The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-05-05

THERE was instruction. enlightenment, perhaps
just touch of pathos, in the aggregation OF pugs-
tic beens that gathered at the testimonial given
to John L. Sullivan in Boston the other evening.
Ghosts, names, the fotsam and Jetsam of the old
London prize ring-all we're there, risen from the
grave and cast up by the sea of oblivion to live again
for one night as in the old days. It was great op
portunity for Cambridge and studious Boston. N.Y.
biologists and students of folk lore to whom Charley
Mitchell has been but sun myth, like William Tell,
saw the man himself and talked with him. Anthro-
biologists studied the and habits of the prim
tive Jack McAuliffe Philologists carefully noted
the dialect and pronunciation of Bob Fitzsimmons
|Archeologists handled and admired the remains of
the great John L. Other relics and wraiths of past
ages were there too. They moved about speaking
and gestculatlng like living creatures, at times ap
pearing to be almost human their actions and
words. Well, they were pretty square lot OF men
while they lived, and no one will begrudge the wrath
of the best of them the $4,000 he received the other
evening.
If NO unforeseen accident or bighting calamity
occurs within the next three four months, the ST.
Louis fair, which opened Saturday, will eclipse both
in size and grandeur all the expositlons that have
been held in America It has everything in it's favor.
United States, and so have sent handsome and ex-
pensve material exhibits, to be reinforced later by
mmaterial exhibits such princes, dukes and other
grandees. No money has been spared to make the
fair success All 1t needs spectators, and they
will be there The country has had lustrum of un-
usual prosperity; most people have money to spend
The threatened hard times having failed to material
ize the confidence of the business world is mistaken
and as this is presidential year, people willing
to take little longer vacation than usual All these
things favor the fair Then too St. Louis promises to
be courteous to her guests. She will profit by the big
show but it will be legitimate profit The hotels
are not going to strong ARM the strangers and there
are accommodations in the city for all the visitors In
short, both time and place suspicious.
j Whether such exposition pays except in the
SAME way that all forms of innocent amusement pay
lis question upon which intelligent may differ
lot course the manufacturer using it as advertise
ment believes that it pays but whether the nation
and statethe taxpayers, in approprating large
sums of money for buildings and exhibits get re
turns commensurate to their expenditures is open
question AS to the people visiting the fair perhaps
10 per cent profit by their experience and carry home
definite ideas which later be turned into money
The other 80 per cent go merely to ind amusement
they see much in short time that their faculties
are confused and their recoections OF the exhibit
land buildings naturally hazy and indefinite, ant
consequently their excursion is Of little practical val
ue However, whether it pays or not, the exhibition
feature Of the age and the one that opened las
6aturday is certainly the finest and largest we hav
clhad' 80 far: ".' !. - .