Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-01-01
AMERICA At THE PARIS
EXPOSITION,

! tween the methods pursued aG UHo
Chicago Exposition of 1893 and those
which must direct the participation
| of the United States in the forthcom-
! ing Paris EXPOSITION. At the Columb-
ian EXPOSITION we assisted foreign
| nations IN exploiting the products of
! their respective countries, and stood
in the capacity of host; but in 1900
the United States is guest Of France
and visiting nation, and exploits its
resources and advancement in
foreign country.
The space areas for exhibits at Paris
are so limited that the most extreme
and careful condensation and selec-
ton of exhibits is found necessary in
each group. Every effort is being
made to find the best in every class,
in order that our national interests
may be fifty represented. The law
confers wide discretion on the Com
missioner General in this regard, and
I believe it is our duty to exploit the
nations products and resources from
national standpoint, selecting the
best in every field, rather than to
exploit merely Individual interests,
though of course absolute justice and
this work of selection there will be
no sectionalism, but due consideration
will be extended to every portion of
our country in our national display.
Our work is probably more difficult
and complex than that imposed upon
the representative OF any other ma
ton; first, because we are one of the
greatest of nations, and the world, as
we'll as our own people, expects much
of US at Paris; second, we must col
lect and select our exhibits from an
expanse of territory 5000 miles in
width, from Boston to San Francisco,
requiring negotiations with exhibitors
in fifty or more cities; third, we must
ship our exhibits across seas 5000
miles wide after concentrating them
from all points of our vast territory at
the port of shipment, New York, here
transporting them in steamers across
the Atlantic to the other side, to be
there loaded in cars before reaching
the various places of instalment at
Paris.
This great task does not apply to
| Germany, Great Britain. Austria or
other great nations Europe, as they
collect their exhibits within a small
radius, and are really on the threshold
of France.
This commission has three head
quarters, at Chicago, New York and
Paris. The heads of departments, so
far as possible, have been centered at
the Chicago offices, although the de-
partments of Agriculture, Education
and Fine Arts and Textiles are rep
resented by their respective directors
at Washington, New York, Albany
and Boston.
France has been liberal toward this
country in the matter of space in
comparison with other nations. There
will be approximately fifty six ma
tions who will exhibit at the Paris
Exposition this year.
The construction of the American
Pavilion was begun last summer. It's
dome will rise 100 fit. above the Seine.
Exhibit annexes will be built to add
to our space in Agriculture, Forestries,
Liberal Arts, and Navigation, in which
latter department a branch of the
United States Weather Bureau will be
displayed in all it's workings.
Various states have made special
appropriations, though the EXPOSE
ton will be distinctly international,
and separate recognition cannot be
given to states Or sections of nations.
California, New York and Massachu-
sets have already made appropria
tons which will be used to aid ex-
hibitors of those states in their
displays. While the American may
feel more at home in the United
States National Building at the Ex-
position, he must not expect to fiud
in this place any of the American
exhibits, as the French classification
under eighteen groups provides for
the assignment of space to every
large nation in the various exhibit
buildings where each separate group
is located. The United States exhibits
will be distributed accordingly.
AS the grounds within the city
limits have not appeared adequate to
meet the demands for space, an an
mex has been officially established at
Vicennes, where the railroad exhibits
from all nations will be installed.
Athletic competitions will be held