Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-31
Tho Exposition Habit
IN THE UNITED STATES Is THIRTY.
FIVE YEARS oLD-ITs GREAT COST
(New York SUM-


The United States acquired the expo
sition habit about 35 years ago, whom an
appropriation of 1888, 842.61 was made
for display in Vienna. The next affair
was the Centennial in Philadelphia in
ITO, which cost the federal treasury
nearly $500, 600. Since that time appro-
priations have been made for % others,
IA Of them domestic, and IA foreign. The
total appropriation, including Vienna
and Philadelphia and all other shows,
down to and including the jamestown
fair, has been $27, 49,, 773.72.
Deducting the 81, 227 ,048.43 which has
been repaid, there is left a national ex-
penditure of nearly s2l 100000 for the
entertainment and education Of Ameri-
can citizens and foreigners by means OF
fairs and expositions. The 10 foreign
displays have cost US 81, 309, 676, and the
remainder is charged to the domestic
account.
Having acquired the habit, it is diff
cult to break it, and exposition funds
are now virtually included in our fixed
charges. jamestown appears to have
cost us about 50, 500, 900; yet undismay-
ed by that experience, Congress ia now
disposed to give Seattle for her Alaska
Yukon Pacific exposition next year the
sum of 81, 175, 900. Ecuador has invited
us to make display at Quito next year
Argentina will probably ask us to take
part in her centennial in 1910 and Japan
is to have an important exposition in
1912.
We believe few others, domestic and
foreign, are being planned. The foreign
exhibits are not usually expensive and
from an advertising standpoint are
doubtless profitable. They are, more.
over, courtesy which we cannot well
decline. The Paris affair of 1900 cost US
trifle less than 81 800, 900, and the show
in that city in 1880 cost US $3.50, 900. The
range of other foreign expenditures is
from $4,000 in three instances to S1S7 46O
in Paris in 1878. The domestic account
shows such items as Buffalo, 1000, 900;
New Orleans, S1,650, 900; Chicago, a.
SOC, 900, and st. Louis, 81, AZ, 900.
In the face of the fact that appropria-
tions have been made for expositions at
Philadelphia (2), at Cincinnati ~, New
Orleans, Louisville, Chicago, Atlanta,
Nashville, Omaha, Buffalo, Charleston,
Portland, (Oregon), st. Louis and James
town, it is difficult though not impossible
to refuse the application of Seattle, and
perhaps equally difficult to reject
other applications in the years to
come. In 80 far as Seattle's request is
limited to a government display it is
perhaps reasonable.
At all our fairs and expositions the
folorol a~b;h;to houa Ioou arpnr0 the
strongest attractions and their educa-
tional value to the people is beyond esti-
mate. The government exhibits at these
places have been of high order and un.
questionable benefit. The objections to
such appropriations are practically re-
moved if the expenditure can be held
down to the original sum and the money
used only for the official exhibit. A
fair shot is made in that direction in the
Seattle bill by the inclusion Of provi-
sion that:
"The United States shall not in any
manner or under any circumstances
make any loan, directly or indirectly, to
the Alaska Yukon-Paci exposition or
for the benefit of said exposition or for
any of the purposes thereof, and shall
not appropriate for any purpose what-
soever in connection with said exposition
any sum of money other than that pro.
vided in this act"
This is good only as far as it goes.
While it furnishes an excellent reason
for refusing any further appropriation,
it does not absolutely prevent the pass
age by some later congress OF Seattle
exposition relief bill.
In theory the Alaska Yukon-Pacific
exposition of 1909 is to be general
roundup of all the products and resour-
Cos and people of all the American terri
tory located in the immediate vicinity OF
the Pacific ocean. 1t is to embrace
everything and everybody from the Arc
tic ocean to the Celebes sea, all places
from Point Barrow to Bongao.
The fur clad Esquimau will be there
with his reindeer, and the skin clad
Filipino will be present with his carabao.
The nipa hut and the igloo will be built
side by side and the occupants thereof
will swap blnbber and betel nut. Igor
rote and the Siwash, the jungle and the
glacier will fraternize. AS matter OF
fact, whatever the allegations, the Seattle
show, like all of it's kind, will be first
and foremost boom for Seattle.