Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-04-06
PUBLIC OPINION.
OUR UNRlvALED WOMEN.

New York Press.
Being naturally hopeful and ambi-
tious people we have invited all other
nations to do their best at Chicago IN
order to show how for we can surpass
them. Yet, in spite of this characteristic
confidence, there is a very reasonable
apprehension in the minds of our citi-
zens that in certain particulars Europe
can present a fuller exhibit than our
own at the Worlds Fair. America is
still young country. The Old World
has the start of us by many centuries OF
civilization. While we were negotiating
with the aborigines for farms England
was rich in the treasures of Spenser
and Shakespeare, France was land
of poets and painters, Italy was enriched
by Raphael, Greece by Homer, Holland
by Rembrandt. Europe was well estab-
iished in the arts and sciences when a
gentleman of Virginia conceived the
notion of founding new common
wealth. Since that felicitous idea was
carried into execution We have been
busy setting our house to rights. Con-
sequently it will be no very extraordinary
matter if our neighbors, who have had
the advantage of an earlier education,
can do some things better than we can.
We intend to make brave show at
Chicago. Yet it must not reasonably
be expected that we shall excel those
who were master workmen when Uncle
Samuel was in his swaddling clothes.
But the knowledge of our youth must
not tempt Europe into an underestimate
of our power. We have richness of
resources in this country that our neigh
bors apparently do not take into con
sideration. Although young we are
precocious. In America we do not de-
bend on tradition, but rely on ourselves
We have grown up quickly, and in some
instances well Folks across the ocean
do not realize this. For example, con-
slider how foolish thing it is in them
to send over a cargo Of beautiful women
for the purpose of astonishing Chicago
This precious consignment, however
IdTO It's CIdluio uttY NC, Ndh hOO w ~
Having preserved equanimity in the
presence of our own beautiful young
women we are proof against the fas-
cinations exerted by those of Europe.
These foreign ladies of renOwn in per
sonal comeliness represent types of Eng
land, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland,
Ireland, Japan, China and other coun-
tries. That is all right. We shall be
glad to welcome them. A handsome
woman, come from what land she may,
is always sure of gallant admirers among
our people. If these damsels are up TO
invoice we shall probably marry them in
order to prove that Americans make the
best husbands in the world. But they
must be modest and without pretension.
If the assorted charmers of foreign
lands believe that their physical excel
lences will tempt us to forget our own
fair women they are mistaken. When
the Paris arrives they have only to step
ashore and walk up Broadway to be
convinced of the futility of rivaling our
home products. If that test is not
wholly satisfactory let the European
houri go over the ferry and study the
famous beauties of Brooklyn. 1t is re-
ported that the young men of that city
do not polish their shoes. But there is
nothing the matter with the Brooklyn
girls.
Hence we can reasonably anticipate
that however much we may be surpassed
in art at the Fair we shall eclipse every
body in nature. The lovely young
women of Europe will undoubtedly be
an interesting spectacle as they sit lace
making, painting, wood carving, and
embroidering before the crowds of Chi
cago. But in the mere matter of phys
ical comeliness the finest girls at the
exposition will be those who 60 to COM
pare charms with their foreign rivals
Apart from the graces of their character
our women are the most beautiful of all
nations This Chicago festivity is called
the Worlds Fair But we shall see such
an enhancing array of feminine graces
there that it might, with more appro-
priateness, be termed the American
Fair.