The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-06-14
OUR PARIS EXPOSITION I,ErrIct.
RAEIS MAJ 90 1nnr

PARIS, MAY 2S, 1900.
i nave pee IN Paris but two davs
| nllcr soVon days tossing IN tSn
Atlantic and have hnd time onlv fo,
Il slanc" at tho Exposition. This
glance has impressed mo with NOT, i'm,
81 much as lts utter unprcpar, dness'
Masonry, carpentry, painting, digging
cartipg, sweeping, dusting, sprinkiitee,,,
everywhere, with only here and thelo
an exhibit complete and ready for
business. The shops, restaurants and
midway plaisancc-like shows are OF
course ready and are doing p,ure or
| less u rlVlng business, and u = same
Ola features OF Frenchmen, Dutchmsp.
| Englishmon and Yankees masouerud'
ing Oriental garb, and selling useless
orl, ntal gimcracks for twice tho
amount they can tc had for in any citv
ol the United States, 9re very promi.
| nent.
The Exposition Is doubtless, az the
late Mr.. BArnum would say, u mon.
strous aggregation ect, cct. II viii
when completed surpass all previeus
exp -sttions In bigness aud richness and
will tc an admirable epitoma Of th.,
past century's transcendent progress,
| Why should it not excel all others ,
The world at least in material thipys
is moving fast, and what was evolution
made for, If each succeeding exposition
shall not oLtdO it's predecessor?
Moreover Paris, and regret TO say
| 1T, seems TO DO but poor fourth in the
export trade OF tho world. with ltne-
lana, our own country and Germany
ahead of her. But she gets back at US
every ten years or SO Dy making a
q cat exposition, and with the p1cslipu
Of her only Paris lcvying tribute on ali
the wealth Of the world. Tho :amouot
OF money we spend in Paris in one way
ana another ';s regrettab.e. Hundreds
OF rich American families live here in
winter and in the south OF Franc.
during the summer. So far as know
the only advantage gained Is in better
household service. Servants in France
are doubtless more efficient, Intelligent
and cheaper than in the United States.
But IN every other. comfort Of living
we surpass the French. at least this
Is my imprcssi IN afic.' u fourth visit to
Paris and residence of ard on Of
| several months.
Tho lc.,or.s that have been 50 OK
tcnsively spread about tho crowded
condition OF tho city, and the high cost
OF ilVinE, are mlsi"adlng. | do not find
the prices at hotels or pensions (board-
Ing housce) mlch higher than usual.
Iney arc think u little lower than at
the Exposition OF 1878. Anyone at
| W. H''f, ~ 'to taebS, DuISc anu GnuQr-
ance can get board and lodging from
one dollar up. am lOdgiag at n }. 45
ltue de Clichy, about Lwo miles from
the EXposlt!on,, In pension with
steam heat, elevator and electric
lights, at q cost OF l5 francs ($3) per
day. The same Accommodations would
cost as much in most American cities
l5etore selected this place inquired
the rates and looked at rooms ip many
other localities. Some were higher,
some lower, and speak from personal
observation when | say there is abunl-
ant room here and at reasonable rates.
10 say that the Americans directly
IN charge OF American exhibits are
angry Is to dra" it mild. In spite OF
the utmost iforts they cannot get the
| French authorities 10 complete the
buildings for thoir exhibits. There
are lime, dust, mortar and rubbish
everywhere, and only two or three
French workmcn where there should
be twenty. Meanwhile the French
authorities are urging the Americans
to open up their displays. The Ameri-
cans say mo, not until these buildings
arc completed and cleaned. We Will
not subject our fine wares and delicate
food stulfs to deterioration from dust
and mud and lime" After much prayer
and imprec"t:on the American COM
misSlOncrs finally resorted to l.w with
the result vi teat acceleratitn on the
part OF the Ir nch. The buildings, it
is expected, will now be completed in
two weeks. =.
| There is a sinister report that the
American national building ia insecure
and unsafe, and that if Sous.'s band
should play tnerc, it will he wit!i peril
to the asscm blagc.
The American nasiOnal building is
eclipsed by that OF Italy, R)umunia
and by other countries that have not
one tlthc our wealth. 1t was vanity
and Jolly 10 build national building
anyhow. IL does no good, teaches
nothing, brings nothing 1t cannot
I'LL the wandering American with pride
when he sees IL, fer he is always over
h)"ing with that stun and ready 10
tell you that while we have no volcano
ilke Vesuvius, we have Niagara
Fails that can put 1t out In live minutes
Just at present the American corn
propaganda seems to afford our French
friends some amusement. a kitchen
has been established to prepare corn
bread, corn fritters, ect., as free luncn,
and thus recommend tho use Of corn
and Increase the demand for it. At
the exhibits OF all !he countries there
Is q guard or soldier standing or walk
ing In the uniform Of his country The
nations have not forgotten to sclcc.
soldiers OF good appearance for this
scrvi ice. NJ. Hugo Krause, OF Mil
wAukcc, vrr;tablc Hercules, six feet
! five inches tail in his uniform, ruddy,
handsome, is on guard at the a Amercan
! corn bread kitchen, and If any for
! cigncr is skcptical as to the [ # ,ct OF
corn IS diet he Is pointed to this
corn fed American, and Mr. krause
can tell them in good French what
! corn has done for him.