Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-07-23
PARIS LETTER.
Paris. France. June 18th. 1906

opinion of the Paris universal Expo
sition of 1900 There are of course
many things have not seen and many
that cou q not see if should continue
inspection for six years. But the
salient features of the exposition have
been noted. It is in great part eph-
emeral architecture; it is in great
part fake, but after all spurious char
acteristics are eliminated it will
remain the most stupendous effort
and accomplishment as an exposition
the world has ever seen. [ shall adj
here to my determination to avoid
ate mpts to paint in words architec-
limitations. [ have never seen any
fireworks that were comparable
to a sunset or a flash Of lightning.
The architecture here with it's toy shop
effects, like that at Chicago, is good
enough to be torn down. This and
these are no part of the exposition
and in my opinion are as intrusive
and as much out of place as would be
the latest gown, hat or high heeled
shoes on the Venus Of Milo. The only
matter worthy the visitors consider
alton are the results of the cOmpeti-
tive efforts of the worlds artists,
artisans, thinkers and strivers, every
one seeking to attain something
little more acceptable in his special
domain. And you can see these results
here. If there ev er was mlcrocosm
it is now within the Champs de Mars
and the Esplanade des Invalides.
from Alaska to Chill the continents
and islands appear to have striVen
and wrought with better output than
ever before. I say you ca see it but
will require study and discernment,
for the arrangement is not the best,
and for comparative study it is fire.
quently misleading and often inten-
tionally so. Some exhibitors under
the United States flag and in the
United States sections have no right
to be there They are not Americans
and have no houses in America. It
may be the same with other countries.
AS seen in the exposition there is not
much to hatter our national pride, but
we do not need hattery-we need the
truth in heroic quantities. False
teeth, dental Instruments, corn-cob
pipes and eye glasses are not repre-
sentative Of the manufacturing skill
and energy of the United States, and
Mr.. Mckinley or Mr.. Peck should not
have permitted dealers in these TO
have so much space and such con-
spicuous place in the U. S. section of
the Invalides building. 1t is said the
Emperor of Germany personally in
spected every exhibit of that country
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 we'll as fine, and no one
person could have given it more than
a very formal inspection. But it has
evidently been selected with great
judgment and care, and there is no
doubt but that both the United States
and England are outclassed by Ger
many in large variety Of manufac-
tured articles.
In some Things we, of course excel.
Our tobacco exhibit is by far the finest
at the fair. But to indicate how we
are outdone in diplomacy Or what
may be called exhibition politics let
me instance the following, all of which
may be traced I think, to the negli
gence of our commits sioner. 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 never sold or used leaf of
American tobacco. He is in short the
of the largest Cuban
tobacco manufacturer and from habit
an interest inimical to American
tobacco. Yet he had himself appoint
ed as the only American jnrist, and
this when our exhibit is finer than
and probably as large as that of all
countries put together. There are
many many Instances of this kind
showing lack Of push and enterprise
on the part of our representative
and an indifference to the interests of
our people and country that is mex
plicable in any way complimentary to
them.
In the class Of harvesters and binders
and some other classes of agricultural
implements I am told by an authority,
and believe from what I can see, we
are much in advance Of all other
countries. This authority saws We