Year: 1876

The close of the first week of the Ex-
position still leaves in doubt the ques-
tion whether it will pay for itself in
dollars and cents. But its success Is as
sured in points infinitely more impor.
tant than any purely financial one. In
the first place, the accommodations pro>
vided prove sufficient to insure the abso.
lutte comfort of the public. The build
ings and grounds are so large that a
large daily attendance does not produce
a crowd. The great concOurse at tho
gates melts away into the vast houses
every man has breathing room, and that
comfortable sense Of license and Quiet
essential to thorough comprehension OF
| the object before him.


Another marked success Is the
promptness with which the Exposition
is recognized and received by the mas.
ses of our own people, not as show
place but as school. There is verv
| little idle sauntering except by new.
comers on their first visit. In the proups
surrounding an exhibit the faces of Am
orleans, keen. alive, quick-eyed, are
distinguishable from all others, and the
questions aSkei by them are USUALLY
shrewd and intelligent Specialists, Of
| course, seek out their own department
of study; art, mechanics, agriculture,
ceramics, etc. But the multitude are
in search of that general information
which every where sharpens the AMER.
can mind to its exceptional readiness
and facility, Western colleges already
are sending up their students,s mothers
bring their boys, young girls from the
interior iot down points for study at
home the habit, indeed, of carrying
note book and pencil is common among
all classes. The French came Nd to
their exposition, as will be remembered
by all who visited it, as though it we're
grand fete the Americans are going
to make all the practical use they can
of thers.


The third point of success Is that the
Exhibition does not fail in any regard
to supply the information demanded.
The exhibits are fuller in me st classes
than was anticipated. European ma
tions experienced in International Ex-
hibtiOns display great skill in the com-
pleteness with which they represent
their industries In many cases maps
Of the physical structure of the county
are hung up, with pictures of its more
| marked landscapes, cities, etc., which
even to child serve to identify it with
the read or yellow patch on his atlas.
Now its minerals, vegetables, and
manufactures are before him, and re-
presentations of the houses its people
live in, their carriages, clothes, houses
hold utensils, and in the midst, as
rule, living nation to explain it all.
A child can learn more of the physical
condition, the products, and civilization
of the world from weeks visit to this
! Exposition than from years stady of
geography and atlas. 1t offers to the
intelligent student the advantages of
travel epitomized into brief space and
time. For this reason the chance should
be especially accepted by the farming
class of this country, who travel less
than any Other. All their disad vanta-
! tages as they acknowledge, come from
lack OF friction with men different from
themselves. The Tribune knows how
large its constituency is among this
class. and urges them advisedly to sac
rifice part of years earning, and time


for visit to Philadelphia. 1t Is not a
chance likely to occur again in a mid
die aged mans or woman's life. 1t will
lift them as nothing else can do out of
the dull, petty level of everyday
thoughts. They will be healthier and
stronger all their days for knowing how


large is the world they live in and how


small IL their part of it.


Another feature of success is the


wholesome, hearty spirit of fraterniza-


ton ln which Americans come up to


this national rendezvous. The people


meet in these great buildings with


cheerful, even joyous, good will very
alien to their usual tempeT. The beauty
! and space aud grandeur of the surroun-


dings have their effect, no doubt, OF


temporary exhiaration but each man


feels himself host, and Is proud of the


stately welcome he gives to the older


people Of the earth. lie goes home


more of an American and a wiser man


than he came. What other success can


the Exposition ask