The Washington herald., 1907-11-27
EXPOSTTIONS.


The jamestown Exposition, which closes
this week. is another milestone that
marks the progress of the nation along
her many lines of industrial and artistic
endeayor. and offers to the world the
highest proof that the making Of exposi-
tions is no longer a mere pastime. but
science. Ever since man knew that there
were other lands and other peoples than
his own. he has been making pilgrimages
10 see them Trade and interchange Of
idea were the direct results, and in time
organized exhibitions became an integral
part of early commerce. The Maccabees
held fairs in Jerusalem when Solomon
was king. The ever-restless Phoeniclans
visited the Mediterranean countries each
year. and fairs always marked their COM
ing. In Egypt caravans from Arabia and
Syria met each year at Cairo, and in the
remote countries Of the Niger and the
Congo crude fairs Of some kind marked
the dawning OF light among a savage
people The journey OF MohGmmed's S
faithful followers to Mecca each year
brings together trader and traveller. and
when Northwest Asia and Southeast Eu-
fair each year S2oo,OOO,oOo changes hands in
six weeks.
The first worlds fair was that held in
the Crystal Palace, London. IN lSH but
the first real international exposition was
that at Philadelphia in 1876. when Ameri-
ca celebrated the centennial Of her inde-
pendence. Since then the nation has
taken occasion TO celebrate the anniveF-
saries Of many interesting events with
fairs Of some kind, and step by step from
Philadelphia there has been that marked
Improvement in the making Of fairs, in
their managing. and their general ar
ransement that has brought such work 10
the rank OF a science. History and COM
merce have been kept uppermost in the
minds OF the makers Of fairs and each
has been given with these two charac-
teristic American ideals carefully devel-
oped. Even as Philadelphia celebrated
the anniversary OF American indcpend-
ence, so the New Orleans fair OF 1885
marked the centennial OF the first eN-
portatiOn Of cotton; the Chicago fair OF
1893 the f0Gth anniversary OF the discov-
cry of America; the ST. Louis fair Of 1904
the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase;
the Portland fair Of 1896 the centennial Of
the Lewis and Clark expedition into the
unknown Northwest, and the exposition
just closing AT Norfolk, Va, the 50oth an
niversary Of the establishment Of the first
permanent English settlement in Amer
lea. Other eXpOsitions have been given
by States IN honor of their own birth
days, and others more particularly IN the
interest of international trade ana friend
ly relations. as that at Buffalo in 1901,
when the close OF the century was cele-
brated by a Pan-American fair, that
brought together the United States and
Latin America in more intimate relations.
The query Does an exposition pay?"
meets always with the immediate and
enthusiastic reply: Indirectly. YES: di-
rectly and financially, never" In fact,
10 one ever expects the immediate re-
turns 70 pay the promoters Of the enter
prise. for precedent shows that il has
rarely left anything but great unpaid
bills that Congress must settle In the
history Of American expositions. there is
only one on record as having not only
paid up its subscribers. but also paid a
dividend. This was the Tennessee Cen
tcnnial held at Nashville in 1897. Each
stockhoider received per cent on his IN
vestment Ii is claimed that this was
possible because all merce-ary interest
was eliminated when the president and
board gave their services without pay.
doing the onerous work from cOmmenda-
bic notions Of civic pride. Philadelphia
paid back not one cent: Portland 30 cents
Tor each dollar subscribed. and Omaha
81 cents-the railroads having contributed
their 50 cents when they saw how mat
tiers stood Congress gave Buffalo $4,000
10 meet unpaid bills, and jamestown is
going 10 have some trouble with her own
great deficits. jamestown had a hard
row 20 hoe FOR "a while She was under
bond 10 open the exposition on the 10Th
OF April. yet the buildings were not FIN
ished. and the great feature OF all. the
governments $4,000 pier. was not com
pleted until the middle of SertemDer
Despite the fact that il was the most
perfect OF the nations exhibits when
finally put in readiness for visitors. a lit
tie over Two months ego. its first days
gave it a black eye from which il did
not quite recover.
Yet as the other fairs have paid. so has
jamestown. Two-thirds Of the exhib-
itors in the Manufacturers and Liberal
Arts buildings petitioned for. reopening
next year. and through the machinery
exhibit was sold more machinery than AZ
any previous fair in the history Of
America From the Denver fair came
a mine boom, from the Portland an in
creased immigration in the West. from
the jamestown. not only the results
enumerated. but future benefits TO Nor
folk and Tidewater Virginia. that will
mean the investment OF many millions
there. EXpositious not only educate the
various sections OF the country in re-
gard TO each other. and open them I'D
10 the needs Of such improvements as
the others may have. but they promote
greater international commercial rela-
tions. The Philadelphia Centennial
brought Americas revolution IN bread
making. for an American scientist per
suaGed Vienna TO send a bread exhibit
At this same fair Don Pedro, Of Brazil.
bought 100000 worth OF railroad supplies
for the city OF Petropolis which he was
then building. Before the Paris expo
sitlons Of 1873 and 1889 the people of
France had a horror Of kerosene. for the
COmmunards Of 1871 had put IL 10 ter
rible uses. At those fairs Americans ex-
hibited many lamps and taught their use
and safety. and the United States grew
richer by millions
The tercentennial exposition AZ James
town is said to have more nearly
achieved its general aim than any fair
the world has known. and at the same
TING ~ Lann - ,c.nr. -,.,.-..---l e.. 49,.