The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-04-19
BIG FAIR OPEN
French Exposition Formally De-
clared Ready to Receive
Visitors.
Brilliant Assemblage Of French
men and Others Hear the
Announcement.
Condition Of Unreadiness at the
Opening a Regrettable
Feature.

sition of all countries. The most favor
able weather conditions prevailed and
innumerable bright colored domes and
minarets glistened in the sunshine.
Paris was early astir with people wend-
ing their way towards the Elysee and in
the direction of the exposition, in the
hope of witnessing the presidential pro-
cession at some part of its journey.
All the public buildings and number
less private houses were decorated with
trophies Of flags, chiefly the tricolor.
The neighborhood of the exposition was
especially gay with bunting while most
of the pavilions themselves were sur
mounted with floating banners.
The unfinished condition of the expo
sition on Inauguration day is regretta-
BILE and perhaps misleading. Unjust be
borne in mind that this is only pass
ing phase and on its completion within
three weeks or q month from now, the,
exposition will indisputably be the most
attractive and magnificent yet seen.
America at the Front.
Americans especially will be proud of
their country's display at this worlds
fair for the United States stands second
only to France herself in number of ex-
hibitors, which treble those Of any for
eign country. '-r
The following is table of exhibitors
which speaks eloquently Of American
enterprise: a..--.a.= .-.--. a.. H.
France, 10000; United States, 1854;
Belgium, 2,500; Germany, 1000; Italy,
1900; Russia, 1900; Scandinavia, 1,4O0;
Austria, 1000; Great Britain, 600; the
British colonies, 600.
America has three times the number
of exhibitors that France had at the
worlds fair at Chicago. She has AZ dis
tinct exhibition spaces, 80 in the main
exposition grounds, II in the Vim
cennes annex, excluding the ground COW
cred by our eagle surmounting the ma
tional pavilion, the Quai d'Orsay.
American enterprise, however, is not
only shown in the size of her represen-
tation, but also in the preparedness Of
her installation as compared with that
Of most Of the other countries and it
can safely be said that but for the dila-
toriness of French, workmen and meth
DDS, the United States exhibits would
have been exposed in their show cases
to the visitors. Unfortunately French
hardness has hampered all American
efforts to rush matters. Thus, in. most
of our show spaces, everything is pre-
pared, the glass cases are ready to re-
cieve exhibits, but the American officials
are afraid to display the valuable arti-
cles to the likelihood of damage by the
clouds of dust arising from work on the
adjacent embryonic installation.
The highest testimonial to American
push comes from Commissioner General
Picard himself. After comparing the
state of progress of the installation of
various nations, he said to Commits
sioner General Peck:
e"It is an object lesson to us all to see
the American people work. thank
you for your promptitude and the adj
vanced condition of work in the United
States sections" - ..
President Loubet, as he stood in the
presidential tribune, surrounded by the
members of the cabinet and his house
hold, opened the exposition with the
words: .t.>
II declare the exposition of 1900
open.' ......
Thus was the Paris exposition, de.
signed to celebrate the worlds entry
into the new century inaugurated and
shouts of "Vive Loubet" and "Vive La
Republique" rose from his 1000 hearers
and silk hats were waved in the air.
The crowds outside the hall took up the
cheering and the exposition was open.
Contrary to expectation, the premier,
M. Waldeck- Rousseau, made no address
at the opening Of the exposition, MN.
Millerand and Loubet being the only
speakers