Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-09-24
THE PAN-AMERIcAN.
BRIEF GENERAL COMMENT UPON IT By
A DEMOCRAT MAN.

One of the first questions that natur
ally occurs to the mind is, why tn
"Pan"?
Perhaps after you have spent q few
days there. the question will recur will
new meaning and some force. Pan, q!
the readers of course understand, means
in the Greek, all. So the Pan-AmericaI
Exposition was intended to be an exhibi
tion Of all the countries of North anG
South America-incidentally including
our new possessions in the East-"tt
fittingly illustrate the marvellous devel
opment of the western hemisphere dur
ing the nineteenth century by display
of the arts, industries, manufactures
and products of the soil, mines and
seas"
Notwithstanding this declaration oi
purposes, it must be confessed that the
United States of America, which AFRO
gates to its own citizens and products
the term American, so overshadows
everything else that if you had not been
told that some of our sister republics
were represented, you would have to
hunt to find signs of them. True, some
half dozen of the Central and South
American countries have small buildings
on the grounds, and a small amount of
exhibits. But their representation is 80
small as to be insignificant. Brazil and
Argentina are not represented in any
way. Except in the architecture and
color scheme, which are plainly sug-
gestive of Spanish America, the expOsi-
tion is as distinctively United States
show as could be desired.
Since the Chicago exposition of 1893
scored its principal success, not by
bringing together a mass of exhibits,
but by dwelling in the minds of those
who Saw it as the beautiful White City,
the first test to be applied to any exposi-
ton is that of art; and of art, not as
applied to separate fragments of the in
stitution, but as applied to the ensemble.
Whatever comment or criticism may be
made hereafter, the reader may under
stand as coming from one who in mat
ters of art is layman, and to a certain
small extent a Philistine.
In one important respect the builders
of the Pan American, though with a
considerably more limited area than the
Chicago fair had, have improved upon
that marvellous production. They have
established central point and princi-
pal axis, and placed their main buildings
and features with reference to that
point and that axis. The central point
is the electric tower, three hundred feet
high. The principal axis runs north OF
this short distance, but extends most
of its length in the opposite direction
through the court of the fountains, the
esplanade, the triumphal causeway, and
the approach, nearly to the lake, which
lies near the south end Of the grounds.
the electric tower along
this line, one gets view which, in it's
effect of cheer and holiday appearance,
as well as its cOmprehensiveness, was
not eqnaled at Chicago, in that city OF
beautiful structures, broad areas, and
distances.
The style of architecture used in the
buildings is technically described as that
of the Free Renaissance. To the lay
mind it suggests Spanish America, and
is almost startling by reason of its differ
ence from the generally accepted styles
of American architecture.
In the color of the buildings l was
disappointed. The fair has
been called the "Rainbow City," and
some of the advertising booklets put out
by the management have been illumi-
mated in an attempt at rainbow colors.
Another kind of circulars had birdseye
views of the grounds colored in harsh
browns and reds. These two varieties
of advertising matter had prepared me
to look upon a city either cleaning in
gaudy tints, or else adorned in crude
and inharmonious colors. am happy
to say that / was equally misled in both
directions. The colors are neither gaudy
nor crude, but are so harmonious that
one hardly realizes that there is any
studied effect about it. The color
scheme is very satisfactory and pleas
ing.
After these general features of the
fair are considered, you may possibly
recall some of the statements you have
read as to the surprising beauty OF the
Pan-American, as compared with the
Chicago exposition, and the prediction
that this will be the more lasting in the
popular affection. Such a prophecy is
i'll considered. 1t is my honest opinion
that the classic severity of the beautiful
White City of Chicago will dwell In
peoples minds long after-the warmer
hued and more fanciful City OF Light
has become only formless recollection.
A. EFF