Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1900-07-05
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
The Most stupendous Affair of the Kind
the World Has Ever Known-The
Exhibit Of the United States.
corrsrpondsncs Of the Ledger.

PARIS, FRANCE, June 20.-I have by
this time been able to make q study
and form a general opinion of the
Paris Universal Exposition of 1900.
There are, OF course, many things
have not seen and many things ]
could not see II / should continue in
spection for six years, But the salient
features .; the Exposition have been
noted. 1t is in great part ephemeral
architecture; It is in great part fake,
but after all spurious characteristics
are eliminated it will remain the most
stupendous effort and accomplishment
as an exposition the world has ever
seen. shall adhere to my determine
tion to avoid attempts to paint in
words architecture, artificial water
works and Examinations. nave never
seen any fire works that are compar-
able to sunset or fash of light
ming. The architecture here with its
toy shop effects, like that at Chicago,
is good enough to be torn down. This
and these are no part Of the Exposi-
tion and in my opinion are as intrus-
i've and as much out Of place as would
be the latest gown, hat and high
heeled shoes on the Venus of Milo.
The only matter worthy the VISITORS
consideration are the results of the
competitive efforts of the worlds
artists, artisans, thinkers and strivers,
everyone seeking to attain something
a little more acceptable in his special
domain. And you can see these re-
suits here. II there was ever a nil
crocosm 1t Is now within the Champs
de Mars and the Esplanade des In
valides. From Finland to Cape Colo
ny and from Alaska to Chill the con-
tinents and Islands appear to have
striven and wrought with better out
put than ever before. l say you can
see 1t, but 1t will require more than a
glance. II will require study and dis
cernment, for the arrangement is not
the best, and for comparative study 1t
Is frequently misleading and often
Intentionally 80. Some exhibitors
under the United States flag and in
the United States sections have no
right to be there. They are not Amer
leans and have no houses in America.
1t may be the same with other coun-
tries. As seen in the Exposition there
is not much to fiatter our National
pride, but we do not need fiattery-
we need the truth In heroic quantities.
False teeth, dental instruments, corn
cob pipes and eye glasses are not rep
resentativs of the manufacturing skill
and energy Of the United States, and
Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.. Peck should
not have permitted dealers in these
to have 80 much space and such a
conspicuous place In the U. 8. section
OF the Invalides building. II is said
az.s zza.E,e-~-. - ess---.--s- sps-e~..e'llsp
inspected every exhibit Of that coun-
try and that nothing was allowed to
pass to Paris without his approval.
There must be some exaggeration In
this story for the German exhibit is
large and varied as well as fine, and
no one person could have given it
more than q very formal inspection.
But 1t has evidently been selected
with great Judgment and care, and
there IL no doubt but that both the
United States and England are out
classsd by Germany in large variety
Of manufactured articles.
In some things, Of course, we excel.
Our tobacco exhibit is by far the finest
at the fair. But to indicate how we
are outdons In diplomacy or what
may be called exhibition politics, let
me instance the following, all Of which
may be traced, think, to the negli-
genee of our Commissioner: We have
but one man In fifteen on the tobacco
jury and he is a Cuban who has lived
for many years in Paris and boasts
that he has never sold or used leaf
Of American tobacco. he lie, In short,
the representative Of the largest Ou-
ban tobacco manufacturer and from
habit and interest inimical to Ameri-
can tobacco. Yet he has had himself
appointed as the only American jurist,
and this when our exhibit is finer than
and probably as large az that of all
other countries put together. There
are many, many instances of this
kind showing q lack of push and en-
terprise on the part Of our represent
ativss and an Indifference to the In
terssts OF our people and country that
Is insxpllcable In any way compli-
mentary to them.
In the class of harvesters and bind
srs and some other classes Of agricuI-
tural implements am told by an au-
and believe from what I can
see, we are much In advance Of all
other countries. This authority says
We are about ten years in advance.
Our machines are lighter, but withal
stronger, though in mechanism sub
stantiaily the same as theirs for they
have copied from ne. The displays
we are making here will doubtless re-
suit in the extension Of our trade in q
few classes. Indeed, such result lie al
ready assured. The thing to be re-
grsttsd is that we have, through neg
ligsnos or incompetence, lost golden
to impress upon the
world our superiority In many other
classes. This work will now have to
be carried on in other fields and by
other means. 1t is almost criminal to
send over here on high salaries lot
Of incompetent men, ignorant of any
except the English language and as
helpless as babes to compete in this
field with men of thorough education
and fine address, speaking fiuently
three or four languages and al fait In
all the habits, graces and amenities OF
life. The threadbars
idea that Yankee wit ls able to COM
pete anywhere with anything was
never true and to adhere to 1t stupid
and very expensive.
Mrs. Laura Atkinson, of st. Louis,
who has been visiting Mr.. and Mrs.
James Atkinson, of near Worcester,
has gone to Fort Benton, Mont, to
meet her husband, Clarence Atkinson,