Iron County register., 1893-08-31
One View of the Midway Plais-
ance' at the Worlds Fair.

So much has been said and written
about this one part of the Worlds
Fair, that it would seem as though all
had been told, and all possible COM
ments and criticisms made, yet think
very little has been said, after all, from
one most important view. First Of all,
as every body knows, who reads the
papers, the midway Plaisance" is
composed mostly of miniature villages,
each representing some foreign nation,
| with it's customs and habits. Upon en-
tering this street. which is called
midway" for short in Chicago, at the
right is seen the Electric Scenic The
atre," with giant posters announcing
| numerous and wonderful attractions;
on the left, the u. S. Submarine Ex-
hibit, with appropriate representation
of divers and diving apparatus painted
on the outside of the building. Next
on the right the Libbey Glass Co., and
then going farther along the street you
find the Irish village, Japanese Bazaar.
Javanese settlement, German and
Turkish villages, Moorish palace, Cairo
street, Algeria and Tunis, Old Vienna,
Chinese village and theatre, Lapland
and Dahomey villages, besides the
Ferris Wheel, Military Encampment,
Ostrich Farm, and others.
In these villages, we Americans have
the great privilege of seeing the in
habitants of many foreign countries,
in all their native finery, uncivilization,
lack of enterprise and refinement.
When entering the gate of one of these
typical native villages, one can easily
imagine he has stepped from the
.sland of the brave and free" right in
to heathenism and the most primitive
living, and it is not Imagination. either;
it is most solemn truth. These Turks,
Moors, Egyptians, and many from 9th
er foreign countries and the island of
the sea, have come in all their native
savagery, to be looked at and studied
by cultivated, and uncultivated Amer
leans. No doubt they came voluntari-
ly for the most part, and expected just
what they are receiving, but let me
just ask, ''How do you think the whole
affair appears from their point OF viewe'
Any moderately well educated,
thoughtful Christian American has a
thousand opportunities for benefiting
himself, and doing good to others,
while this great exhibition not only of
Mans Works, but also of Man. How
many. do you suppose, think of this,
when they go to the Fair?
l stopped with several friends, one
busy afternoon, at about the center of
the long street in the midway Plais-
ance," and watched the people. all
scurrying along, intent on sight see
ing, and seeing just as many of the
sights as they possibly could in one
short afternoon. One would judge
that the majority of all the throngs to
be seen at the Fair had left all respon-
sibility and thoughtfulness for the
good of others, at home. They seem
to go there simply out OF idle curiosi-
ty, or for the fun of sightseeing, or
perhaps study and change of occupa~
ton, and have not the remotest idea
that they may be given an opportuni-
ty to help some one. And of all whom
you may see at the Fair, these igno-
rant, unchristianized foreigners penned
up in their little villages week after
week, stared at and talked about, and |
no doubt often jeered at by thought
less, more fortunate Americans, do you |