488 
Editorial. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
I     October,  1899. 
of  the  American  Institute,  the  Franklin  Institute,  the  Maryland  Institute, 
etc. 
•  The  term  fair  is  ordinarily  associated  in  this  country  with  agricultural  or 
mercantile  interests.  While  originally  applied  to  a  gathering  of  buyers  or 
sellers  at  a  particular  place  and  a  particular  time  with  their  merchandise  for 
purposes  of  barter  and  trade,  the  term  fair  is  now  applied  to  either  festivals 
where  fancy  articles  are  sold,  usually  for  some  charitable  purpose,  or  it  is  ap- 
plied to  exhibitions  of  agricultural  products,  which  are  not  primarily  intended 
for  purposes  of  sale,  but  for  competitive  show,  where  those  having  the  best 
exhibits  receive  prizes,  etc.  From  these  competitive  agricultural  fairs  have 
sprung  the  more  specialized  "shows,"  which  are  given  solely  for  the  exhibition 
of  some  one  product  (as  chrysanthemums)  or  animals  (as  poultry,  horses,  etc.). 
Expositions  are  distinguished  from  fairs  in  that  they  are  public  exhibitions 
of  industrial  or  artistic  productions.  They  may  be  looked  upon  in  one  sense 
as  more  refined  or  cultured  fairs,  which  have  resulted  with  the  progress  of 
civilization  and  the  increased  products  of  man's  handiwork.  The  Centennial 
Exhibition  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1876  was,  up  to  1892,  probably  the  greatest 
exposition  held  in  this  country.  The  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  held  in 
Chicago  in  1892,  while  a  magnificent  show  to  the  "  sightseer  "  and  of  general 
interest  to  every  one,  was  not  the  kind  of  an  exposition  that  the  student  attended 
with  profit.  (See  this  Journal,  1894,  p.  80).  Attention  was  called  in  that  article 
to  the  fact  that  the  expositions  of  the  future,  to  have  the  greatest  value,  must  be 
of  a  more  specific  character.  They  must  serve  rather  to  bring  together  in  certain 
departments  those  results  which  will  take  the  place  in  a  certain  measure  of 
long  travels  and  extended  residences  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  The  ex- 
positions of  the  future  will  tend  to  become  more  and  more  in  the  nature  of 
post-graduate  schools  for  the  "journeymen  "  of  each  trade  or  profession.  The 
trend  of  modern  training  in  every  pursuit  in  which  there  is  a  livelihood  to  be 
made  is  to  replace  the  personal  investigation  by  such  rapid  methods  of  education. 
In  the  National  Export  Exposition,  now  being  held  in  Philadelphia,  we  find 
such  an  institution,  which  has  been  called  by  Hon.  Wm.  P.  Hepburn  a  "Uni- 
versity of  Commerce."  In  speaking  of  this  Exposition,  Mr.  Hepburn,  in  his 
oration  at  the  opening,  said  :  » 
"  It  is  grand  and  beneficent  in  its  designs  ;  it  is  comprehensive  in  the  vast 
possibilities^  its  teachings.  Here  comes  one  of  its  inquiring  students.  He 
wants  to  engage  in  a  commercial  venture,  or  he  wants  to  employ  some  idle 
manufacturing  plant  in  making  things  that  he  can  sell.  He  walks  through 
the  splendid  sample  rooms  of  this  museum.  The  objects  of  commerce  known 
to  the  world  are  spread  out  before  him.  Information  with  regard  to  each  sub- 
ject is  cheerfully,  quickly,  accurately  given  him.  Suppose  that  he  desires  to 
purchase  wools.  All  of  the  wools  furnished  by  all  of  the  countries  that  export 
them  are  here  for  him  to  examine  and  compare.  He  not  only  examines  the 
fibre,  but  is  informed  as  to  price,  as  to  quantity  of  production,  as  to  cost  of 
transportation,  insurance,  commissions,  exchanges,  routes  of  carriage,  all 
facilities  for  shipment,  factors,  agents  and  commission  men  with  whom  to 
deal  ;  in  short,  here  is  given  every  item  of  information  that  he  could  acquire 
by  a  journey  to  that  particular  country  and  a  personal  investigation  that  would 
occupy  months  of  time. 
"  As  of  wool,  so  of  leather,  of  hides,  of  woods,  of  grain,  or  ores  ;  in  short, 
