF Its collections
wonderfully interesting though these
will be-will have seen the very best OF
it.
When we remember what great i'm
pulse was given to the popular love OF
art by the collections shown in the ex-
hibition of 1876, what may we not ex-
pect as a result of the stately, beautl-
ful, and truly poetic panorama OF art
that will be unrolled before the eyes of
the Nation in 1882 1t will show for
the first time, to scores of thousands OF
Americans who have never travelled
abroad and can scarcely hope to do SO,
what is the meaning of the word beauty,
what is the significance of the word art.
1t will convince them, as nothing else
but long and intelligent foreign travel
could, that beauty is an enjoyable
thing, that art is thing worth striving
for and paying for. Indeed, no amount
of foreign travel could teach this lesson
so clearly as 1t will be taught to the
average American by the plain fact that
all this stately splendor was thought
worth getting and worth paying for by
hard headed American business men, and
for merely temporary purpose. One con-
stantly hears expressions Of regret that
buildings and sculptures so costly and
beautiful should be destined to last for a
few months only. But, in truth, their
transitory character will vastly augment
their missionary power. Even the most
ignorant may dimly understand that it is
worth while to take pains and spend
money upon result which is to be for
all time; but at Chicago they will be told
that this is worth while even for result
of almost ephemeral duration.
Had Chicago equaled Paris, it would
be greatly to our credit; but it has sur.
passed Paris. Had 1t produced beautl-
full exhibition in imitation of the Pari:
Exhibition, it would again be much; but
it has conceived an entirely different
ideal, and carried it out on entirely novel
lines. We shall have an exhibition more
dignified, beautiful and truly artistic
than any the world has seen; and it will
be entirely our own, in general idea and
in every detail of its execution. 1t will
convince all cultivated Americans, we
repeat, of the vitality and vlgor and in-
dependence of American art; and, we
believe, its effect upon the vast public
which will view it will convince them
Of the genuiness of the nascent Ameri-
can love Of art.