St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-04

server represented by nine IN ten OF
all who will see it, that the typical
American horse is scraggy Indian
pony with chronic habit of SIAM
peding over precipices.
The exhibits that interested me
most in all these buildings were
those of Norway and of Spain. In
the former, the place of honor is
given to a bust of the explorer Nan
sen; a very large model of his ship,
Gram" two of the dogs that &C
companied the expedition; the rein
deer. skin bag in which he slept when
so near the north pole; his dog sled,
a small boat and some of the pre-
pared food left over from the trip
and still in good state of preserva-
ton.
In this pavilion we see also life size
figures in wax representing the peo'
pie of the country in various cos
tunes and in various industries,
stuffed seals, walruses, and the pre-
served head of whale down whose
capacious throat Jonah with proper
presentation might have Travelled.
Spain has remarkably fine Gobe-
Inns worked with historic scenes en-
tirely covering the sides of the ample
rooms of her pavilion; but the most
interesting relic is the coat, or tunic
of Boabdrl the last King of the
Moors, with two of his swords and
two ditks. These are shown in
glass case in the centre of an other
wise empty room, and proclaim with
a haughtiness that is pathetic in
view of recent history, the vanished
greatness of country that once and
forever saved Europe and Christen-
dom, from Northumberland. Proud
Spain! Poor Spain! The tunic which
is Of crimson figured velvet is time.
worn, but after four hundred years
appears to hold together as we'll as
Washington's clothes in our National
Museum. The swords are finely
wrought, straight-bladed weapons
with but little guard to their hits.
The scabbards are of metal, heavy,
richly ornamented, and of fine work.
manship.
1t seems to be impossible with the
United States government to make
an appropriation without promoting
a junket. Let it be the funeral of a
member of Congress or an Interna-
tional Exhibition,-the motto is,
have good time, put money in your
pocket. Uncle Sam is rich. There is
scandal in the air here, and all has
not been told, for those who know
most are connected with the Exposi
ton in subordinate capacity and
are afraid to speak out. | do not
thind any misappropriation of funds
will be traced directly to Commits
sioner.General Peck, but there has
been mismanagement, glaring neglect
of duty, indifference to interests of
country and to United States exhibi.
tors, tavoritism, and probable sale
of space and privileges, the proceeds
of which have not gone into the Uni
ted States treasury. The Commits
sioner, who has his family with him,
is much absorbed in social functions.
The United States guards, whose
duty it is to guard the United States
exhibits are detailed for parade at
these functions, were so detailed on
a iete day when nearly half million
of people were in the exhibition en-
closure, thus importing the safety OF
many valuable and exposed exhibits.
There are complaints heard every
where and the feeling is decidedly
mutinous. The Commissioner Gen.
eral has, besides appointing members
of his family, been compelled to ap-
point many relatives of people of in
fuence in Washington. Some of
these have big salaries and do
nothing. 1t is the same old story
civil service ignored -favoritism-
nepotism. There will be an investi.
cation and then we will go and do it
again-in Cuba, in the Philippines
at home, wherever there is an appro-
priation.
Cover plants with newspapers before
sweeping.