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oped, but an effort can be made in this direction, and it is always possible to state that a given material is not being mined.

A properly arranged mining exhibit affords advantage in two directions. In the first place, it benefits the exhibitor in calling attention to his products, and in the second place it is of great educational benefit to the general public as showing what different regions produce. The best interests of the exhibitor are served by a true exhibition of his products; while the educational value of an exhibit depends almost entirely on the exactness with which the exhibit reproduces the actual state of affairs, for if the exhibit is exaggerated in one direction or neglected in another it leaves with the uninitiated a false idea of the resources of the region.

Most of the state exhibits have been collected and arranged by commissioners appointed by the state, and are supposed to fully represent the resources of the state. Many of the foreign exhibits, however, are made up of the individual exhibits of different mining companies, and often show only a certain class of the products of a given region. They are, therefore, not claimed to always represent the whole of the mining industries of a region^[1] and cannot be criticised for not doing so. The state exhibits, however, should fairly and honestly represent the mining industry within their borders, giving undue prominence to no one product, and neglecting nothing that should be represented. In this feature some of the states have been highly successful, while others have done worse than make a failure, for they have misled those who are not sufficiently acquainted with the resources of the country to know that the exhibit is not characteristic. Some of the states have exhibited and made very prominent great amounts of materials which they do not possess in paying quantities; other states have actually exhibited materials which they do not possess at all, and which have been obtained from other states, a proceeding which is very misleading to the general public.