The morning call., 1893-11-01
THE CHICAGO FAIR.


been a success 1t was better show than
the Paris Exposition of 1889. and was Wis
tied by more people. From the opening to
the close about 1000 coo visitors were ad-
mitted, four fifths of whom paid for their
tickets. The fair managers expended,
from first to last. about S25,000.000 for
buildings, grounds and administration.
about $4,000, 900 of which was contrib
uted by the city of Chicago and individ-
ual stockholders. The receipts are figured
at S17. 700. coo, made up of: Gate receipts,
$40, 500. eco; receipts from concessions,
81 ZOO, 600; souvenir coins and premiums,
So, 800, goo: miscellaneous. 100000; so that
the stock, after receiving a dividend of
about % per cent. may be written off.
This was what was expected when the
subscriptions were made.
The benefit to the city, to the State of
Illinois and to the country at large has
been vast. Though there has been no such
rush of European visitors as was expected
by those who doubted whether the At
lantic steamers would be able to carry the
crowd. the fair has been visited by intel
ligeBt EDglishmen, Frenchmen. Germans.
Spanards, Italians, Belgians and Rus
SANS, who have carried home surprising
accounts of the energy and ingenuity of
the American people. No event of mod
ern times since the close Of the civil wer
has impressed foreigners so profoundly
with the power of the United States. The
fair has been an object lesson which will
not only make for peace, but will impart
weight to any representation which the
Government at Washington may here
after see fit TO address TO the courts Of
Europe.
As an educator the fair has summed up
the net results of the progress of intellect
in each branch. He who has carefully
inspected The exhibits in each department
may be said TO possess at least a super
ficlal acQuainta lance with the sum of human
knowledge, as it stands at present; by
noting the recent progress in such de-
partments as he is familiar with be can
estimate the advance which has been made
in The others. Visitors have complained
that there was so much to see they could
not do justice to all. As much may be
said OF an encyclopedia. No student. how
ever indefatigable. can expect to read such
a work thrnu ugh and remember it all. The
electrician who spent a few weeks in the
department of electrical machinery at the
fair is bound to confess that be obtained
an education which no institution of learn
ing would have conferred. he can esti-
mate from that education what the fair
must have done for students in other
branches.
There is a disposition now that the sue
cess of the fair is admitted to grid at New
York for having grudged it to Chicago.
Comparisons are instituted in which the
White City by the lakes is described as
American. while the great city by the Hud-
son is eoniemptuously dubbed foreign
town. This is a superficial way Of looking
at the thing. New York is the great land
ing place for European immigrants and
the point of departure for American
tourists. Hence there is more CON-
mingling of the native With the foreigner
there than elsewhere, and an affinity
naturally springs up between wealthy New
I orkers and wealthy Europeans. But it
is not more reasonable to charge New
York bodily with anglomania because GER
tain New York snobs affect English ways
than there was for the New York Herald
to propose to change The name of the
Eastern melEOpDlS 10 new 1OIk peCduse
so many Irisbmen turn up there at elec-
tions. Chicago's claim to be an American
city does not necessarily involve denial
Of the same appelation to New York.
That the center of American life will
henceforth be found in the river valleys
as the center of population approaches the
Mississippi is probably beyond question.
Unless special causes prevent the intel
lectual and political center in each country
approximates to the geographical center.
But it is difficult to disturb an established
nucleus. London and Paris are by no
means geographically central, but their
claims to be the centers of English and
French thought are never seriously dis
puted. Wise, bright and rich Americans
drift to New 7 ork, not to Chicago; they
will continue to do so for some time to
come. at ali events. The drift will not
cloud the glory which shines on Chicago
fer having carried forward to triumphant
success the most splendid fair that the
world has ever seen.