The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-26
-----------
HOPES WHICH FAILED.

Before the Worlds Fair opened it was
stated that the rush of Europeans to
admire the wonders would be great enough
to disturb the exchanges because of the
enormous amount OF money which Europ-
cans would spend in this country, while
simultaneously there would be reduction
in the expenditure of American money for
pleasure travel in Europe. 1t was doubted
whether there were ships enough on the
Atlantic to transport the crowds Of Europ-
cans bound for Chicago.
The event does not confirm thesa SAN
guine hopes. In May, 1898. the total num-
Der of cabin passengers who crossed in
both directions on the steamers plying be-
tween New York and European ports was
1884. as against 13 5SS in May, 1892 The
list of westbound passengers did show an
lncrease-6S20 as against 1868 in 1892-the
list of eastbound passengers showing de-
crease this year of 2461. 1t thus appears
that only 1857 Europeans. in addition to
the normal May movement, were induced
to cross the ocean TO see the fair. So small
an exodus will hardly be felt in the ex-
change market. And judging from the I'M
kind and narrow-minded accounts Of the
fair which are appearing in the English
papers that exodus is hardly likely 10 in
crease. The event is to be regretted, but
1t will not be an unmiXed misfortune If it
tends to cure our people or the rem
nant of provinciaism which hangs round
them still. Europeans do not know as
much as Americans; they are not half as
smart. Their opinion on any given sub
ject is not worth half as much as ours: yet
we look up to them, and our first thought
when we get up fair. or write book, or
paint picture, or invent a new labor
saving machine is, how will it strike the
English?
As to the fair. it not only surpasses all
previous records of the kind, but it beg
CARS all conceptions of what could be done.
Intelligent visitors report not only that
they never saw the like before. but that
they never dreamed that such an aggrega.
ton OF splendor and magnificance and
utility could be gathered into one spot.
And yet it looks as if 1t was going to be a
financial failure. The Chicago papers put
a bold face on the situation and predict
that better things are in store in the future.
But the gate receipts do not increase.
They are still far below what they should
be to enable the company to fulfill its obli-
cations. There is a possibility that mat
ters may improve in the late summer
months, but the improvement will have to
be vast to help the enterprise, and there is
really no logical reason why there should
be any Improvement at all.
1t seems clear that Chicago undertook to
do things on too grand a scale. Thirty
three millions are large sum of money TO
spend for show, and still larger sum to
be extracted from the pockets of sight
seerS in six months, over and above run
ming expenses. II Chicago had been con-
tent TO spend a third of the money the
enterprise might have paid its projectors;
but then New York would have twitted
Chicago with having tackled a job which
should have been left to the real metropo-
lis OF the country. For some cause or
other the management neglected the first
rule of sbOwmen-to have one striking and
memorable feature. Everythingat the fair
is attractive, but there is nothing which
appeals especially TO public notice. One of
the eldest theatrical managers in the
United States once said that he was never
afraid OF producing play which had one
strikingly grand scene, but he was afraid
of plays which were on dead level of ex-
cellence throughout That is the fault of
the Chicago Fair. It is excellent through
out; but it contains no exhibit which ap-
peals so powerfully to public attention
that people say they must 60 to Chicago to
sea it, if they have to walk.
II the fair should net loss to lis projec-
tors. the disaster will not be irremediable.
Chicago can afford to lose few millions
for the sake OF the advertisement it has
got. Shrewder management might have
enabled it to get the advertisement and
other peoples money too. Bat we cannot
all be financial geniuses. The financial
chronicles of the day do not ontan any
market quotation for glory; yet it must
have value or so many people would not
be giving their lives to attain it.