Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-07-13
AT THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
What Our Correspondent Sees
in Gay Paris.

Contrasts the French Effort With our
Own 6reat aWhite City, in 1898.
Few Things In Paris are Better and
Many not SO Good-Their Arrange.
ments do not Shit American Taste.
Too Many Cheap Shows and Fakirs.
But There are Many Things to Inter-
est and Much Food for thought in the
Great Collection.
PARIS FRANCE. July 6-American
visitors at Paris this summer are en-
gagged in more or less constant
comparing the Exposition of 900 with
that of 1893. 1t is not easy to grasp
as great and complex subject as a
Worlds Fair, and in making compar-
isons a good many superficial things
have been written and a good many
partial things.
In the architecture of the Paris ex-
position, the contrast with Chicago
is marked The "Wnite City" re-
vealed to the astonished visitor har
mony extending throughout its every
portion. The architecture was SIM
pie. and yet inexpressibly dignified
and beautiful. The architecture at
Paris is more bizarre-there is more
color, more variety than at Chicago,
but less dignity. The deep and last
ing JOY of the harmony of all things
within the s'White City, is not felt
here.
While at Chicago the gardeners and
road builders art were in evidence in
the perfection of the grounds, there
are few things which detract more
from the success of the Paris exposi-
ton than the condition Of the walks.
At about the time OF the opening of
the exposition, the natural earth
walks which had enveloped the work
men in clouds of dust, were covered
by layer of pebbles the size Of a
hickory nut. 1t has been left to the
visitors to plod through this gravel
pit and slowly and painfully tread it
into smooth walks. The smooth
walk has so far only emerged In few
places and there, in dry weather,
clouds of dust have their origin, in
wet weather ponds Of mud form. The
result is that pedestrian, at the close
of days journey about the grounds
is covered with dust The dust is
carried into the buildings and settles
everywhere, injuring the appearance
of exhibits not protected in glass
cases.
Turning to the exhibits one has
first to observe that the present expo
sition is more truly international than
at Chicago. The various European
countries and the United States are
more nearly on the level, SO far as the
showing made is concerned, with
France than foreign nations were with
the United States at Chicago. For
one thing this finds expression in the
line OF government buildings of vari-
GUS countries occupying the choicest
portion of the river front. 1t is borne
out, however, by the extent of the
exhibits made by European countries.
Among outside nations the first in
order of excellence is undoubtedly
Germany, the second Russia.
Those who remember Chicago will
observe that horticulture which was
prominent, does not make as good a
showing here.
Transportation, which was an inte-
gal part of the Chicago fair, is here
removed outside the city to an annex,
which. in some of its parts, brings the
international exposition down to the
level of country fair. There is no
French government building which
serves to show the work of the depart
ments of the French Government as
those Of our government were shown
in the United States building. The
Departments of France are not repre-
sented by payilions answering to those
erected by the various states at Chi
cago. The place of these may be said
to be taken by the national pavilions,
though on larger scale. There is,
however, building devoted to the
municipal governmental of Paris. What
is shown is good and highly interest
ing as far as it goes, but it does not
Craze the surface Of the exhibit which
might be made of the activities of
such municipality as Paris.
The display in the textile depart
ment exceeds that made at Chicago
The machinery exhibit is not as COM
plete nor as we'll arranged. The use
OF electricity receives no such repre-
sentation as it was accorded at Chica-
go. The point at which the Paris ex
position is out of all comparison SUI
perior to Chicago is, as one might
guess, in fine arts.
The French government has erected
two permanent palaces of arts, build
tpem of stone and iron and ornament
ing them profusely. These buildings
serve as the home for the art display.
That display in its international char
acter and in the fullness which all
schools and tendencies of modern art
are represented and placed ia compar-
ison with any historic display in the
same building and in the Louvre, af-
fords the finest opportunity for study