Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-21

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! could make IL again, but I will be darned
II want to try"
lis it not possible, Mr.. Smalley, that q
few years OF dullish times would cure
some OF the tendencies in our commercial
society?"
"Yes, that might be result. but 1t
would be devilisbly hard on the men who
had TO 90 under 10 help the schoolmas-
ters."
TIE WEALTH or FRAScK.
Looking over the nations at this fair one
is surprised at the virility of France in
spite of the distribution Of her soil among
so many small proprietors snd the absence
of extensive landholders. France turns
up here rich nation, in spite OF her IN
jurics from Germany. She shows 500 paint
ipgs in her sixteen sniOns. Estimating
these paintings at $1,000 apiece. and esti-
mating the frames upon them, which are
all first class and Of extraordinary size. at
about the same figure. aud you have re-
spectacle fortune on tho spot. besides the
advertisement tho leaving of these paint
ings IN the country will be TO French
painters for years TO come.
The people at large do not understand
that the exhibits in this fair cannot be sold
at will, and already some of the exhibitors
have been arrested for violating the United
States revenue laws. as anything they sell
within the fair without paying duty is
smuggling Mt the violation of point of
honor If. as is probable. most of the ex-
hibits here will be sold IN the United
States and the money taken away from the
country at the conclusion of the fair.
the balance Of trade will lie heavier
against US than If very great
portion of our population had visit
cd Europe and there purchased these
costly wares. The lesson upon the
American mind is that we must advance
in the arts and stop initiating the fine
arts of other people. In this exhibit
! came TO quito handsome exhibit by one
person of reprinted paintings. nearly oil
of European origin. The prIuter IN colors
finds In the United States an extensive
field 10 multiply his wares. This IS
being shown by the newspapers, and
some OF the oldest papers in the land. as
well as some of the newest. are getting
circulation by giving away reproductions
in color of current pictures newspaper
proprietor here told me the other day that
q single printing house IN New York sus-
tanned a successful weekly paper which
printed in colors, backed a leading daily
paper which also issued pictures in colors,
and was now furnishing reproductions OF
these pictures to the interior, to be gwen
away with the Sunday editions.
sBIS-DEEP NATIONALITY.
Hence, American art seems to fall more
and more into the Democratic line Of cheap
printing. while the artists of home cult
yaton, If of foreign education. must ex-
hlblt among the foreigners. The spirit
OF nationally with us IS only SKIN deep.
Our American artists abroad nave, with
commendable patriotism. set up Their
tn,cturaa IN tha Amprfrau pYnIb1tlOu. and
to them in large part is due the success OF
that branch. Mr.. Charles Coleman, an
American artist whom | knew III Paris ut
the French exhibition of 1867. IS here as
sisting to decorate the New York State
Building with frieze IN colors. met
| him looking over tho French gallery. and
after he came out and as we stood before
| the Flne-Arts Building, he said: -,
Il am more than satisfied with the
Americen exhibit in the fine arts; |
| think we hold our own up very well with
other nations. Our artists who live IN
France have shown up their pictures on
the American walls. good deal of the
French exhibit is ratified up fol- the pur-
poses of the fair. 1t makes better
impression on you IN the aggregate
| than IL will when YOU come to analyLe
IT and assert the gold from the dross."
! Looking ont upon the Art Gallery, MIR.
/ Coleman said That is a splendid build
| ing, | do hope they will be able to keep
II. and think they mean to do so. for II IS
/ built of brick. While il is covered with
staff. they can take that off and substitute
plaster or stone for Il without taking down
| the building al all. am sure that never
saw any plcture-gallery which impressed
( me more favorablv. That and the Agri;,
cultural Building think are gems, and
great gems at that"
REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT.
Chicago has still great problems on her
| hands. and it is to see the fleet of this fair
ON her commercial fortunes when IL Is
cleared away. The flimsy hotels In the
vicinity of the fair will have to take what
ever fortune comes to them, and many
predict that in a month or two there Will
be collapses among the undertakers and
the eventuation OF cheaper prices. For
such structures dollar day ought TO be
enough to pay for lodging, with board,
About six francs will get respectable room
in Paris, even during the Worlds Far
anniversaries. And in country OF
| cheap timber like ours nothing stands
| in the way of cheap lodging but the
excessive price of real estate, which IN
part represents the speculation IN IT,
| and not its legitimate present worth:
/ This Is one of the causes WHY the United
/ States is n dear country. In London.
of the landlord, house-rent ls not more
| than half the price Of what 1t IS IN this
| country. Six hundred dollars will get
| q respectable house in London, and II ,0oS
will hire house in fashionable quarter
/ We are compelled to pay the prospective
value of the lot upon which the structure
! stands, whereas in London the movement
of real estate is nothing like the mania II
assumes in the land of the free. The iacl
that we are going to be a great city, do {
great trade aud have great future, Is al
assessed upon the immediate generation
/ here.
or GREAT MOMENT.
Said a rich Chicagoan to me:
The Worlds Fair is of moment 10 US
for we begged ourselves almost TO deati
10 get 1t. Alr. Warner Miller was here las
week asking us to build the NicarauguI
canal, but he forgot that they have taker
ont Of this city some Sl6.00O,OO0, o
which we have as yet had nothing
| back. to have this fair among us
The manager of one of our lead
ing newspapers told me YESTERDAY
that his establishment has given $4,000 II
cash TO the far besides a prodigious FREE
advertising, and had worked mp at grea
exp.nse all the Columbian celebrations II
I the East, paving writers and telegraph
companies thousands of dollars to pu
those things into Chicago by wire tina
might boom up the fair. We are nov
handling the problem of our drainag
| down the Illinois river from Chicago, an'
think II will cost us ,s40,OO0,0 900 before w
get through with IT.
Seeing ont here some agents Tor Dun