The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-04-22

regarding bA0 OOubn SdEOAA6 AAOOA
State and West Indian Exposition
now TO be seen near Charleston. And
that sentence sums up q opinion.
We didn't have enough confidence
in the South-or rather in the Caro-
linas, for outside of them the South
has done no more, rather less, than
the North in the matter of exhibits
and appropriations. So we went ex-
pecting TO find a second. rate exposi-
tion-in which expectation we were
quite thoroughly disappointed.
The Charleston Exposition is g.
credit TO the South. When we think
of the difficulties under which it's
promoters have labored, it's magni-
tude and beauty are things TO be
marveled at. The managers failed
completely, we believe, in their
effort TO get an appropriation from
the National Government and, as we
have just said, the South as a whole
has given but scanty aid. And
Charleston is a less populous city
than you think. True, it had 40, 600
people in 1850, but in the fifty suc
ceeding years it has gained only
5000. To-day, therefore, 1t has
only $4,000 people, 10000 of whom
are, as Frederick Palmer says, "oity
blacks with a tendency TO hang their
legs over anything that will support
their spinal columns"
At any rate, in spite of difficulties,
the managers have built an Exposi.
ton that is worth going TO see. But
we shall not attempt to give a minute
description of the exhibits and build
ings. Go and see them for yourself.
Is is an open secret that the at
tendance up to April 1st had been
disappointing. The Exposition, it
will be remembered, was opened last
December. But the plan of bring
ing Northern visitors South TO see
an exposition in winter failed. Fairs
and other similar affairs must have
warmth and sun shine in order TO at
tract crowds, and this winter has
been an unusually evere one in
Charleston. Now that the weather
is balmy, the roses blooming, and the
grounds and streets arrayed in living
green, it is TO be hoped that the at
tendance will increase steadily.
y y
The North Carolina exhibit is SEQ
ond only TO South Carolina e, and
has attracted a great deal of atten-
ton. Not only have we a good show
ing of farm, forest and mineral prod
ucts, etc., but Mr.. T. z. Bruner, who
has had charge of them, seems TO
have been himself a rather valuable
part of the display, if we are TO be-
lieve the correspondent of Golfers
Weekly. Says he:
"To Northern eyes, the man in
charge of the North Carolina exhibit
is nothing short of wonderful. He
convinces you that his State is an
empire embracing all climates and
all products. as we'll as George Van
derbilt's Biltmore estate. If he told
you in his soft Southern accent and
his judicially measured English that
North Carolina could grow blocks of
ice can on banana trees you would
believe him"
To see Charleston itself-one of
the quaintest and most charming
cities IN this side of the globe-is
we'll worth the trip. It is the Oldest
looking city that we have seen-not
old in the sense of dilapidation or
decay, but old like some gnarled and
knOtted oak that has stood the
storms of q century, yet is vigorous
and likely TO outlast most Of it's fel
lows. Is looks as if il had always
been old, and we suppose it really
has always had that flavor, for the
first mention of it we remember
seeing in history records the fact
that the English immigrants, first
settling a few miles away, later
(about 168O) removed to the ancient
groves covered with yellow JESSE
mine, the site of the present city
The architecture il unique, and in
this city of 1.-The Old South" the
visitor may easily imagine himself
back in the period before the Civil
War when the spirit of Calhoun
stirred it's citizens and the social life
of the slave holding aristooraoy
reached it's acme of perfection. Ed.