Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1890 — WHAT WE’LL SEE IN '93. [ARTICLE]

WHAT WE’LL SEE IN '93.

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITIONS OF RECENT YEARS. How the Farion* World** Fair* Have Compared with Each Other—Great Britain Generally Ahead of All Other*—The Philadelphia Centennial Some Comparison*. [Chicago dispatch.] Great Britain seems to be the quickest nation to take advantage of the chances offered by a World’s Fair. A study of such World’s Fair records as are available shows that she has been near the top of the list in the number and character of her exhibits. Leaving, out, of course, the countries in which the fairs were held, Great Britain headed the list at Paris in 1855, was second at Philadelphia in 1876, second at Paris in 1878, and first at Paris in 1889. No other nation can show as good a record, so England must be considered at the head of exhibiting nations, France easily leading all others in the line of giving exhibitions. The United States only recently awoke to their value. Its exhibits have not been numerous, although the prizes it has captured show that what it did exhibit was the best. It has captured more prizes in proportion to the number of its exhibits than any other country. In going over the records one is rather surprised to find that the smallest nations have frequently made some of the largest and best exhibits. They are interesting also as indicating where some of the best exhibits for the World’s Columbian Exposition are coming from. At London in 1851 more than half of the exhibitors were from Great Britain and colonies, but it is impossible to discover what foreign nation led. It was clearly riot the United States, as it supplied only 499 out of a total of 6.446 foreign exhibitors. It is probable that France headed the list. At Paris in 1855 England was clearly a leader, making a better exhibit than she did at her own fair in 1851. The United States was somewhere near the bottom on the list, not even making as good a record as it did at London. Its exhibitors numbered only 144 out of 11,968 from foreign countries. There are more complete records of the Fair at London in 1862, and the records snow that France returned England’s visit. In space occupied and number of exhibitors she led all other countries, Germany coming next. The United States was near the tail of the list again, but the United States was in trouble again at that time, so it can hardly be blamed for allowing Austria, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Egypt and Denmark to lead it in the number of exhibits and the space occupied. Even Holland and Portugal gave it a tough rub, and in some ways beat it. China and Japan began to take an interest in exhibitions, and were well represented. As exhibiting nations they have been coming forward ever since, and may be looked for to make an excellent display in 1893. At Paris in 1867 England again called on France and took one-ninth of the entire space allotted to exhibitors, thus holding her position as the greatest exhibiting nation. The other eight-ninths were divided between some thirty nations. The United States got its display in about one-fourth the space that Great Britain needed.

At Vienna in 1873 Germany led both in the number of exhibitors and the space occupied, doing better than Austria itself. France and England both furnished more exhibitors than the United States, and Italy nearly as many. In amount of space occupied Germany, England, France, Russ a, Italy. Belgium, Turkey, and Switzerland all led the United States. At nearly all these fairs the United States exhibits were due to individual enterprise rather than to any interest on the part of the Government, and that may account in a measure for the country, with all its resources, figuring so far down the list. At Philadelphia, in 1876, Great Britain received a shock. Spain took a notion that it had some things worth showing, and when noses were counted it was found that it had furnished more exhibitors than any other foreign nation. England was a good second and Portugal third. It was a surprise to all other nations. At Paris, in 1878, Great Britain took twice as much space in the main building as any other nation, but did not lead in the number of exhibitors. Austria-Hungary, Russja and Belgium occupied more space than the United States, and Switzerland was pretty close to it. Austria-Hungary supplied the most exhibitors outside of France, with Spain second and Great Britain third. Algeria, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland were all ahead of the United States in this respect. At Melbourne in 11880 England again led without counting her provinces, and Austria, France, Germany, Italy, British India, and a number of minor states did better than the United States. At Paris in 1889 Great Britain led, with Belgium second and the United States third, but the United States did not make the best use of its space, and did not present as attractive a display as many other nations with less space. Mexico, with about one-fourth the space, appropriated nearly five times as much money, and a number of other Governments spent more money than the United States on much less space. From the record it would look as though Great Britain would make the greatest exhibit at Chicago, although Spain may duplicate her record at Philadelphia, and some of the smaller nations may come up with a rush. They have been taking a great deal of interest in such exhibitions recently, and are apt to be more lavish in, proportion to their means. Another interesting matter In this connection is the record of the assistance given exhibitors at Philadelphia and Paris by the various governments. Some governments gave great assistance, and some none outside of the expenses of the commission and of making the government exhibit At Philadelphia the Argentine Republic appropriated $120,000, and went so far as to employ agents to interest its citizens and gather together exhibits. It also advanced money to exhibitors to enable them to make the best possible showing. Austria and Belgium appropriated $75,000 and $50,000 respectively for the use of their commission, and to pay for the Government exhibits. Private exhibitors had to look after themselves. Brazil, however, assumed the entire expenes for the transportation and care of exhibits from that country. So also did Egypt, Venezuela, Orange Free State, Peru, and Portugal. These countries

even went so far as to pay the living expenses of exhibitors in many instances. Denmark appropriated about $12,000. and Germany paid the expenses of Its commisson only, leaving its exhibitors to ycddle their own canoes. The record at Philadelphia would seem to indicate that Great Britain’s success as an exhibitor lay largely with its colonies. The home Government appropriated 825,000 for the purooses of the art exhibit, and gave some help to exhibitors, but it was far behind some of its colonial Governments. The Dominion of Canada appropriated 3100,000, and its provinces $33,000 more. Cape Good Hope defrayed the entire expense of exhibitors, as did also New South Wales. The latter appropriated 340,000 for that purpose. South Australia appropriated 317.500 and Tasmania assumed the entire cost of exhibiting. Victoria spent 815,000 purchasing exhibits, appropriated $44,000 for expenses, and assumed the cost of exhibiting. Apparently the colonial Governments spent over ten times as much as the home Government.

Japan appropriated 3300,000 and paid all the expenses of its exhibitors. The Netherlands also looked after its exhibitors. as did also Switzerland. Sweden and Norway appropriated 8110,000 and Tunis $50,000. At Paris, in 1889, Mexico led in the size of its appropriation, devoting 81,200,000 to its exhibits, and the Argentine Republic was second, with 81,000,000. Both countries erected special buildings. Austro-Hungary gave $35,000, but not out of the Government Treasury. Lt was raised by private subscription. Belgium put up $120,000 —a good increase over what it gave for the Centennial, and Bolivia put $60,000 into a special building. Brazil used 8200.000 on its exhibit, and Denmark more than doubled its Centennial appropriation, putting its figures at $28,000. Ecuador used SSO,000, raised by private subscription, and put up a special building, Egypt thought it was worth 824,000 and gave that much. Great Britain's reputation was largely upheld by her colonies as before. The $135,0C0 she gave was raised by subscription, and it was left to colonial Governments to make appropriations, which many of them did. The figures, however, are not known. Greece gave $60,000 out of the Treasury and Finland $26,000 in private money. Guatemala gave $50,000, Italy $70,000, and Japan $130,000 (less than half of what she used for the .Centennial). Nicaragua and Portugal gave SIOO,OOO each, and erected special buildings. Roumania also touched the SIOO,000 mark, and Spain put $145,000 into a special building. San Domingo gave 810,000, Servia $44,000, and Sweden and Norway $25,000, something of a drop from the Centennial appropriation. Switzerland, however, improved on its former appropriation, giving $91,000 in addition to various sums voted by cantons.

The week has been devoted largely to speculations as to the personnel of the Board of Reference and Control and of the bureaus. Several slates have been made up and smashed again. For the Board of Reference and Control the following have been suggested: President Palmer, Vice Chairman McKenzie, and Commissioners Waller, Mussey, Lindsay, St. Clair, Martindale, and Sewell; President Gage, Vice President Bryan, and Directors Jeffery, Walker, Peck, Palmer, Strong, Winston, Waller, and Kerfoot. Most of these men will probably be found among the sixteen when the appointments are finally made. For the head of the Bureau of Publicity and Promotion, Col. Cockerell, M. E. Stone, J. S. Clarkson, Stanley Waterloo, and R. J. Murphy were mentioned, but Director General Davis put a stop to speculation by announcing that he had not yet decided in his own mind whom he would appoint. Gov. Fifer officially announced the result of the vote on the constitutional amendment, and it was left for the Council to act on the $5,000,000 bond issue. Gen. A. T. Goshorn and Thomas Donaldson, both of whom were connected with the Centennial, arrived in Chicago, and in interviews with Director General Davis gave him some valuable pointers on organization. Both thought that the work he’re had been carried on as rapidly as was to be expected, and that the system of organization as finally settled on was a good one. Rollin A. Keyes resigned from the Press and Printing Committee, and Gen. W. E. Strong was appointed in his place. Mr. Keyes gave as the reason for his action press of private business. An interview with Congressman Flower, published recently, criticising salaries of officers of the commission, created something of a scare, but it was the general opinion that as they had passed the ordeal of examination by the commission and the -Secretary of the Treasury they would stand. A scare was also occasioned by the information that there was a rumor in England to the effect that the fair had been abandoned. It was promptly denied by cable. . - i Thursday word was received that it was rumored in Russia that the fair had been transferred from Chicago to New York. This coming, so goop after the other rumor made it, apparent that the Bureau of Publicity "and promotion was an immediate necessity.