THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1881. THE PROJECTED EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2357, 22 October 1881, Page 3

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1881. THE PROJECTED EXHIBITION.

As might have been expected, the committee of the Industrial Association, after the resolutions of the other evening, have resigned. No body of gentlemen having any self-respect could consent to hold office after so pronounced a vote of want of confidence, they feeling at the same time that not only were they doing the best for the association but also the city and the colony. In the course they have adopted we feel sure the committee will have the sympathy and support of the public generally. The resolutions, as wo pointed out on a former occasion, are utterly futile, except as it has now turned out to jeopardise the existence of the association. It has simply resulted in this, that instead of attracting to its ranks a large number of members, thus adding alike to its importance and extending the sphere of its usefulness, the action of the promoters of those two resolutions will prevent any such a thing taking place. It is to be deplored that this is so, because the association has done good work for the future towards the fostering and development of our local industries, and if broad and liberal views were substituted for the narrowminded and bigoted policy which appeared to rule and guide the majority at the meeting the other evening, there is a bright future before it. One great and important work which the association ought to keep steadily in view is the necessity which exists for the education of our artizans and mechanics in their respective trades. By education we do not mean the mere technical instruction, but that refinement and art culture which can only bo obtained by comparision with and observation of the products of the most skilful artisans of the European countries. The very men who the other evening were so rabidly indignant at the action taken by the committee are those who would warmly favour and endeavour by all means to establish schools where our artizans could improve themselves, and do higher and better work, yet they oppose what will do more in this direction than anything else. The display in our midst of the finest products of the skilful brains, and deft fingers of the artificers of the old county must tend to improve our local men. It stirs up in them emulation, it gives them an insight into what else must remain to them as a sealed book, and finally it teaches them a lesson in their respective vocations, which will not soon be effaced, and which will bear fruit in improvement of their work, to the general benefit of all. We care not whether the projectors of this Exhibition do it to make money or not, that is not the point. In either case the lessons taught by, and the good received from such a display, are not one whit impaired. Can anything prove this more strikingly than the improvement which has haken place during the past quarter of a century, even in the commonest articles of domestic use Thanks to the Exhibitions which have taken place wo have now, instead of ugly monstrosities, elegant artistic gems, even in our commonest articles. The workman now, instead of being a more machine, is imbued with a love of the artistic and the beautiful. His talents are refined and educated to the highest degree, and stimulated by competition. But supposing England had carried out the dog in the manger policy now advocated by the gentlemen supporting those resolutions, would this have been the case ? Had the English manufacturers and producers said, “Wo will have nothing but our own local productions;

wo will have nothing from Prance, Germany, or elsewhere,” her position as a manufacturing nation would indeed have been a sorry one. Yet in a small way this is what the gentlemen supporting the resolutions wish to do. They want us to shut ourselves up within the narrow confines of our own territory, sublimely indifferent to the progress made by other parts of the world in arts and manufactures, thus denying our artisans the opportunity of improvement, so as to give them the chance of entering into competition with those in other countries. This is what the opponents of the committee of the Industrial Association are trying to do. Wo hope they will not bo enabled to prevail, but that the resolutions which were passed the other evening will bo rescinded, so that there need be no stumbling-block in the way of our industrial progress. The public, we feel sure, are with the committee in this matter, and wo trust that those members who have brought about this very unfortunate state of things--from a public point of view—will see the error of their ways and retrace their steps as speedily as possible.