VOIi.  XXXIV.  No.  '20.  t 
W1IOI.E  No.  1398.  I 
NEW  YORK  CITi',  NOV,  11,  1376. 
FRICK  61X3C  CKNTB 
«'2.50  PER  YEAR. 
fKntered  aooorclInK  to  Act  of  ConKros,*!,  In  the  year  1876,  by  the  Kimil  Publlshlna  Company.  In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Oonitregs  at  Waahlntcton.j 
®l]f  O^fnttiinial. 
REVIEW  OF  THE  RESULTS  ATTAINED  IN 
A  CENTURY  OF  NATIONAL  LIFE. 
PUll.AlJKLi'aiA,  Nov.  9,  1378. 
Onk  day  intervenes  before  the  close  of  the 
Centennial  Exhibition,  and  a  review  of  the  re¬ 
sults  attained  in  a  century  of  national  life  is 
appropriate. 
We  see  ourselves  as  others  see  us  when  we 
note  what  our  foreign  visitors  have  to  say  con¬ 
cerning  the  national  display  at  Philadelphia. 
The  English,  Bulginns  and  Uussians  express 
thoinselves  as  astounded  at  our  progress  in  tlie 
Mechanic  Arts.  Oiir  Corliss  Engine  and  otlier 
mechanical  works  were  a  revelation  to  them.  A 
German  engineer  exclaimed  iu  broken  English. 
“  Ef  yon  do  dis  t'ing  in  one  hundert  year,  what 
yon  do  in  two  hundert?  You 
Jly  einpliasiziug  his  words  ^ 
with  a  very  cotnioal  use  of  his  R  j 
arms.  The  Frencli  see  noth-  / 
ing  to  a<hiiiro  in  cither  our  A 
works  or  institutions,  and  one 
of  the  Commissioners  of  tliis  '  y 
volatile  nation,  gathering  his  ^ 
ideas  at  Heeond-haud,  lias  even 
gone  so  far  as  to  publish  a  let- 
ter  m  which  lie  slurnugly  gen- 
eralizes  ou  our  progress  and 
descends  to  the  iiupertuienco  | 
of  rellectiug  on  the  vii  tne  of 
our  womeu.  We  are  great  1 
enough  as  a  nation,  however, 
to  smile  with  pity  ou  such  H  Iff  !  1^ 
petty  malice.  It  may  be  safe-  U  I  j  |  j 
ly  surmised  that  the  foreign  i  ^  I  1 : 
exhibitors,  as  a  rule,  have 
made  money  and  will  leave 
oor  shores  with  very  comfort-  x- 
ably-filled  purses. 
English  observers  have  be- 
come  justly  alarmed  at  our 
progress  and  freely  prognosti- 
cate  that  Americans  will  meet 
Britain  on  terms  of  equality 
in  the  markets  of  tlie  world,  I  I  I  ^  M 
and  that  uothing  but  the  ut-  II  I 
most  vigilance  will  prevent  us  j 
from  gaining  the  ascendancy. 
This  is  praise  indeed.  The  ^ 
influence  of  the  Exhibition  on 
foreign  peoples  can  hardly  be 
over-estimated.  Their  repre- 
sentative*!  came  here  with  the 
idea  that  the  traces  of  the 
bison  would  be  found  in  the 
environs  of  the  City  of  Broth-  Uj  ft 
erlyLove;  that  our  fashiona-  iH 
ble  dance  was  the  War  Dance,  |l 
and  that  ii'stheticaUy,  we  were  |  V  \  Kj,  ||| 
about  as  crude  as  we  were  in  |  fflll 
the  days  of  Irving  s  Ktiickor-  11  ginr 
bockers.  Acting  ou  this  suj>-  p 
position,  they  did  not  send  to 
oiu'  shores  their  finest  wares, 
but  discriminated  iu  favor  of 
gew-gaws  tliat  would  be  likely, 
they  thought,  to  please  our 
savage  tastes.  The  English, 
Kussians,  Spanish  and  Japan- 
ese  are  worthy  exceptions, 
however.  The  Germans,  with 
oue  or  two  exceptioms,  send  an  •• — '  ^ 
invoice  of  meretiicious  stuff.  L.— 
la  their  purchage.8  Americans 
have  discriminated  with  taste, 
rejecting,  in  most  instances,  ^ 
such  articles  as  the  exhibitors  _ 
supposed  would  appenl  most  -• 
strongly  to  their  barbajric  H r^*****^ 
instincts.  On  the  other  hand, 
our  Art  exliibits  have  been  freely  patronized, 
one  firm  of  silversmiths  aggregating  $8,000 
worth  of  European  orders.  It  is  conceded  that 
some  of  our  Art  work  is  firlly  equal  to  tiiat  of 
older  nations,  and  as  far  as  our  Farm  Imple¬ 
ments  and  Mechanics  are  concerned,  we  are  sec¬ 
ond  to  none  and  surpass  most. 
In  an  enterprise  of  such  magnitude  there 
must  be  more  or  less  dissatisfaction,  but  tlie 
management  bas  been  generally  most  cfticient 
and  satisfactory.  Tlie  Exhibition  opened  ou  the 
day  advertised,  something  quite  the  reverse  of 
the  Vienna  Fair,  and  since  then  has  pursued  the 
even  tenor  of  its  way,  with  but  few  drawhiicks. 
Some  of  oiu-  exljiliits  have  been  scandalously 
mismanaged,  as  the  Butter  and  Cliecse  Building, 
for  instance,  wliich  has  been  fully  sbown  up  in 
the  columns  of  this  journal.  Tlie  ]iosv(>  of  the 
field  trials,  which  were  shorn  of  any  permanent 
value  tiy  tlio  comliineil  action  of  certain  agricul¬ 
tural  implement  manufacturing  firms,  has  also 
been  exploitwl  iu  the  RiniAL’s  columns ;  but  tlie  1 
Commission  was  only  partly  blamable  in  this 
affair,  having  been  weak  enough  to  yield  to  a 
powerful  iulluonce  that  was  antagonistic  to  the 
scheme. 
The  awards  have  also  beeu  a  source  of  discon¬ 
tent.  Tliey  were  certainly  distributed  witli  a 
liberal  band,  but  I  must  confess  that  iu  my 
opiniou  but  little  discrimination  was  practiced. 
Mucli  of  the  blame  is  chargablc  to  tlie  Jurors, 
Many  instances  can  lie  cited  where  the  Judges 
displayed  little  judgment  and  less  persplc 
nity.  As  a  rule,  however,  the  worthy  exhibits 
were  duly  honored,  and  tlie  Committee  of  Ap¬ 
peals  will  impartially  consider  the  cases  of  those 
who  have  grievances  to  redress. 
The  attendance  has  averaged  nearly  one  liun- 
dred  thousand  visitors  daily,  Sundays  excepted, 
and  it  is  a  matter  of  jiride  to  reflect  that  tlie 
success  of  the  Exhibition  lias  mainly  dejiended 
on  ^Vmeiicans,  the  proportion  of  foreign  visitors 
ciiijVJESEi  ExniiiiT,  m:a.i]V  xiTjiiL.r>i:N^G. 
being  in  no  wise  as  numerous  as  is  ciironicled  at 
other  International  Fairs.  I  am  glad  to  be  able 
to  state  this  fact,  as  nothing  could  be  stronger 
evidence  of  the  universal  intelligence  of  om: 
people.  They  came  to  see,  and,  especially  the 
women,  saw  intelligently.  They  will  have  gained 
data  that  will  enable  them  hereafter  to  take  a 
much  clearer  and  more  just  view  of  the  relative 
merits  of  peoples  and  things.  The  Exhibition  is 
nothing,  in  fact,  if  not  educational.  Speaking 
of  Education,  queer  facts  are  elicited  by  a  care¬ 
ful  examinatiou  of  this  subject.  The  United 
States  compares  favorably  with  most  nations 
and  surpasses  many,  while  Iluasia,  which  was 
presumed  to  bo  semi-barbaric,  makes  quite  the 
most  systematic  and  excellout  exposition  of  any 
of  her  foreign  rivals.  The  South  American  gov¬ 
ernments  show  creditable  work,  and  alniust  every 
country  sends  specimens  of  the  Art  work  of  their 
pupils  that  is  highly  gratifying. 
As  a  general  thing,  England  and  her  colonies 
make  the  largest  and  best- 
regulated  display,  the  colonies 
excelling  in  natural  produc- 
tions,  while  tlie  mother  coun- 
try  exhibits  furuituro,  artistic 
pottex'y,  and  works  in  silver 
that  have  no  peer.  Italy,  con- 
,  sidering  what  that  country  can 
other  Ex- 
hibitious,  makes  a  meager  and 
disappointing  exhibit.  Most  of 
articles  iu  the  Main  Build- 
ing  are  mediocre,  and  some  do 
not  rise  to  tbo  level  of  notice. 
Norway  and  Bwudou  bavu  done 
admirably  ill  oil  departments, 
tlieir  silver-work  and  pottery 
O  bei iig  particularly  uotuwortby. 
X™  llUBsia’s  exhibit  is  made  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Russian 
Government,  and  for  variety, 
excellence  of  arrangement 
_ _ I  and  beauty,  it  cannot  be  too 
highly  praised.  I  will  say 
— I  ‘  nothing  concerning  Germany. 
I  Franco  is  represented  by  a 
congress  of  small  manufac- 
[Jll  |||||mh  tm’crs,  who  came  here  appar- 
eutly  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
driving  bargains.  In  the  eii- 
exhibit  there  is  hardly  the 
name  of  a  reprcHentativo  firm 
—  or  miunifiielurer.  The  Gov- 
ninffiMl  eriinieiit  is  not  represented  at 
I  T  all  in  the  proper  sense.  Tho 
II  Empire  of  Brazil  does  adniira- 
^  i  IIJ.  Li  li  [  jjjy  -pj^y  exhibit  is  consistent, 
and  explanatory  of  the  country 
^  _  I  and  its  re.sourees.  Tlie  same 
\\  I  cannot  be  said  of  China.  In 
I  I  Inl  whole  display  of  the  Ce- 
L  lestials  tliere  is  absolutely 
r  nothing  tlmt  gives  the  faintest 
ninnners,  customs, 
scheme  of  government,  public 
Inllil  1  works,  education,  etc.,  of  this 
'  highly  conservative  nation. 
■iiMn  Cm’iously-carved  contrivances, 
WJpKl  Y  and  fantastic  images  and  vases, 
rSnWi  1  iVi'^  *^^**'^  marvels  of  inlaid 
work,  about  comprise  the  ex- 
bibit.  Their  conservatism  is 
I/H  further  illustiatod,  perhaps, 
in  the  fact  that  their  Minister 
to  this  country  has  purchased, 
to  carry  home,  presumably, 
\rW  51  ^.-^-'^1  the  cream  of  their  offerings. 
The  U.  8.  Government  has 
done  credit  to  the  country, 
while  the  ravUlou  of  our  sis- 
ters,  mothers  aud  sweethearts, 
just  opposite,  would  have  beeu 
^  admirable  if  it  had  figure  1  in 
a  ladies’  church  fair  instead  of 
