Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1901-05-03
NEW WORLDS FAIR IDEA.
A FLOATING EXPOSITION, THE
SCHEME OF AN AMERICAN.

How II Could be Carried Out-Fleet of
Vessels to be Chartered and Loaded
With American Coods-To Visit All
Ports of the World.
Says the National Geographic Mag
azine: A floating exposition, carrying
samples of our merchandise around the
touch with those of all nations, seems
fitting American enterprise for the
beginning of the new century. The
nineteenth century has made the
United States the greatest exporting
nation Of the world; why not begin
the twentieth by showing to all the
world what we have to sell and how we
can sell it?
The imports of Asia, Oceania, Africa
and the American countries south OF
the United States amount to over two
billion dollars every year. Nearly all
Of these importations are of the very
class of goods which we want to sell
food stuffs, textiles, mineral oils, ma
chinery and manufactures of all kinds;
yet our sales to these grand divisions
in the best year of our commerce, 1900,
only amounted to about 1000, 900.
or 10 per cent. of their purchases. The
annual imports of Asia and Oceania
are over billion dollars, those of
Africa over four hundred millions, and
those of the countries lying south of
the United States about six hundred
millions.
Most OF the cities through which
these two billion dollars worth of
goods are first distributed lie on the
seacoast. and could be readily reach
ed by a fleet of vessels loaded with
samples of American products and
manufactures.
If floating exposition were syste-
matically organized, loading one yes
sci with exhibits Of food stuffs, anotE--
er with textiles, another with agricul-
tural implements and vehicles, another
with manufactures of iron and steel,
another with household requirements,
and another with Yankee notions"
and sent from port to port and con-
tinent to continent, it should prove
highly advantageous to our CONNER
cial relations with all of the countries
visited.
Every manufacturer or exporter
sending an exhibit would naturally
send with it capable representative,
who could discuss with the local mer-
chants the qualities of his goods and
their fitness or unfitness for local
markets.
The coming of an exhibition of this
character would attract at each port
not only the business men of that city,
but those of other commercial centres
In the vicinity, and by this process the
wholesale merchant of the United
States would speak face to face with
those of every country visited, and in
these discussions would learn in a
practical way the obstacles which now
prevent free interchange of COM
merce and the methods by which they
can be overcome.
The financing of an undertaking
which contemplates sending a feet of
a half dozen vessels for two years
voyage around the world appears at
first sight serious problem; but pres
ent conditions seem to be exceptionally
favorable.
A great exposition, especially intend
ed to apply to the people of Central
and South America, Is to be held at
Buffalo this year, and its exhibits
would in many cases prove a basis for
an undertaking of this kind, while an
other exposition. especially relating
to the West Indian trade. is to be
held at Charleston. Thus, in the dis
position to extend our commerce, in
prosperity which warrants new busi-
ness ventures, and even in the partial
preparation of exhibits, the circum-
stances appear to be especially favor
able.
But there is still another condition
which seems even more opportune and
advantageous. The government is the
possessor of considerable number of
safe and seaworthy merchant vessels
purchased as transports during the
war with Spain, for many Of which
it will not have active use after the
close of hostilities in the Philippines.
If some of these vessels could be utiliz-
ed for this work the problem as to
cost would be greatly simplified.
Congress has always dealt literally
with expositions intended to improve
our commerce, either at home or
abroad, and 1t seems not unreasonable |
to suppose that If applied to by a
proper business organization it might
loan the necessary vessels for an en-
terprise of this kind. The appropria
tions of money made by Congress in
behalf of expositions at home and
abroad in the past rs years amount to
over $4,000, 900, and in view of this
it would appear probable that an ap-
peal from properly organized asso-
citation of business men might meet
with favorable consideration.
Whether the expense should be /