Author f * o Title * *** Class. .U.U-. Book...:.... -1.-.L Imprint. 16—47372-1 «PO Glimpses of Europe Historical, Political, Social, Etc. By Randolph Churchill Glimpses of Europe HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ETC. J he contents of this booklet are abstracts from a series of articles pub- lished in the Milwaukee "Sentinel," 1909, and written from Europe by Randolph Churchill, the well-known writer, traveler and correspondent. 3>' Printed by FRED. KLEIN CO. 126-132 Market St., Chicago, III. Switzerland. A Unique Republic Democracy. ZURICH, Switzerland, Jan. 18. — One of the most interesting countries in the world is little Switzer- land, not for size, wealth or population, but because of its romantic, tragic and unique history, strategic position and modern democracy. It is by far the oldest of all popular governments, its altitude, situation and power is such that although surrounded by grasping monarchies for centuries, it has not been absorbed by Germany, Austria, Italy or France, and it was the glorious example of Helvetia that encouraged the Gauls to dispense with emperors and found another republic in the heart of Europe. For centuries the Swiss have remained intact holding their liberty and democracy so sacred that no temptation has been able to destroy the republic or mar their rugged character, but true to their ancestors each gen- eration in its turn has forged another link in the chain of a democracy which is today the cynosure of all eyes, the goal of liberty, and the world's experimental sta-y tion and political laboratory. ■ ' t : ■ The Swiss federation began its wondrous career as far back as 1291 when the little mountain cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden formed the First Per- petual league, to be followed by Lucerne and Zurich, which was a great gain for the league, as the city of Zurich was even then a most important German city, famous for its intellectual and political influence. ***** To be precise the modern Swiss republic began in the federal pact of August, 1815, when the twenty-two 4 Glimpses of Europe. cantons bound themselves to a constitution establish- ing an enduring diet, and from that hour to this the Swiss have taken no small part in the world's progress, and in several ways it has outstripped many of the "great nations," especially distinguishing itself in re- cent years by showing the world what a people may accomplish when every man is a sovereign. President's Salary $2,000. In acres this republic is small, being but a little larger than Maryland, yet it has 3,500,000 brave and rugged inhabitants, and such famous cities as Zurich, Geneva, and Basel. The executive authority is vested in the bundesrath, or federal executive council, which is composed of seven members elected by the federal legislature, who in turn annually elect one of their members as presi- dent of the republic, but he, like each member of the council, must hold some portfolio, conducting one of the state departments, receiving the same salary ($2,000 per annum) for his services, plus the presiden- tial mansion. The federal assembly composed of two houses is the supreme authroity, as there is no veto power given the executive, and no Supreme court having the power to annul its acts and decrees, yet there is a mighty check upon the legislative branch of the government, since the referendum, the bulwark of Swiss liberty, can be resorted to. The biggest legislative feat ever performed by this ingenious people was the nationalization of the raif- roads, as it met with the most stubborn opposition from the railroad companies at home, and from bank- ers and capitalists abroad, but after years of agitation the referendum decided in favor of state ownership. Glimpses of Europe. 5 Favor Mild Beverages. After the constitution was amended giving the fed- eral government the sole authority to deal with the liquor question, M. Milliet proposed a federal monop- oly, and after the passage of the bill he was placed at the head of the alcohol bureau to administer the law. Zermat and Matterhorn, Pennine Alps, Switzerland. Viewed from a political or social standpoint the ex- periment commands our attention, and we find that the preliminary note underlying the Swiss treatment of the question is the discrimination in favor of the milder forms of alcoholic liquors. 6 Glimpses of Europe. The hypothesis that the use of alcoholic drink in some form cannot be stamped out by a statute was assumed at the start, and the policy of the government has been to discriminate against the more noxious spirits. ***** Swiss political philosophy based upon experience says, "in order to execute a law with any degree of success the vast majority of the people should believe in it," and I commend this philosophy to our prohibi- tion friends who depend upon a bare majority, only to find conditions are made worse by the ignoring of the law. The law assigns to the federal government the sole right to manufacture distilled liquor and distribute it. The government has absolute control of the distil- leries allowed, and what is needed from abroad the bu- reau purchases, as in no other way can spirits enter the federation, and then it distributes the spirits through its depots, but the retail trade is left in the hands of the private dealer, subject to local control, and in this country that means strict regulation. At the beginning the price was made low, but has been raised "in order to gradually wean the people from the spirit habit, and encourage the use of wine and beer." In speaking of the success of the monopoly, M. Mil- liet said : "So far as the sale of spirits is concerned, it has been distinctly successful ; we have put down the numerous small distilleries which sold bad, cheap spir- its among the peasants ; the quality of the spirits sold is better ; and the total quantity sold has declined by 40 per cent since the establishment of the monopoly.". The net profits from the monopoly are divided among the cantons in proportion to population, with the express provision that one-tenth of it "shall be de- Glimpses of Europe. 7 voted to combating alcoholism." More than $1,000,000 is distributed annually among the cantons and goes to charitable and eleemosynary institutions. Cantonal and city authorities license the retailers and control the number and location of all cafes and places where spirits are sold. For mechanical and scientific pur- poses spirits are sold at cost. Peace Museum, Lucerne. "Distillation from certain native fruits, berries, and roots is exempted from the operation of the law and is free to any one," and these liqueurs are sold in many shops. City Has a Monopoly. In Basel there is a municipal monopoly of the retail trade, the city buying from the alcohol bureau and sell- 8 Glimpses of Europe. ing the spirits to a limited number of retailers, whose premises are licensed and kept under close police su- pervision, the government reserving the right to can- cel the license at any time without compensation. When the federal government shut down 1,200 dis- tilleries it paid the owners the sum of $731,019. No confiscation here, and yet no fancy price was paid. The government has just gained a signal victory by banishing the baneful and insidious drink known as absinthe from Swiss territory. It was a big fight, since much capital was invested in its manufacture in the French cantons. As beer and light wines are considered "harmless" beverages, used in reason, they are sold in hotels, res- taurants, cafes, and, in fact, are universally used by the Swiss, and since these beverages are "encouraged and given a free hand, strong drink is constantly de- creasing, while the moral standard is being raised, and the-drink question is no longer such a serious and per- plexing problem," says a late state report. A prominent temperance statesman said : "We sent out commissions to investigate prohibition in other countries, but they all reported it a disappoint- ment, and, except in rural districts where a vast majority of the people were behind the enforcement of the law, a most disastrous failure, as 'speakeasies,' 'clubs,' and 'walking demijohns' succeeded the saloon proper, and with all its faults it is preferable to illegiti- mate ways of selling spirits." This accords with the report of the Finnish commit- tee and also the report of Messrs. Rountree and Sher- well, the eminent English temperance authors, as to the condition in Maine, Iowa, and Kansas. The Swiss alcohol monopoly is considered a success, since Glimpses of Europe. 9 it works well and decreases the output of drunkards, and this is more than one can say for prohibition in Maine. The federal government controls its banking affairs and has provided a national system of insurance and has also established courts of arbitration. Happy little Helvetia, "cradle of liberty," foe of monarchy, model democracy, no idle classes, no royal parasites, little poverty, no trusts, no great wealth in few hands, con- scious of its integrity, proud of its tried democracy, its snow-capped mountains, its stately forests, its fertile valleys, its beautiful lakes, its powergiving streams, and Us free institutions, little Switzerland is not so conservative as to be stagnant, nor is it so radical as to be unstable, but rather progressive conservatism is its most distinguishing characteristic. London. War Talk, Socialism, Liquor. London, February 20. — A crisis upon the European chess-board is thought by "one upon the inside" to be imminent, yet the optimist must brush such a hint aside, and appeal to the more peaceful instincts of the nations. "Thirty-eight years ago the new German empire was born at Versailles after the great kaiser and Bismarck had driven the French to bay, and absorbed Alsace- Lorraine, besides exacting billions of French gold. These have been thirty-eight years of comparative peace — for the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, the Span- ish-American war of 1898, the South African war, and the Russo-Japanese war hardly troubled the tranquil- 10 Glimpses of Europe. lity of Europe as a whole. What forces are working C( msciously or blindly toward an upheaval? What men are, wittingly or unwittingly, guiding the destinies of Europe? Where, and in whose hands, are the levers that move the mass?" The keen eye sees no lever, but a brake — the fear of war, baptized "love of peace." Bismarck was the last European statesman to deliberately plan war ; he sought and pursued it to the bitter end, and while his disciples have threatened to follow the "Iron Chancel- lor," they have not spoken through the cannon. The spirit of democracy and liberty is playing havoc with "divine sovereigns," and bureaucratic conspira- tors, and while the rumblings are only distantly heard, yet the political earthquake is sure to follow, and the map of Europe may need revision. Socialism is a growing factor the world over, and the twentieth century statesman must be prepared to meet it, and "offset" it by providing something better. While it has failed to score a powerful vote in the United States yet the parliaments of Europe are not so fortunate, as the socialists claim 132 members of the Russian Douma out of 440, and the following mem- bers in the chief legislative bodies of the countries named: Austria, 87; Finland, 80; France, 52; Ger- many, 43 ; England, 32; Belgium, 30; Italy, 25 ; Den- mark, 24; Sweden 15; Norway, 10; Holland, 7; Lux- emburg, 7; Switzerland, 2, and Servia, 1. The latest socialist parliamentary vote in Germany was 3,258,568; Austria, 1,641,948; France, 900,000; Belgium, 468,994; United States, 409,230; Great Brit- ain, 350,000; Finland, 330,000; Italy, 320,000; Den- mark. 77,000; Switzerland 70,000; Holland, 66,748; Glimpses of Europe. 11 Norway, 45,000; Sweden, 35,000; Spain, 29,000; Chile, 18,000, and Bulgaria, 9,000, hence we find the socialist a fact, rather than a theory, and when we consider the personnel of this remarkable movement we realize that the political revolutionary spirits of the first socialist are "going up and down the world seeking whom they may* destroy," not neglecting to gather some of the world's best intellects beneath their banner. The Famous Trafalgar Square, London. Here in London we find the eminent author-actor, Bernard Shaw, and Dr. Campbell of City Temple among the leaders of the "new democracy," as it is called. Every three years the socialists of the world assem- ble to discuss the problems of their common faith; they meet next in Copenhagen in 1910. 12 Glimpses of Europe. Licensing Bills Killed. The all-absorbing theme here is the late licensing bill, which after passing through the commons — being the pet issue with Premier Asquith, and his govern- ment — met its doom in the house of lords. * * * High license has reduced the number of saloons, yet it has failed to lessen drunkenness itself; prohi- bition has outlawed the legal saloon only to fill the land with bogus drug stores and "speakeasies," hence, the temperance men in the house of lords say they will never pass a measure that does not improve the whole situation, and this being their resolve we may hope for some legislation that will be for the public weal and really prove a temperance measure. Plan a Model Measure. A model public house has been outlined in a bill in- troduced into the house of lords by Lord Lamington, and supported by the True Temperance Association, and it, or something even better, will become a law, for the English, like the Swiss, the Dutch, and the Scandinavians, are bent upon reform in reference to the retail sale of dangerous spirits. Lord Lamington's bill runs thus : A bill to facilitate the provisions of accommodations for supplying food, and other improvements in connection with premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors by retail : Be it enacted : 1. In exercising powers with respect to granting permission for structural alterations upon or extension to premises licensed for the sale of liquors by retail, the licensing justices shall not do so in such manner as to interfere with : Glimpses of Europe. 13 (a) The provision of accommodation for the supply of tea, coffee, cocoa or food. (b) The making of such premises, or any part thereof, more open, airy, well ventilated or clean. (c) The improvement or enlargement of the sani- tary accommodations. (d) The substitution of chairs and tables, either wholly or partly in lieu of existing bar accommoda- tions. . (e) The provision of games, newspapers, music, or gardens, or any other means of reasonable recreation. The existing law enables the authorities to exercise their judgment in licensing a public house, and if this . bill of Lord Lamington's becomes the law it will mate- rially improve the present houses, and practically end the cross-roads joint and city gin palace. Encourage Mild Drinks. However, the English are still far behind Holland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian kingdoms, for in those countries ample provision is made for the sale of the fermented beverages in stores, hotels and cafes, while spirits — alcohol, or ardent — are subject to strict regulation. The fight is the same the world over, the "low dive," the "wineroom," and all that goes with it, and the "gin place" is the sinner, and as prohibition and high license have failed to settle the question the real statesman must provide measures that will eliminate the evils, and reduce the output of drunkards. The conditions in Portland, Maine, and Savannah, Ga., show the absolute futility of prohibition, as does Glasgow, Scotland, in the case of high license, yet Zurich, Switzerland ; St. Petersburg, Russia; Bergen, Norway; Gothenburg, 14 Glimpses of Europe. Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark, all point ont the effective results obtained in these advanced temperance nations, by judiciously regulating the sale of all strong spirits, and promoting the use of the mild beverages as a temperance measure, by giving them a free hand. Have No Liquor Problem. The nations who use good beers and light wines are not bothered with the "liquor problem" to any great extent, since these mild beverages soon take the place of ardent spirits, as is proven by the example of Switz- erland and Norway, yet it seems England and America are a long while following in their footprints. Mr. Gladstone observed long ago that "the English- man will always demand his ale, and his wine, but you can wisely curtail the use of strong spirits by just and reasonable regulation, and above all, you can so im- prove the public house, that the evils will be greatly diminished, but you can do nothing by coercion, even under the guise of law," and what he then said applies to England, and* I may say America, today, and I point to the failure of high license in Glasgow and prohibi- tion in Portland, Des Moines, Wichita, and Savannah, in America, as the absolute proof, for both have failed to solve the problem, and are still at sea while little Holland provides three grades of licenses and practi- cally settles the question. The Netherlands. Land of Dikes and Progress. The Hague, Holland, March 1. — With one exception — Great Britain — all the great nations, the United States, Germany, Russia, France, Austria and Japan, possess dependencies of little importance as related to the mother country, but here is a little speck of sand hills and made ground of 12,582 square miles, with 5,591,701 people actually owning a colonial empire, for in the East Indies Holland claims 738,000 square miles, with a population of 38,000,000. * * * . There are over 3,000 kilometers of railways, state and private, and 35,000 kilometers of telegraphs, mostly in the populous sections of the kingdom, thus forming a veritable network of rails and wires, besides the thousands of miles in canals and rivers. The mercantile marine of Holland is immense, there being over 300 steamers and 500 sailing vessels proudly hoisting the Dutch flag upon the high seas, and over 12,000 sturdy Dutch sailors plying the sea. The tonnage of the mercantile marine is over 1,200,000 cubic meters, hence Holland figures largely in the trade nations of the world, and begets our admiration for its commercial genius. Colonial Revenues Immense. The colonial revenue from the East Indies was over $72,975,975 last year, while its American possessions added other millions to its royal coffers. 16 Glimpses of Europe. The above tells its own story and shows the great- ness of this little Dutch kingdom, which has more than once changed the world's map and caused the down- fall of kingdoms and monarchs, while it has added to the glory of other nations. New Amsterdam (New York) is already the world's second city, soon to be its first, and as the Germans have made Wisconsin such a great state, so the Hollander has added to the glory of beautiful Michigan in recent years. * * * Holland has two great commercial capitals, Rotter- dam, the great port with 350,000 people, and Amster- dam, with 550,000 inhabitants, which is one of the finest and greatest commercial cities in Europe. Am- sterdam is really the capital of the Netherlands, with its palaces and art galleries, yet the court resides at The Hague, which is now a beautiful city of 250,000 people. * * * The Dutch are a great and mighty people, and I have been delighted to find them in the front rank in all reform work without being fanatical or visionary. Holland has long been rated as the "land of gin," and all Dutchmen are supposed to drink large quanti- ties of this fiery liquid, yet as a matter of fact this is a temperance nation, when it comes to the amount of pure alcohol consumed, the per capita being only 1.90 gallons, while the great wine country of France con- sumes 3.75, and Great Britain shows 2.35. This was not always true of Holland, for not many years since when cheap spirits flooded the country, the situation was different from today. Law Settles Liquor Problem. The new law of 1904 was a masterful stroke in favor of temperance and practically settles the liquor prob- Glimpses of Europe. \7 lem in this beautiful and scientific land, for Holland seems to have a way all its own of settling perplexing questions, going to the very root of the matter and judiciously weighing the possibilities and consequences of every act, avoiding hasty, rash and superficial ex- periments. Eefore the law of 1904 was enacted by the first and second chambers of the Dutch parliament a competent committee passed upon each clause. All agreed that the country needed to vastly improve the retail sale of alcoholic liquors, as the gin palace, the wine room and the rum shops were too plentiful, and there was entirely too much inebriety. Prohibitory laws and the results of their attempted enforcement in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, were thoroughly studied and rejected, for, said the committee, "if prohibition in Portland. Burlington, Des Moines and Topeka is practically a failure, what would it be in Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Tht Hague?" Some favored the Swiss plan of making a state monopoly of spirits and freeing the malt and fermented beverages, but, said the committee: "We think well of the Swiss law, and, whatever we do, we shall pass such a law as will encourage the mild food beverages, such as beers, light wines, and ales, but Holland is not yet ready to manufacture and sell all spirits." Law Model in Details. Others look toward Gothenburg for a solution, but the committee replied : "While the Scandinavian ex- periment has accomplished something of a permanent character, yet we are unwilling to 'farm out' the right to sell liquors." So the sturdy Dutch found themselves unable to agree upon any system already in existence, and then concentrated their talents upon framing a 18 Glimpses of Europe. measure that would remedy the apparent existing evils, curtail the consumption of strong spirits, stop the manufacture of impure, dangerous, and cheap spir- its, grant certain freedom and encouragement to the fermented beverages, and, above all, do away with the "grog shop," the "gin palace," and all the evils that attended these institutions, and make the places where drinks were to be* retailed as open and respectable as any other business place; hence, the saloons of Hol- land, with the exception of a few places where old licenses have not yet expired — for the "Dutch will not resort to confiscation" — are really first-class restau- rants, cafes, and gardens, and there are no whisky "joints" to do their michief as a consequence of a just, sensible and practical method of solving the problem. I visited a little Dutch village the other day and I found no saloon, for there were two good restaurants, where light wines and beers were sold, just as tea and coffee, and there was one large hotel cafe, where one could be supplied with any liquor, hence there was no inducement for any one to become a "boot-legger" or run a "blind tiger." Saloons Are Models. In fact the Dutch saloon is only a restaurant or cafe, where drinks are served, with music and papers to en- tertain or, at least, this is the rule. The first license provides for the sale of soft drinks, and this is merely an occupation tax; these places are not limited in number. The second license provides for the sale of all the soft drinks, beer, ale and the light wines, and all cafes, restaurants, hotels, gardens, music halls — not the cheap, objectionable species found in some parts of Glimpses of Europe. 19 England and the United States — and clubs possess this license, as the fermented beverages are used just as freely as tea and coffee. This is really an intermedi- ate license, specially provided by the law "in order to decrease the sale of strong spirits and increase the con- sumption of the mild drinks." The number of these licenses is limited to the needs of the district in which they are located ; for instance, all hotels are expected to have this privilege, yet in certain residence districts even this license might be refused ; the fee is not large, yet the bond of the owner is large, as the law "takes no risks, and makes it prac- tically impossible for the cafe owner to sell strong spirits." As a matter of fact, none but a good, moral citizen in every sense of the term can procure a license to sell liquors of any kind in Holland, for his "refer- ences and bond must be first-class," as the cabinet min- ister put it. I am frank to confess that after careful study and investigation of all existing systems, I like this intermediate license the better the more I witness the results of its practical operation, and for this rea- son, and solely in the interest of temperance, and as a general reform, I advocate such a plan for the United States and Great Britain. The third license provided for by the Dutch law en- ables the owner to sell anything from tea and lemonade to pure alcohol, and to get this license one must meet the most stringent requirements, and the number of full licensed houses, be they hotels, cafes, restaurants or clubs, are absolutely limited to the population and to certain sections of the city, town and village, if the authorities see fit. The license fee is not oppressively high, yet it is ample, and the regulations are exacting. The state takes the high ground that strong drinks are and will be used by the people and as there are "great 20 Glimpses of Europe. dangers attending the consumption of strong spirits, the government is only doing its duty when it abso- lutely regulates the sale and every detail connected with the public house," hence we find the Holland liquor laws practically as perfect as human ingenuity- can devise, and it gives great satisfaction. An eminent statesman, publicist and scholar said to me : "Why don't the United States, Canada and Eng- land adopt the Dutch plan, and thus settle their liquor problem in the interests of temperance and permanent order, instead of trying so many visionary and imprac- tical schemes?" I should like to write of other interesting achieve- ments of this well-balanced people, but I must close, since this letter is long enough already. Denmark, Land of Thrift. Copenhagen, Denmark, March 6. — Denmark, like Holland, is a small, but very interesting and powerful little kingdom ; it is the least of the north European states, with a constitution dating from July 28, 1866; consisting of the islands of Zeeland, Funen, Lollard, and the peninsula of Jutland, with the outlying island of Bornholm in the Baltic, and the little kingdom proudly occupies these islands, notwithstanding the winds of the Baltic or the North seas, since the gulf stream renders its climate warmer upon the whole than New York, yet lying much nearer the Arctic circle than bleak, cold and barren Labrador in North America. Its present contracted dimensions are the result of the Dano-German war of 1864, which stripped it of the duchies of Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg. Glimpses of Europe. 21 It has an area of 14,844 square miles and supports a population of 2,588,919, nearly one-half of whome live exclusively by agriculture, and one-fourth by manu- facturing, there being little useless aristocracy and less MC" — :~ .« ^." 'i ■ Hotel Bristol, Copenhagen. of the idle classes so common in many countries of Europe. With few very rich people and practically no pauperism, the people seem to be contented and pros- perous. Denmark last year exported to Great Britain 22 Glimpses of Europe. alone butter to the value of the vast sum of $48,777,775, bacon $26,690,445, while eggs amounted to $7,750,000, which accounts for these dainty foods being plentiful in London, as well as popular. While Denmark is noted for its small holdings and for its many families who own their own homes, it is also a grain and live stock country, the grain yield of last year being over 100,000,000 bushels and the live stock numbering: Horses, over 500,000; cattle, 2,000,000; sheep, 1,000,- 000, and pigs, 1,500,000. The mercantile marine numbers over 4,178 vessels and the tonnage exceeds 520,000. There are more than 1,879 miles of railway — mostly state railways — and 3,980 miles of telegraph line. Kingdom's Financial Condition. The following table indicates the financial condition of the little kingdom for 1907, the latest statistics : Revenue '. $ 26,054,945 Expenditure 23,695,005 Total imports 166,677,770 Total exports 115,608,335 Public debt 71,647,720 The debt is the only poor showing. Yet it is small when compared with some more fortunate nations. Like the Dutch, the Danes are adepts in colonial en- deavor, yet while fortune seems to have given Holland the choice spots of fertility, Denmark has found her allotment mostly in the cold and barren lands, since her West Indies Islands, though fertile, are meager in acres. Greenland, Denmark's largest colony, has 34,000 square miles, yet it is cold and barren ; the government has a monopoly of the trade, and in fur, • Glimpses of Europe. 23 fish, etc., it is important. Then there is Iceland and the Faroe Islands, and St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix in the West Indies. Danes a Drinking People. The Danes are a drinking people, being only ex- ceeded in the amount of alcohol consumed per head by France, the land of wine, Belgium, the home of larger beer, and little Switzerland ; yet like these coun- tries there is little drunkenness as is understood by the term in England and America, or rather parts of the United States, for in beautiful, prosperous and happy Milwaukee one sees few drunkards. There is really little law upon the subject here, and custom seems to govern the matter, yet the legislative author- ity has had a committee at work for some time, and that body has, after study and thorough investigation, made a report of the conditions, and recommended the adoption of a bill that the committee has agreed upon. At present Denmark has one place where drink can be bought to be consumed on the premises, or to take away, for every 145 people, hence there are thousands of hotels, restaurants, cafes and gardens where liquors of all kinds are served, and many more places, such as groceries, tobacco shops, wine merchants and pro- vision dealers, where it can be bought to take away. Some years ago the church party and the temper- ance societies decided to do something that might keep the people from using such large quantities of mean spirits, and they appealed successfully to the govern- ment to remit the tax on light beers (2y 2 per cent alco- hol, weight), so that they might be able to open tem- perance restaurants where they would serve only this light beer in connection with the soft drinks, and food, of course. The experiment has been very successful 24 Glimpses of Europe. and has reduced the consumption of spirits throughout the kingdom, I am informed. The new law will incorporate this idea, and may even extend it, as the Danes are rapidly becoming a beer instead of a spirit drinking nation. The committee re- ported "that inasmuch as the attempt to prohibit all use of alcoholic spirits had proved such a failure in parts of Canada, the United States, and other countries, that it would be folly to try the experiment in Denmark." "The Gothenburg plan has some good points, but we do not care to farm out the business in spirits to companies," says the leader. "The spirit monopolies of Switzerland and Russia no doubt increase the con- sumption of the fermented beverages, yet we do not care to manufacture spirits or sell them by the state," say the authorities. So, after covering the field and rejecting all the plans in operation in other countries, the new law will most likely provide for three classes of permits, and will approach the Dutch plan in some respects. First — A permit to sell beer — not over 3 per cent alcohol — along with the soft drinks, tea, coffee, etc., in restaurants, cafes, hotels, etc., without restriction as to number, being only required to secure the usual occu- pation tax permit. Second — A license with small fee and some restric- tions, to sell all the above and all beers and wine in hotels, cafes, etc. Third — A full license or permit to sell alcoholic spirits of all kinds, with a fee attached, and regulations as to size, surroundings, etc. In other words, this last will constitute the public house in full. Glimpses of Europe. 25 The unique feature of the Danish system is in the fact that the government remits all taxes and revenue upon the light beers, solely as a temperance measure. In all the government shops and factories this mild beer is sold to the workingmen, hence the Danes have really gone further in encouraging the use of mild beer than any other nation, and whatever else the new law does, it will carry out this principle, and provide for what is here called the "temperance restaurant," whether it be a private or government establishment, for there are many of both. Strikes at Low Places. However, the proposed new law does not contem- plate a revolution, for everybody uses stimulants in this climate, but is meant to reach the low order of places in the cities and towns and the "cross-road joint" in the country. Denmark produced last year 2,170,000 barrels of beer, or 21.1 gallons per capita, and there are 362 breweries. The Danes are a saving and industrious people, as the returns give them the first place in savings banks deposits. Copenhagen, the only big city, is one of the finest capitals in the world, and one of its most interesting and beautiful cities. It now claims a population of 550,000, and it is the commercial metropolis of all this region, sending forth its goods into the other Scandi- navian kingdoms and northern Germany. If "Paris is France" Copenhagen is even more so Denmark, for all centers here. The Danes are not content to let the Germans and English do all the passenger business to and from the 26 Glimpses of Europe. * new world, hence they have the "Scandia-American Line," with some excellent vessels, the "United States," and others plying' between Copenhagen and New York. The king, Frederick VIII, is a most democratic sov- ereign, and lives in a modest palace ; he likes Ameri- cans very much and our minister here, Dr. Maurice Egan, is favored in every way by the king and the people. The parliament makes all laws, and the government, consisting of the prime minister and ministers of war and marine, interior, foreign affairs, justice, minister for Iceland, public worship and instruction, finance, public works, agriculture, and commerce, executes the law. The Lutheran is the state church, yet the Roman Catholics are here, and the American Methodist Church has quite a following, and a conference in Denmark. Taken all in all, Denmark is a splendid little king- dom, and her people are prosperous and happy. Sweden. The Famous Gothenburg System. Gothenburg, Sweden, March 10. — The modern king- doms of Sweden and Norway were united under one sovereign from 1814 until the dissolution of 1905, when Norway tired of the union and began housekeeping alone, seeking a monarch in the person of the Danish Prince Haakon, instead of becoming the first republic in northern Europe. Sweden comprises the eastern half of the Scandi- navian peninsula, to the west of the Baltic Sea, and Glimpses of Europe. 27 has besides the capital, twenty-four provincial govern- ments, with an area of 172,876 square miles, a little larger than California, but in length reminding one of the Golden State, with the Baltic washing its eastern side instead of the Pacific warming its western coast ; but while California has only 1,600,000 inhabitants, Sweden has 5,377,713 people ; about 7,000 of them being "Laps," 20,000 Finnish, and 35,000 foreigners. Familiar Scandinavian Scene. The kingdom for the most part is flat with pleasant undulations, rising in the northwest to the Kolen Mountains, which separate Sweden from Norway, and may be divided into three separate districts — the north- ern, forest; central, mining; the southern, agricul- tural; and this fertile section reminds me of southern Michigan. 28 Glimpses of Europe. About 51 per cent of the people are engaged in agri- culture, some 300,000 being owners, and 53,000 tenants of the soil they till — a most significant and happy con- dition. The Swedes are of Teutonic origin. They are gen- erally tall and handsome, and their women are among the prettiest in the world. This little, but great, nation has given the world some of its greatest characters. Among rulers and statesmen we find such heroes as Gustavus Vasa, Gus- tavus Adolphus, Charles XII, and, more recently, such statesmen as the present prime minister, "M. Lindman. Scandinavia has given the world many eminent men in science, music, drama, art, and religion, as well as literature. In this connection I may mention Louis de Greer, Carl von Linnie, Emanuel Swedenborg the great religious philosopher, Strindberg, Ibsen, Ericcson, Prince Eugene Lorn, Carl Larsson, and Jenny Lind, the world famous singer. Sweden has many beautiful little cities and busy marts. Stockholm, the capital, has now a population of 337,460, and is one of the most beautiful of European cities; but'Tts "second ^city," Gothenburg, of about 160,000 people, is one of the world's famous cities, since it gave society the well-known "Gothenburg system" of dealing with the traffic in ardent spirits. The Goth- enburg system has been talked about and written of so often that it has almost become monotonous, yet few really understand the system. Its enemies deride and misrepresent it, and some of its friends entirely overrate it in its full scope and aims, as well as in its practical workings and effects or results. Glimpses of Europe. 29 Comparison on Liquor Laws. Sweden has more laws, regulations and ways of dealing with the sale of spirits than any other coun- try, and at the same time it exceeds most nations in its number of inebriates among the working classes, while a sister kingdom, Denmark, has almost no law or regulations upon the subject and very little drunken- ness, as paradoxical as this condition may seem. M. Andre, the able director of the Gothenburg bolag, has pointed out the remarkable fact that whereas the consumption of alcoholic spirits in Sweden amounted to 4.5 liters per unit of population, in Norway to 2.69 and in Denmark to 10.87, the number of those arrested for drunkenness in the capital of Denmark amount to 7,797, or 20 per 1,000 inhabitants; in the capital of Sweden to 11,232, or 37 per 1,000, and in the capital of Norway to 17,083, or 75 per 1,000 inhabitants; and yet the population of Copenhagen formed 19 per cent of the whole population of Denmark, whereas, that of Christiania forms 10 per cent of Norway's and that of Stockholm merely 6 per cent of Sweden's. He explains this by referring to the different customs and the na- tional character of the three countries. We must bear in mind that the bolag controls only the retail and bar trade in all spirits containing upward of 25 per cent alcohol, and has nothing to do with the manufacture or wholesale trade in alcoholic liquors, are absolutely free, and anyone can sell these. Besides, all beers and wine under 25 per cent alcohol are absolutely free, and anyone can sell these. There are two kinds of licenses allowed here in Sweden to sell spirits. ..The first is called "on," where spirits are served with or without food, and must be drunk upon the premises. The second is styled "off," 30 Glimpses of Europe. where all spirits are sold in bottles, but not in less quantities than one liter (a quart), and must not be opened in the shop. The first is a bar license and is used by the bars of the bolags, the hotels, restaurants, and cafes allowed to sell spirits. The second is a retail license and is used by the shops selling spirits in bot- tles. There are many wholesale liquor houses, but these need no license ; and as for the thousands of shops, hotels, cafes, etc., serving and selling beers, of course, there is no license required, as beer is a free article of commerce, and thousand of shops sell it in connection with other goods. Besides all hotels, cafes, etc., which sell beer, there are over 500 "off" beer shops in this city, with seventy-nine regular beer bars, and also many "small beer" places, and beer is sold all over Sweden just as tea or coffee, no prohibiting law in any section affecting beer or wine. Licenses Not All Used. The Gothenburg bolag has ninety-four licenses at its disposal, sixty-one "on" and thirty-three "off." It uses some of them, lets others, and still twenty-six are left unused. The bolag has thirteen bars (saloons), four eating places where one dram is allowed with the lunch, and where 3,000,000. working people ate last year; two restaurants and seven retail places, where spirits are sold in bottles. The bolag lets eighteen bar licenses to the big hotels and restaurants, which leaves twenty-four that are unused. Of the "off" licenses, it lets twenty-four to dealers who sell by the bottle, and this leaves only two of the "off" licenses unused, making twenty-six in all that remain subject to use. as the city allows ninety-four. Glimpses of Europe. 31 The bolag runs seven reading rooms and eating houses where "small beer" only is used, and this feat- ure of its work is the pride of the director, M. Andre, not because the company loses money upon these places, but "because it is philanthropic and increases the use of mild beer, instead of cheap spirits," as he puts it. The bolag, or company, has its shareholders, who re- ceive only 5 per cent on their investment. Then the balance of the money goes to the state and city, and is used in various ways. Some bolags put more of their profits in philanthropic agencies than others, but all the details are too many to give in this article. Success of Experiment. I have given the facts as to the liquor traffic in Sweden, and told of the Gothenburg system just as it is, because the question is so interesting the world over. I must say the experiment has accomplished much in both Sweden and Norway, and mainly be- cause these countries were formerly flooded with cheap, inferior spirits, to the detriment especially of the working classes. With the exception of a few fanatics, the people of Sweden are more than satisfied with their original, unique and now famous system, and the world will watch its further development with intense interest. Norway. The Former Habitat of the Vikings. Christiania, Norway, March 20. — The kingdom of Norway forms the northwestern part of the Scandi- navian peninsula, which is separated from northern Europe by the Baltic. The area is 124,495 square miles. Its width in the south is about 250 miles, in the northern half only 60, yet the length of the coast around the outer belt of rocks is 1,700 miles. The en- tire shore line, including the fjords in and out, and the large islands, may be set down as 12,000 miles, and would stretch half-way around the globe. The north coast of Norway is washed by the Arctic Ocean and Spitzbergen is thirty-six hours' sail from Hammerfest. Every year the Norwegian sealers cruise about the sea as far as it is open in the north, and the name of Norway has been associated with the history of polar exploration from Othar, in King Al- fred's time, to Nansen. Voyages of Norsemen. Iceland and Greenland were colonized by Norway a thousand years ago and even today they speak largely the old Norwegian tongue, Both of these islands were lost to Norway at the dissolution of the union with Denmark in 1814. The voyages of the old Norse- men were even extended to the American continent, and if we sail south from the Shetland Isles we have the Orkneys, Sutherland, the Hebrides, and the Isle of Man, all stations on the western route of the vikings, and Norwegian possessions for centuries. Glimpses of Europe. 33 Norwegian kings ruled in Dublin for 300 years ; the conquerors of Normandy were chiefly Norwegian vik- ings, and the history of Norway is dramatic with both romance and tragedy in plenty, even if it is today only one of the minor kingdoms of Europe. Norway, after breaking with Denmark in 1814, proceeded to ally itself with Sweden under the same king, which Election Day in Norway. union lasted from November 4, 1814, to June 7, 1905, when it was dissolved. This leaves Norway where it was at its foundation in 872 — an independent kingdom. Has Large Ship Tonnage. The immense ship tonnage of this little kingdom means a large import and export business. In 1906 Norway went to Great Britain for $23,917,377 worth of goods, and sent into that country goods to the value 34 Glimpses of Europe. of $23,857,200, while she sent to America for $4,194,100 worth of imports, exporting to America $1,474,300 worth of goods. From Australia the Norwegians bought only $25 worth of goods, and they exported to that country goods valued at $959,777 for 1906. The railway mileage, including 251 miles of private lines, is 1,605, while the length of telegraphs and tele-" phones belonging to the state is over 10,000 miles. The mercantile marine is important and marvelous for a little nation of only 2,350,365 people, there being over 7,600 vessels, with a tonnage above 1,550,000. Regulations on Liquor. In some districts in Norway, unlike Sweden, the sale of the fermented beverages is prohibited, and in these districts the conditions are simply alarming. Under the Gothenburg system, which was adopted in Nor- way, the fermented beverages are exempted from any restrictions and actually encouraged, but here in Nor- way the law allows the local political units the power to prohibit beer and wine along with spirits. In Norway the samlag controls the sale of all spir- it:-, while beer and wine are common articles of mer- chandise except in the districts where even the mild beverages are prohibited ; and it is giving general sat- isfaction, as it increases the public revenue, reduces the quantity of spirits consumed, and improves the quality. It also better regulates the public houses, and by con- trolling spirits, the samlag encourages the use of healthy beer, which is doing more for sobriety in all the Scandinavian kingdoms, according to the best au- thorities, than all the so-called prohibition societies ; for as a matter of fact prohibition only prevents the legal sale of standard beverages, while it opens the way Glimpses of Europe. 35 for fraud, evasion of the law, and affords an open door for all sorts of poisonous concoctions. Raising of Revenue. The genius of the Norwegians is not confined to such eminent men as Ibsen and Bjorn, but it finds scope for its activities even in its governmental and financial policy, as for instance, the income tax and the succession tax, both of which reach the wealthy and lighten the burden of the working men. Then there is the state property income of $1,314,222, which comes from rents, allotted in most countries to the sovereign and royal family* Another instance of Norwegian dis- crimination is found in the fact that while excise on spirits is heavy, it is made light upon beer, yet so much of the latter is now being used the state received $800,000 from beer alone last year. While Norway has practically made the Gothen- burg system her own, with some modifications, and can control through the samlags the purity and sale of alcohol, yet it is not the policy of the government to push the sale of spirits at the expense of morals, as some zealous temperance people claim, for while the income to the state from the retail sale of liquors is large, yet the idea is continually to reduce the con- sumption of alcohol by giving the mild beverages a free hand. There are still many licenses to sell drinks of all kinds held by royal grant for life, and the holders of these patents sometimes sell their right to the state, as 'the Scandinavians do not believe in confiscation; yet some of these places cause much mischief. The au- thorities are buying them up, and before long the sam- lags will be in complete control of the sale of spirits in all Norway. 36 Glimpses of Europe. One thing is certain, the people are disgusted with a supposed prohibition that only results in demoraliz- ing the community and opens the way for the "boot- leg," ''the speakeasy" and the drug store, just as it does in Maine, Kansas and Georgia; and it will have to go in the large towns and resorts in Norway where it now obtains, unless all signs fail, so far as the light wines and beer is concerned. At the same time the people of Norway are determined to put an end to alcoholism, by absolutely regulating the retail sale of all "dangerous spirits when used to excess," and I may add that they seem to be succeeding remarkably well. Russia. The World's Biggest Empire. St. Petersburg, March 25. — Russia is one of the greatest and most powerful nations that has ever been known, and this gigantic empire of the twentieth cen- tury rivals the Greece of Alexander and the Roman empire of Augustus Caesar. We are accustomed in these days to rank the na- tions as follows : The United States, Great Britain, Germany, France and then Russia, but as a matter of fact, in many respects Russia is hardly surpassed by the great republic, which, of course, is today the most marvelous and inviting country in the world, although only a little over a century in its evolution and devel- opment. Of course, Great Britain, with its immense colonial possessions, claims the first place in acres and population, but one must bear in mind that densely peopled India, and tremendous Canada, and Australia Glimpses of Europe. 37 accounts for this. Russia has an area of some 8,380,000 square miles, while the United States has 3,622,933 ; Russia claims a population of 152,009,300, while the western republic has only 86,000,000. One-Sixth of World's Area. This wondrous empire comprises one-sixth of the world's area, extending across a large portion of its northern regions, almost monopolizing the Arctic cir- cle and descending southward to the Black Sea, em- bracing more than one-half of Europe and a third of Asia. The following facts will give one an idea of the versatility and vastness of the empire of Nicholas II: Russia proper, 50 provinces, 1,859,195 square miles, 111,279,500 people; Poland, 10 provinces, 49,084 square miles, 11,138,700 population; Finland, 144,211 square miles, with 2,925,300 inhabitants, while Asiatic Russia has 63,326,544 square miles and a population of 26,- 665,800, including the Caucasia, Siberia and central Asia. * * * The third douma is now in session, but let not the world believe this an independent parliament. However, the douma is something gained and is the first step toward constitutional government, thanks to Count Tolstoy, and the revolutionists, and the late war with Japan, which has been a blessing in disguise, since it revealed the vanity and weakness of Russian egotism, bringing a "divine ruler" and a haughty im- perial clique to their senses in a measure at least, but much is yet to be accomplished in this vast and contradictory empire before constitutional law and representative government are a possibility. 38 Glimpses of Europe. Monopoly on Liquor. The government reports that its greatest source of revenue is from the liquor traffic, of which it now has a monopoly throughout the empire. Senator Tillman told me last year in London that the Russian government sent a commission to the United States some years ago to investigate prohibi- tion, local option and the South Carolina dispensary, and after returning introduced the monopoly, and while this is true, yet I must add that the commission also investigated the Gothenburg and Swiss experiments, and their present law is more in harmony with the Swiss plan than any of the others. The net receipts from the spirit monopoly for 1907 were $255,000,000, which goes to prove that the Russian people still use large quantities of spirits, since beer and the light wines are not included in the government estimates. The Russian system is a most interesting experi- ment, and one must bear in mind that the objects of the monopoly are twofold, and since its inauguration in January, 1895, these objects have been kept in full view, notwithstanding their seemingly antagonistic results. The first object is to "obtain for the benefit of the state the largest possible amount of revenue from the trade," and secondly, to "combat the consumption of ardent spirits and alcohol, and diminish drunken- ness." Provisions of the Law. The law provides for two classes of dealers: (1) The shops and depots of the government : (2) the traktirs, these being establishments where food is served as well as spirits, and the restaurants and pri- vate establishments which sell on commission for the alcohol monopoly. Glimpses of Europe. 39 Drinking' in the government shops 'or depots is dis- allowed, as all spirits are sold in sealed bottles which must bear a label giving the quality, price and alco- holic strength ; the bottles are of many sizes, and the price must correspond to the contents, and the pur- chaser must not open them until his destination is reached. We may thus class these as "off" houses. The "traktirs" where food is supplied, and the restau- rants where spirits are served are found in all the cities, but even these are limited in number to the supposed needs of the local conditions ; these insti- tutions correspond to the public house in other conn- tries. Regulations Are Exacting. The "private establishments" are really only the "clubs" of the aristocracy and the associations of vari- ous kinds, religious, educational, secular, etc., and as all these establishments sell spirits on commission for the government the regulations are very exacting. The country "traktirs" and shops are only allowed to sell in sealed bottles as the peasants are not per- mitted to congregate in restaurants for drinking pur- poses, but I think this does more harm than good as they go home and soon drain their bottles. In the towns and railway stations all spirits may be sold in restaurants and buffets, but as the prices are made purposely high, the peasants are practically shut out. The government does not include beer and native light wines in its monopoly, not regarding these fer- mented beverages as dangerous spirits. Like the Swedes, the Russians have established what they call tea shops or temperance restaurants to com- bat alcohol, where food is supplied, reading rooms 40 Glimpses of Europe. provided, and only light beer sold, and I find these institutions beneficial to the millions who possess few, if any, home comforts, and above all, they mean less vodka and more harmless beverages. We are often reminded by the prohibitionists that the Russian experiment is only a scheme to fill its coffers, and has no reference to temperance, but the law offsets this criticism by actually providing counter attractions, and by giving beer a "free hand," as the term is used in Europe. Land of Many Nationalities. Russia is a land of many nationalities, as it has conquered Pole, Fin, and Armenian ; the latest statis- tics tell us that the Russ represents 65.5 per cent of the population ; Turko-Tartars, 10.6 per cent ; Poles, 6.2 per cent; Jews, 3.9 per cent; Finns, 4.5 per cent; Lithuanians, 2.4 per cent; Germans, 1.6 per cent; Cau- casians, .9 per cent; Mongols, .4 per cent; all others, 2 per cent. Russia has an established church, but it tolerates all sects; the Greek Catholic, or orthodox faith, claims 69.9 per cent of all the people, while the others are as follows : Mussulman. 10.83 per cent ; Roman Catholic, 8.91 per cent ; Protestants, 4.85 per cent ; Jews, 4.05 per cent; all others, 1.46 per cent. The Czar is at the head of the orthodox church, and more than in any other country, perhaps, the state church dominates politics, education, etc. Russia, with its immense natural resources, has a future of wondrous proportions, yet its difficulties are so many that an herculean task confronts its states- men, editors, authors, and teachers. Glimpses of Europe. 41 While Russia is big in almost everything, it holds its place when it comes to great cities. St. Peters- burg, built by the great emperor, has 1,678,000 inhabit- ants, and is one of the world's great and beautiful imperial capitals ; Moscow, the ancient capital and the mecca of the faithful, is a most wonderful city of 1,173,427; Warsaw, the great Polish capital, has 756,426. Belgium. An Ideal Kingdom. Brussels, Belgium, April 16.— The Waterloo battle- field is now one of the world's most extensive inter- national military parks. This blood stained spot where Napoleon's star set and Wellington's rose to illus- trious luster, sending the brilliant Gaul to bleak and silent St. Helena to pine and die of a broken heart, and the "iron duke" to fame and honors seldom bestowed upon even a military hero, will forever render fame to Belgium, even if the contest was between Gaul, Teu- ton, and Anglo-Saxon, for at Waterloo the world's greatest and most decisive battle was fought, not ex- cepting Gettysburg. In area Belgium is less than the small state of Maryland, yet it equals New York state in population, being the most densely peopled kingdom in the world, (for Java is only a Dutch colony). The area is 11,373 square miles while the population is now above 7,238,622. History of the Nation. The present kingdom was anciently inhabited by the Belgae, a Celtic speaking German tribe, and part of the 42 G I i inpses of Europe. Gallia Belgica of the Romans. In 1815 the country was made a part of the Netherlands, but found dissolu- tion in the revolution of 1830. On the memorable day of October 4, 1830, a national assembly proclaimed its independence, and on June 4, 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Ooburg was chosen hereditary king. While the great republic has its July 4, this brave little kingdom glories in its October 4. * Two Official Languages. The small and compact Belgian kingdom must be cosmopolitan, bordering as it does upon German, Dutch and French soils, and, rarely as it occurs, there are two official languages here, Flemish and French, the former being the tongue of the masses, and the latter claiming the upper classes. In 1900 42 per cent spoke Flemish, 38 per cent French, while 12 per cent were able to speak both. Nearly all Belgians are Roman Catholics. In 1900 there were 2,500 convents, inhabited by 6,237 monks and 31,668 nuns, this number now being greatly in- creased, owing to the disestablishment of the church in the land of Clemenceau, and the influx of French monks and nuns into "friendly countries." Essentially this is a manufacturing country, and its finished product finds its way into many countries. The total imports went beyond the vast sum of $754,700,000, while the exports were in excess of $569,306,350. The state owns its railways and claims one of the most perfect systems in the world. The mileage is 2,860. There are also 1,357 miles of canals and navi- gable rivers in this progressive state. Glimpses of Europe. 43 While Belgium is small, yet it has in the Congo an imperial colony of 802,000 square miles, with 15,000,000 black people in the heart of darkest Africa, over which the Belgian king reigned supreme until the world's protest compelled the government to take it over, and thus "relieve the king of all his burden." King Leo- The Great Palace of Justice, Brussels. pold deserves credit for backing the immortal Stanley, and he claims that his work has been a benefaction to the Congo Free State, yet the world thinks his mission was a thirst for ivory and rubber. However, when the truth is fully known Leopold will hardly appear so thirsty for gain, for as a matter of fact the Belgians are a noble people. Besides all colonial schemes have had their abuses and no doubt the King has been imposed upon by some of his sub- ordinates. Belgium the Land of Beer. This is the land of beer par excellence, as more gallons per head are consumed than in any other na- 44 Glimpses of Europe. tion, and yet the consumption of alcohol is less than some other countries, showing that the people use beer of little alcoholic strength as compared with liquors. The fact is the Belgians live and thrive upon then- delightful malt beverages, and any one who would class beer as a "dangerous alcoholic drink" would be ■ the object of ridicule. Lesson for United States. A distinguished United States senator remarked to me some time ago that he would favor giving beer a free hand in the States. As that senator has traveled in Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, I can see why he reached this conclusion, for in these beer drinking nations there is hardly any thought of a "liquor prob- lem." As beer is absolutely an article of food and com- merce sold and used along with tea, coffee, sugar and bacon, of course it is never thought of as are absinthe, spirits, etc. Hence the brewers of Belgium are among the little kingdom's leading citizens in society, church and state, and I may also include the wine dealers. Little or No Drunkenness. Who ever heard of a country having more places per capita where beer and wines are served and sold and yet not a single "low dive" or "joint," and with the exception of some districts where the poorer classes use large quantities of cheap spirits, little or no drunk- enness? Yet this is such a land. I am here reminded of what a distinguished states- man said to me in Sweden : "After all our laws, regu- lations and attempted force measures to stop men from getting drunk, we only complicate matters, and make Glimpses of Europe. 45 more drunkards, and then we have to fall back upon the good old Bible plan of persuading men to be sober, honest and lead Christian lives." From what I have seen of regulation, prohibition and the like, I am sure my friend is about right in his diagnosis of the prob- lem. Belgium has a fine public school system and two universities — Brussels and Louvain — besides many technical and other high schools. Celebrity of Brussels. Being so densely populated, this is a country of cities and towns, but it has one great city, which is one of the most beautiful, artistic, wealthy, and inter- esting capitals in the world. Brussels will soon reach the million mark, judging by its recent growth, but then it is more important than most cities of its size, , as it is the Belgian capital and a world center for art, music, literature, and politics. With its great public buildings, beautiful palaces, fine hotels, and exquisite parks and boulevards, the Belgian capital is indeed an interesting metropolis. Antwerp, with 350,000 people, is the second city and the great port, being the second on the continent. It is indeed a busy mart. Ghent is a remarkable historic cit}^ of 175,000; Liege is a unique place of 165,000, while Bruges, with 60,000, is the "oddest city on earth." Belgium is one of the most economical countries to live in in all Europe, and the traveler who slights this marvelous little nation makes a great mistake, for he fails to see the most prosperous, sober, and happy lot of people I know of in the old world, when all things are duly taken into account. 46 Glimpses of Europe. Historically, politically, socially and commercially, Belgium is a wondrous little nation, with a genius born of necessity for economics in the best sense of that much abused term, for political and commercial stinginess is not economy. France. The Great European Republic. Paris, France, May 1. — The ancient kingdom, the first republic, the empire and the last republic of France are all most interesting subjects, replete with the historic, romantic, tragic and momentous events of these busy centuries. France always has been one of the great powers, and at times the most influential •of countries. When Louis XIV reigned in all his glory over Gaul, and when Napoleon reached the zenith of his wondrous ascension to power, France was second to none, but as I am only writing this article showing the present status of beautiful, resourceful and in- dustrious France, I can not dwell upon its past splen- dors and the great part it has played upon the world's stage of action, except incidentally. The United States, Great Britain and Germany rank this republic, yet in many ways and in some things it is still the most remarkable of all nations. It is re- freshing to find at least one great European nation in possession of the spirit of liberty and moral caliber which is essential to the existence and perpetuity of a republic. Republic Is Enduring. With all its faults, France to the American mind immortalized itself when it dethroned kings and em- Glimpses of Buropi 47 perors and erected upon its own initiative a republic worthy of La Fayette, Gambetta and Clemenceau, names as dear to Frenchmen as Washington, Lincoln and Cleveland are to Americans. Of La Fayette, both nations lean tenderly upon his bier, for while he aided Washington and helped to free the colonies he also helped to lay the foundation principles which have flowered in this modern Latin republic. The Place de la Concorde and Cleopatras Needle, Paris. The fall of the republic of Gambetta, Thiers and other heroic souls has been predicted a thousand times, but to no purpose, for the democracy is more virile and permanent today than ever before, with the two most masterful democrats of France at the helm — President 48 Glimpses of Europe. FalliereS and Prime Minister Clemenceau, both prod- ucts of the common folk. The former is the Cleve- land of France in his simple honesty of purpose and democratic instincts, while the latter represents the Blaine of other days in his brilliant and resourceful statesmanship. * * * The religious controversy alarmed the friends of republican government, but it has passed and even the pope at Rome must accept the situation and abide by the mandate of the people. Separation of church and state is complete and both are the better for it. This country has long been attractive to foreigners and this is borne out by the fact that 1,009,415 resided here in 1906, representing 330,465 Italians, 323,390 Belgians, 89,772 Germans and 36,948 English. It is a veritable mecca for tourists and travelers from all parts of the world, and especially a favorite zone for Ameri- cans. * * * There are 5,700,000 farms in France, and 65 per cent of these are small holdings of less than 100 acres, which accounts for the prosperity so prevalent among the masses. There are few great estates so common in monarchies. Gambetta well observed : "France is capable of becoming an enduring republic, as its rural- ists own the land they till, and the artisans are born freemen." This accounts for the transformation wrought in this fair land during the last century. * * * Means of communication in France add to its great- ness and beauty, for its roads are many and ideal, while its railways, rivers and canals form a perfect Glimpses of Europe. 49 network. The railways become state property after the expiration of the concession. The total mileage in 1908 open for traffic was 25,100. The total receipts from pasenger and freight business reached the enor- mous sum of $335,683,995. The telephone and tele- graph business is in keeping with French progressive- ness, there being over 354,874 miles of telegraph wires under state control at present. For the last word in banking we no longer go to London or Frankfort, but to the capital upon the Seine, for France is now the world's banker and Paris the goal of the money lender. * * * The government of France is similar to that of the United States, there being a president, a senate and a house, with a cabinet to administer the law. The fol- lowing cabinet ministers show the versatility and comprehensiveness of the French government : Prime minister, minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance, minister of justice and public worship, minister of public instruction, minister of war, minister of marine, minister of commerce, minister of the in- terior, minister of public works, minister of colonies, minister of agriculture, and minister of labor. Cafes Make Paris Famous. The cafes, a French institution, are places where food of all kinds and drinks of all varieties are sold, and they are about as numerous in Paris and all France as they well could be. Like every business, thev must secure a permit and pay an occupation tax. As to license — high or low — there is no such thing, and hence there is no "saloon problem." Of course, all 50 Glimpses of Europe. hotels serve drinks in their dining rooms and cafes, for the big hotels have both. There are thousands of places where wine, beer and spirits are sold over the counter, together with lunches, tea, coffee, chocolate, milk and cider, but in these places there is no loafing or gambling. Any dealer can sell wine and beer. There is no thought of restricting the sale of these beverages, and yet there is little drinking to excess. Becoming National Drink. While France is a vine growing and wine drinking nation, yet "bock" (beer) is rapidly becoming a na- tional drink, and before long it will divide honors with the product of the vine, to the delight of the farmers who raise the grain. The government places a high duty upon imported spirits, and taxes its own product upon a revenue basis, but it gives wine and beer every encouragement pos- sible so far as taxation is concerned. As to their use, they need no favors, for they are used as freely as tea and coffee, and even more so. The French consume per capita about 26.50 gallons of wine, 7.5 gallons of beer, and some 2.5 gallons of spirits, giving it the first place among the drinking nations. Nevertheless, in this free and happy land, where laws upon this subject are conspicuous for their absence, there is least occasion for "whisky laws and regulations." * * * As to cities France lays claim to the world's third city, and its gayest, most beautiful and fashionable metropolis. The population of Paris in 1906 was 2,763,393, with only London and New York ranking Glimpses of Europe. 51 it. Marseilles has 491,161 people; Lyons, 459,100; Bordeaux, 357,631, and Lille, 210,700. Besides there are some thirty cities of over 50,000. Few countries are so ideal in the proper proportions of urban and rural population, agricultural and industrial. * * * Socialism has gained considerable following in France, with fifty-two. members of parliament out of 584, and polling a vote of 900,000 in 1906 at the last general election, with its great orator, Jaures, in the leadership. It will however, never rule France so long as such statesmen as Clemenceau are in command, for he has outwitted socialists, monarchists and revolu- tionists at every point. Luxemburg and Alsace-Loraine. A Beautiful Country. Strasburg, May 8. — Just before entering the beauti- ful and fertile Germanic state of Alsace-Lorraine I traversed one of the most unique little countries in the world. Diminutive as it is, Luxemburg is an his- toric and important speck of broken, rugged soil, not without its fertile acres and the habitat of a German- French-Belgian people, and I might add to this com- posite a little Dutch salt to season the whole. The grand duchy of Luxemburg is surrounded by France, Belgium, and Germany. From 1815 to 1866 it was a part of the Germanic confederation and to this day it is included in the German "Zollverein," a happy relation for the traveler, since when the Luxemburg custom house is passed one is enabled to enter Alsace- Lorraine without again having to clear his baggage. 52 Glimpses of Europe. Here we find a little nation speaking the French tongue officially and in general, yet it is Germanic in some of its relations and Dutch in others, but with a distinction all its own. The municipality has 342 miles of railway, with telegraphs and telephones operated in connection with the postoffice. Use of Wine and Beer. I tried to find an English or American saloon, but on failing I asked if the country was a prohibition zone. My informant was rather nonplused and explained their system, which is a splendid solution of retailing liquors. The government levies a tax upon all spirits in proportion to their alcoholic strength. In this way cheap, adulterated spirits are kept under, while wine and beer, which in general are encouraged. Beauty of Alsace-Lorraine. It is needless for me to say that Alsace-Lorraine is one of the world's garden spots and one of the most interesting and fruitful sections of Europe. The "reichsland" of Alsace-Lorraine (Elsass-Lothringen), which was annexed by France from the old German empire between 1648 and 1697, and restored to Ger- many in 1871, embraces the fertile and beautiful plain between the Rhine and the Vosges, and stretches be- yond these mountains as far as Luxemburg, forming perhaps the prettiest body of land in Europe and surely one of great historic value. Strasburg Leading City. Strasburg is, of course, the leading city, and while it is an old town, partly French in appearance, yet it partakes of the Teutonic in its preponderance. While Glimpses of Europe. 53 it is a great social and artistic center, yet its industries are many and are in a nourishing condition. This city is famous for its great cathedral, not so fine as St. Paul's, London, or the Milan temple, yet a great cathedral, built of red granite, with one spire still incomplete — i. e., if the architect ever intended two. Beautiful Strasburg has 180,000 people, and is one of the most compact of cities, with canals running through its precincts. Its delightful parks and shady avenues are at once beautiful and "well inhabited." To the south and just north of sleepy, wealthy old Basel is Muelhausen, a great steel and iron city — the Pittsburg of Alsace — with 100,000 cheery inhabitants. Then to the north and just south of Luxemburg lies the grand old historic fortified city of Metz, so famous in the wars of Europe, having furnished one of its greatest battles and sieges. Metz is still fortified and looks militant, yet it is today a thriving industrial and commercial city of 75,000 people, while it is the political and social center of Lothringen. Wine and Beer Everywhere. The people of this country are among the most in- tellectual and temperate in all Europe. They con- sume immense quantities of beer, wine and tobacco, and I often wonder what would become of the patience of our antis were they compelled to reside in beautiful Strasburg or industrial Muelhausen, or still, upon one of the pleasant farms in rural Alsace, for wine and beer are found everywhere. Are the people dead to all moral restraint, and do they possess no virtues of sobriety? asks the fanatic of Norway, Canada, Britain, and, I may add, America. 54 Glimpses of Europe. But why offer such a query in reference to Alsace, for the people are moral to a degree, and as to sobriety, they know nothing else, since they use their mild, pure vinous and malt beverages with the utmost free- dom and never think of getting drunk. Little or No Intemperance. The same fact is demonstrated here as elsewhere. When the mild beverages are in common use there is little or no intemperance, and no "liquor problem" to solve. There is no place here for the professional agitator, male or female, and the political preacher ( ?) has no welcome in this country. The government and the people have not created a perplexing condition by playing "hide and seek" with the use of beverages, and they have never been so silly as to put wine and beer: — their favorite pleasure and food beverages — in the same class with gin, alcohol, absinthe and other strong spirits, although all of these are used in the hotels, cafes and gardens in the country. As in many other sections of Germany, the strong spirits are taxed high by the revenue laws, while wine and beer are left free from any special tax. We find no "joints," "gin palaces" and "wine rooms" in Alsace-Lorraine, for when the people can buy, sell and use wine and beer in their homes, hotels, cafes, public gardens and shops there is no occasion for a "low saloon," and as prohibition is unthought of, of course there is no reason for a "dive," "bootlegger" or "speakeasy." In this country there are many co-operative socie- ties, and the people get the benefit of the German economic systems. Sunny Italy. The Home of Music. Milan, Italy, May 15. — Empires rise and fall as the Chaldean, Greek, Roman and French bear witness, and as the British, Japanese and Russian demonstrate, but the land remains, and if this were not true the beautiful and interesting Latin kingdom of Italy would not occupy the resourceful peninsula, hemmed in by the Adriatic, Ligurian, Tuscan and Ionian seas, bounded upon the north by the towering and awful Alps and claiming the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean deep, forming a boot like tract of land replete in historic lore, volcanoes, fertile soil and great cities. The modern kingdom of Italy is the undying remnant of the Roman empire; of the Chaldean nothing is left, and of the Greek little. Greece of today is insignificant as compared to Italy, the central estate and nest egg of the great Roman empire. Julius Caesar, Cicero, Charlemagne, the great Gregory, and Savonarola are silent in their tombs, but Italy still survives and forms one of the most historic and inviting countries of Europe. Wondrous Old City. Rome no longer governs the world, yet it is a won- drous old city and not lost as is Carthage, but remains the proud capital of modern Italy, and still the eternal city of the Roman Catholic religion, and while the Pope has lost his sovereignty, his ecclesiastic authority has suffered little, since there are more loyal Catholics today than ever before, notwithstanding the thunder- ings of Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and Knox; the diplo- macy of Henry VIII., and the eloquent and persuasive 56 Glimpses of Europe. power of John Wesley, the last of the world's great religious reformers. Monarchy Is Liberal. The kingdom is now one of the most liberal of the constitutional monarchies, with a parliament (senate and house of deputies) to make laws, and a responsible ministry to execute the statutes. Signor Giolitti, the present prime minister, is an able statesman, with many brilliant men in his cabinet. Signor Tiltoni, the foreign minister, is one of Europe's most clever diplo- mats. Victor Emanuel, the brilliant young King, is most liberal and progressive, and if I am able to judge aright, the Italy of today has nothing to fear, but everything to live and work for as a great nation. The Catholic religion is the dominating force in the kingdom, yet many denominations have missions and schools, the American Methodist church being in the lead. Socialism has not spared beautiful Italy, for in its parliament of 508 members the socialists have twenty- five, while the party polled 320,000 votes last general election. Nation of Wine Drinkers. Italy is one of the world's- greatest wine raising and drinking nations, and if everybody in Belgium drinks beer, the same is true of Italy in regard to wine, yet the "sunny land of the south" is not a stranger to the malt beverages, as the use of beer is increasing by leaps and bounds, and really challenges the product of the vine in northern Italy, for popular favor. There are thousands of "bars" in this country, and they are innocent looking things and correspond ex- actly to the soda fountain in America with the distinc- Glimpses of Europe. 57 tion that the customers sit around the tables, or stand before the counter and call for wine, beer, punch, (and sometimes whisky and "cocktails") coffee (black Beautiful Venice. and strong), tea, chocolate and other soft beverages and ices. I can see but little difference in these "bars" and in a first class soda fountain shop in America so far as decency and respectability goes, hence there is no such thing as a saloon where men loiter around and imbibe to excess, as is the case in London.' Permit on Bar Privileges. The owner of every shop in Italy must secure a permit by paying an occupation tax, and this is all the law requires of the man who opens a "bar." 58 Glimpses of Europe. All hotels, restaurants, cafes and public gardens serve and sell wine and beer as a natural part of the menu, just as they do tea and coffee. The absolute absence of the disreputable joint in all these wine and beer drinking nations puts an English- man and American to thinking, and one wonders why those countries should confuse the product of the vine and malt beers, so nutritive and pleasant to use, with strong alcoholic spirits. An eminent Italian, of world wide travel and study, said to me : "Of course you Americans and English will continue to produce a large crop of drunkards so long as you use strong spirits and "cocktails," and your drugged soda fountain con- coctions are even worse and ruin the health of thou- sands. We use fine pure wine, and the government sees that it is pure, and, besides, we are rapidly learn- ing the value of the pure malt beers as a food and nutritious beverage. We use some spirits, but in moderation, and above all, we have no liquor problem, because we have never been silly enough, in spite of all defects, to class wine and beer as dangerous in- toxicants, as is the case in many countries." Of great and interesting cities the land of Victor Emanuel has many, the "Eternal City" and capital, Rome, being the most historic and extraordinary with 475,000 people. Naples is the largest city with 560,000 inhabitants. Milan has 500,000 souls in its busy and industrious precincts, and is the greatest commercial and manufacturing metropolis in the kingdom, as well as the wealthiest and most modern city in southern Europe. With its great cathedral (one of the world's finest), fine public buildings,' stately mansions, palaces and beautful parks, Milan is at once a wonderful city, noted for its art, music and culture. Glimpses of Europe. 59 Genoa is the greatest port and second only to Milan as a business city. Venice, the city of the sea, is a great city of historic interests, and, of course, the world's most singular town. Florence, the art metropolis, is a fine city of 250,000. Then there is beautiful Turin in the Piedmont (350,000), Palermo, the chief metropolis of Sicily (325,000), and Bologna, Catania, and Leghorn, all important cities of over 100,000 inhabitants. Poor Messina, before the earthquake it was a busy mart, the domicile of over 100,000 people, but alas ! it is only a frightful mass of ruins today, yet struggling to rise aQain. Spain. Its Rehabilitation. Barcelona, Spain, May 18. — From the old famous French-Swiss city of Geneva to the commercial metrop- olis of Spain is not so far, as the crow flies, but it is long and tiresome, and, owing to the changes of trains, countries, and the variety of peoples met upon the way, even a globe trotter will hardly forget the journey. Spain is one of the most interesting countries in all this big world, for what it has been, and what it is to this day. As one travels through modern Spain and studies its people and its institutions his mind readily goes back to the days of the great King Phillip, when the Spanish led the world, for the earmarks of a former glory and power are here, even if history did not ring in one's ears. But Nelson and Napoleon did for Spain what Bis- marck wanted to do for France — reduced her powers to the minimum — and as fate would have it, the conti- 60 Glimpses of Europe. nent to which she sent Columbus dealt her a lasting blow, when colony after colony declared its independ- ence from Mexico and Peru to Cuba (with the aid of handy and benevolent Uncle Sam), so that today, Spain is confined to her own native quarters and beyond the beautiful and fertile Iberian peninsula there is little soil belonging to Spain, but this is much, for a finer body of land is hard to discover, and new Spain pre- sents to the world the intrinsic worth of the Spanish empire, just as Italy is the preservation of the un- quenchable spirit of the Roman. Spain's Lovely Location. Spain has a lovely situation, being cleansed upon the south and east by the great ocean sea, and washed upon the west by the gray Atlantic and Portugal with the beautiful Bay of Biscay and the rugged Pyrenees between herself and Gaul upon the north; occupying the larger portion of the peninsula, Portugal being less than a fifth as large. America Spain's Best Friend. The irony of fate and, the Nemesis of "poetic justice" has had large dealings with the Spanish and really the great republic has been her best friend, as it paid her for Florida and California and last, but not least, dealt as a tender father with her in the late war and but for pride and the loss of her navy, I am sure the best thought in Spain rejoices in the loss of a lot of colonies that practically ruined the mother country for years and only benefited an army of wicked officials, who might be the original political grafters, "judged by their fruits." It is related that a mother begged the king not to make her son governor general of one of his colonies. "And why?" said the king; "it is a great honor and will bring riches." "Just so," said the Glimpses of Europe. 61 mother, "but my son is now a noble and honest man even if he is poor, and I pray your majesty not to send him abroad, for I fear he will return a thief and a despot." Protection to Home Industries. Home manufacture is rigidly protected by high cus- toms duties and Spain hopes to become a manufactur- Public Square, Madrid. ing instead of *a conquering nation, and from my knowledge of the kingdom I am glad to say that some progress is being made, but as the Spaniard loves his ease and shade too well, and as he is wedded to the vine and the culture of fruits, manufacturing and wheat growing are naturally retarded, to his detriment, for a nation must have bread and manufactured goods. Of course, the Spanish use wine at the table and upon all occasions, and beer is becoming a popular beverage among the Castilians, and furthermore, spirits are used, but there is no saloon, no whisky problem, no temperance agitators and little inebriety. This is a land of wine shops, where one can order a 62 Glimpses of Europe. drink, a bottle, or a jug, and these shops are every- where and then all hotels, restaurants, and cafes serve wine, beer, and spirits, just as they do in Italy and France. In this country everything is taxed, na- tional, provincial and local, to the limit, but there are no special taxes imposed upon wine shops, hotels, and cafes. I told a distinguished scholar that in America the people were taught that wine and beer were upon an equal footing with ardent spirits, and from his manner I suppose he thought I was trying to be humorous. The government levies a high import duty upon spirits, but there is no sort of special tax upon one who sells beverages other than the occupation tax that all dealers must possess, whether it be a wine shop or a jeweler. Barcelona is a most charming city of 600,000 people and the commercial metropolis of the kingdom. Like Genoa and Marseilles, it is one of the great seaports of the inner ocean — the Mediterranean — and is much larger than either. If Madrid is the Washington of Spain Barcelona is the Chicago ; it lies near the French border and is something of a cosmopolitan city and from the way it is growing and the vast improvements taking place it has a great future before it, as Spain grows and prospers under the new regime. Madrid, in the center of the kingdom, is the imperial capital and social metropolis and the city now has a population of 550,000. Most Beautiful Seville. Beautiful Seville, considered by some to be the pret- tiest city in the world, lies in the south ; it is a unique and fascinating city of 160,000 people ; then there is Valencia, Malaga, Murcia and Saragossa, all very an- Glimpses of Europe. 63 cient and important cities, and besides these great centers of commerce, art, education and Spanish cul- ture, the kingdom has twelve other cities with over 50,000 population. Cervera, the able and accomplished admiral, is dead and so is "Old Sagacity," as the famous old statesman who had led the Cuban war was called, but a younger set of statesmen are at the helm, and I am informed that constitutional government has come to remain, and that Spain's best days are before her. Austria-Hungary. The Great Dual Monarchy. Vienna, June 1. — After Russia the Austro-Hunga- rian monarchy is the largest state upon the European continent, possessing an area of 261,267 square miles, with a population (1900) of 49,425,000, surpassing the French republic by 10,000,000, but with 10,000,000 less than the German empire; however, in acres ifgoes far ahead of Wilhelm's domain, being equal to Germany, with Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, and Holland thrown in. This empire is about the size of the Lone Star commonwealth, yet Texas, big and great as it is, has less than 5,000,000 of people, while this empire now has above 50,000,000. The domain of Francis Joseph I. includes the empire of Austria, the kingdom of Hungary, and the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, recently annexed. For many years the empire has been accused of fol- lowing in the wake of Berlin, but Vienna has at last come into its own, as Baron von Achrenthal, the emi- nent Hebrew diplomat and statesman, has led the pace during the last few months, making a kingdom of Bui- 64 Glimpses of Europe. gana, annexing- Bosnia to his own empire, and stilling Hie troubled waters in little Servia, and, while he may not be the master hand in Europe altogether, he is certainly the biggest proposition developed in recent years among European diplomats, and he is not through yet, as the Herculean task of putting Turkey "in order" may fall to his lot, and at any rate he has much before him in adjusting the present difficulties in Hungary and keeping the Balkan states "in order," and the future historian of the last few decades will not be likely to omit his name, for he will be. given a niche hard by that of Cleveland, Bismarck, Gladstone, Blaine, Diaz, Taft, and Clemenceau if he maintains his present powerful influence, for while Cleveland made the Mon- roe doctrine a reality and saved his country from prac- tical financial anarchy, Bismarck carved out the pres- ent German empire, Gladstone made democracy a living entity in England, Blaine reached high in his statesmanship, Diaz has civilized Mexico, Taft has already set the world a new example of the real states- man as against the politician, this able and versatile Jew has given Austria a new status amongst the na- tions of the world, and, like Disraeli, he has shown that the Hebrew is capable of doing other things besides driving a bargain only to enhance his coffers. A Dual Monarchy. Since we have here a real dual monarchy, Austria and Hungary are practically two countries in their domestic affairs, customs and local laws. Austria, although the smaller, surpasses the land of the Mag- yars in population, and is the dominating power; it has an area of 115,922 square miles, and its inhabitants number 27,496,712. In this country the state owns and operates the rail- ways just as naturally as they do in Germany, but it Glimpses of Europe. 65 goes a step farther and has followed the example of France, and made a government monopoly of the sale of tobacco and matches, while they have refused to follow Russia and Switzerland in their spirit monopo- lies. In dealing with the sale of beverages, and intoxicat- ing spirits Austria seems to have taken time by the forelock, and to her credit be it said no "liquor prob- lem" has been created either by the states, or the agi- tators, so common in many another country. Long ago the government recognized the dangers pitji: i|l 5 S EjS | SEE ■"'-' iii Parliament Building, Vienna. attendant upon the sale and misuse of alcoholic spirits, and at the same time provided simple and practical methods of dealing with the question, with due regard to permanency and temperance. In the first place, all dealers in intoxicating liquors are required to secure a license and give ample security as an evidence of their fitness, and a guarantee that they will not violate the law by audulterations, or by allowing their places 66 Glimpses of Europe. to degenerate into objectionable "joints," but the li- cense is reasonable and the regulations are simple and just, hence neither the state nor the dealer has cause to be suspicious or oppressive. The principal places where spirits are sold are the cafes (these are really the saloons), the restaurants, the hotels, and the public gardens, and the amount paid for the license is in proportion to the sales ; it may only cost a little restaurant $100, while the big cafe across the street may be paying $1,000. The government also places an internal revenue tax upon all spirits in proportion to their alcoholic strength. In order to sell spirits in bulk the grocer and shop keeper has only to secure a permit, and this law applies to all dealers of whatsoever nature. A Wine Country. As this is pre-eminently a wine country any one can make and sell the product of his vine, and there are no restrictions upon the sale and use of wine, except when sold in a licensed cafe, and this is not because of the wine, but of the spirits dispensed and its being a public house. This is also a great country for lager beer, and while the brewer must pay more taxes upon his product than the wine grower, yet beer is universally used and is never regarded as strong spirits, but as a food and pleasure beverage, and like wine it is given what is now termed a "free hand" as in Sweden, Denmark, etc. * * * Vienna, the imperial capital, is one of the world's most magnificent cities, with over two millions of in- habitants, while Buda-Pesth, the capital of Hungary, is the domicile of nearly a million people, including Glimpses of Bur ope. 67 the environs, and it, too, is a fine city ; then there is in Austria the important cities of Prague, 225,000; Tri- este, the great Adriatic port, 150,000; Cracow, the Polish city, 100,000, and Brunn, the Moravian capital, besides several others, and Hungary has seven or eight cities over 50,000 inhabitants. The venerable sovereign, Francis Joseph I., emperor of Austria, and King of Hungary, was born of the A Famous Street (Ringstrasse) in Budapest. house of the Hapsburgs, August 18, 1830, becoming emperor of Austria by succession December 2, 1848, and was crowned king of Hungary at Ofen, June 8, 1867, and now, at the age of 79, is one of the world's most active and successful rulers. With peace in the Balkans, and the problems of Hungary well in hand, I can see nothing less than a reasonable prosperity ahead of this unique dual mon- 68 Glimpses of Europe. archy, especially during the life of the emperor-king, who with his masterful chief minister, Baron Aehren- thal, not only reigns, but rules intelligently and wisely. Turkey. The Seat of Ottoman Power. Constantinople, June 29. — To write correctly and authoritatively of the illustrious Mr. Gladstone's "sick man of Europe" at this moment is beyond the power of the historian from the political point of view, as changes take place so rapidly and as nothing seems to be settled. Only a few months ago the young Turks demanded a constitution and a parliament, getting both, and taking old Abdul Hamid II. into their hearts they gloried in telling of the virtues so long hidden behind the walls of Yildiz kiosk, and were ready to heap all the crimes of this modern Nero upon the heads of the Sultan's ministers, while many of these, some guilty and some innocent, were made to suffer exile, con- fiscation of property, and in many cases death, all for being helpless tools of the real monster, who for thirty- two bloody years behind walls, ruined and pillaged an empire. Demonstrate Their Mastery. With the young Turks in power, and the sultan playing the role of father, the world held its breath and tried to believe in the dawn breaking upon the Bos- phorus, yet there were doubting Thomases in all lands, and well there might be, for all the while old Abdul was planning the destruction of the new regime, and the scene changed, but only for a little, as the young Glimpses of Europe. 69 Turks surprised the world by demonstrating their mastery over the intrigues of even the cunning old sultan, and proved it by restoring the ministry, pro- claiming a new sultan and sending the old ruler to prison, where he now finds that "the way of the trans- gressor is hard." The Famous Mosque Sultona, Valide. Bigotry Is Worst Foe. The worst foe to Turkish peace arid prosperity is the awful religious bigotry one finds all over the coun- try, and the Musselman is not the only bigot, for the Armenian and the Greek Catholic have a full share of this virtue (?), and incidentally I may add that relig- ious bigotry and prejudice is not confined to this half 70 Glimpses of Europe. civilized country, as I remember hearing some time ago a prominent Baptist "sky pilot" insisting that his is the only biblical church. More Greek Than Islam. The vast European domain of the sultans of other days has been reduced to 66,500 square miles, with a population of about 6,000,000, and of these there are about 700,000 Turks proper, 1,500,000 Albanians, 1,300,000 Greeks, besides Bulgarians, Wallachians and other varieties of humanity. Only about 2,500,000 of the people are Mohammedans, hence in population and religion European Turkey is more Greek than Islam, which shows that the following of the false prophet of Mecca have been unable after centuries of despotic rule and ruin to destroy the followers of the great Nazarene, as represented in the Greek church. Then there are many Armenians, some Protestants, and also some Roman Catholics, while the powerful Albanians belong to various religious sects, but when it comes to real Christianity as enunciated by the great teacher there is little in Turkey, but alas, this awful indictment can be safely lodged against many another nation. Yet we find the real thing here in small portions, which demonstrates the power of the gospel of unselfish love' as taught by the Man of Galilee. Is a Dissipated Nation. We have been told that this is a temperance nation and all because the Koran forbids the use of intoxi- cating liquors, but as a matter of fact this is one of the most dissipated nations in the world, for while the Mohammedans refuse spirits, they absorb large quan- tities of opium, and this is certainly a nation of tobacco, and especially deadly cigarette fiends. The Greeks, of course, use large quantities of wine, Glimpses of Europe. 71 and Austrian and German lager beers are rinding their way across the border, and as the new government desires to improve the morals of the people they are now offering special inducements to the manufac- turers of the mild beverages, I am informed, and let us hope that a better day awaits the Turk of the next generation, for heaven knows the present conditions are intolerable. Constantinople is one of the world's great cities, and one of the most weird and tragic centers. Imperial Palace, Yildiz Kiosk, Constantinople. Stamboul a Curiosity. Stamboul, the Turkish quarter of the capital, is in- deed a curiosity, and the whole city is one vast con- tradiction, for with its palaces and its hovels it is a study. In the foreign section of the mysterious metropolis one sees something of modern life and comforts, but in its ancient and dilapidated quarters there is enough crime, poverty and misery to curse a world. Poor old Turkey has seen enough of the dark side 72 Glimpses of Europe. of national life, and with a new regime in power and on friendly terms with the great powers of Europe, they may have crossed the Rubicon, and they may succeed, but all is problematical at present. Spirit of Liberty Rules. One thing is certain even here, and that is, the spirit of liberty and democracy has invaded this most des- potic country, and has sent the old master who so often defied and outwitted the powers to prison, and if the Turks are capable of representative government the young Ttjrk may bring some sort of order out of the present chaotic conditions. Greece. The Land of Ancient Art. ATHENS, Greece, June 8. — Greece, like Italy, is the undying remnant of one of the first almost universal kingdoms and, although not nearly so important as the remains of the Roman empire, yet it is one of the world's most interesting and attractive nations. Interesting because of its wonderful past and attrac- tive in its delightful environs and climate, even though hardly a memory of its past glory is suggested except in its rules. Now a Small Kingdom. While Alexander died on his long journey from the Indies in India back to his native heath after locating his new capital in central Asia, King George of little modern Hellenes can cross his domain in a day, and the once proud and imperial Athens is now a little city of some 235,000 souls. Glimpses of Europe. 73 Greece is about the size of West Virginia, some 24,- 000 square miles, but while the Allegheny common- wealth has only a million people this kingdom has now some 2,650,000, yet both are mountainous, and the coast of Greece is not nearly so productive as the Ohio val- ley in West Virginia. The war of 1897 was a great mistake and the best thing about it was the shortness of its existence ; Greece gained nothing and rolled up a heavy debt, Theater of Dionysus at Athens. while Crete is still a hotbed of trouble. The possible gain of a genuine revival of Grecian patriotism might be credited to the disastrous little war, but this is doubtful. 74 Glimpses of Europe. Greece has much illiteracy and modern Athens is not the seat of learning as it once was. Yet we find a re- spectable university here and the public school system is being greatly improved of late. Strange, yet true, the Athens university is largely attended by Turkish subjects. We find in Switzerland an alcohol monopoly, and in Austria a tobacco monopoly, but here there are sev- eral monopolies, salt, matches, etc., but no liquor mo- nopoly, or problem. Are Wine Growers. The Greeks are wine growers and this beverage is sold and used with absolute freedom. In the hotels, cafes, restaurants, and homes wine is the common drink, and is almost universally served with meals. In the shops and stores it is sold as any other food neces- sity, and there is no thought of its being a "dangerous alcoholic drink" or a "poison" to the human system, but on the other hand the Greeks consider their wines the stay of the nation, as they are so nourishing and palatable. Of course some spirits are used and beer is finding its way into the Hellenes, but there is little or no drunkenness to be found in this rugged land of the famous nation which has been such a contributor to all the arts and sciences, and still retains much that was noblest in the Greek character. The people use the "weed" (tobacco), one would think to excess, yet they are such a strong and healthy nation that it seems like folly to indict tobacco and wine and charge all the crime to these accounts. Athens Is Interesting. Athens is today one of the world's most interesting cities, because of its past history, its ruins and the at- Glimpses of Europe. 75 tempted Athenian revival, yet it has only about 235,000 people, including the environs. The modern Athens has a future and its metropoli- tan airs are already apparent, as modern ideas are tak- ing the place of ancient ways of working and thinking, and Greece does not have to apologize for its existence as the remains of some great nations of the past do (Persia, for example), and yet, how sad to the Grecian student are the tours he makes through his little king- dom, as he beholds the backward state of agriculture Young Turks Advance on Constantinople. in many districts and the poverty of this grand race which once conquered the world. The Greek church is the main institution of the coun-' try, and the priests are the lords of the land. The Greek church is far from being progressive and the state of religion (of a practical kind) is at a low ebb. Are Noble People. The Greeks, however, are a noble people, even if they are clannish, and for this reason the Ottoman 76 Glimpses of Europe. yoke has never fitted the descendants of Plato, Soc- rates, and other noble men of the golden age of Gre- cian art, literature, and power. As to Crete, since 1897 it has been an autonomous province under the suzerainty of the porte, but the island now has impartial administration under the high suzerainty of the Turk, but independent of its suzerain under the high commissioner appointed by the powers, Prince George of Greece. Kingdom of Bavaria. Rich, Artistic, Romantic. MUNICH, July 9.— From the wretched, half culti- vated and pathetic land of the Turk, with its poverty, oppression, corruption, and revolutions, not to mention its polygamy, opium joints, and general moral discrep- ancies, to beautiful, highly cultivated and happy Ba- varia, is a long jump. The difference in the two countries exceeds by far the distance between them, and yet the natural re- sources of EuropeanvTurkey are possibly greater than this wealthy and artistic little kingdom, but then Ba- varia is Germanic and that means so much, and be- sides the people are thrifty, happy, religious, and tem- perate, notwithstanding the fact that Munich is, like prosperous and progressive Milwaukee, a great beer metropolis. Its biggest breweries, perhaps are hardly so big as the mammoth Pabst and Schlitz plants of the Cream city, yet they are very large and there are many of them ; the Loewenbrau, the Spaten, Pschorr, and the Franzeskaner being famous the world over. Glimpses of Europe. Free From Drunkenness. 77 A friend said to me some time ago, "I want you to spend some time in Munich, and then you will con- clude that beer is a worse foe to temperance than whisky." I have been in Munich at different times for weeks and I have tried to find the "awful drunken state of the Bavarian capital," but my quest has been fruitless, Hotel Bavaria, Munich — A Famous Hostelry. except that I find it as free from drunkenness as any city I know of, and yet I suspect it surpasses the Bel- gian capital in its consumption of beer. But the peo- ple drink their beer with their meals in their homes, in the hotels, restaurants and cafes, and while no doubt many drink too much, yet the average Bavarian, whether man, woman or youth (for everybody uses beer in Bavaria), never thinks of dissipating. 78 Glimpses of Europe. Victims of Opium Habit. The most desolate, immoral and offensive country in Europe is prohibition Turkey (Turkish part), where the people are the victims of the opium habit and the slaves of the cigarette, and the most prosperous and happy is wonderful Germany for the most part, where the people drink pure beer and smoke good cigars, and if this is not a tremendous object lesson I am at a loss to find one. In all my travels and investigations I have found that where the people use most freely the mild natural beverages, made from malt and grapes, there is far less trouble and practically little inebriety, and there must be a reason for this — viz. : The na- tions that make it most difficult to sell and use the fer- mented beverages are the very ones that excel in drunkenness and drug habits. I commend this fact to the lawmakers of America and Great Britain, where statutes affecting the retail sale of all intoxicants and beverages are being enacted continually. The Bavarian system requires every hotel, restau- rant and cafe to secure a license, and the cost is pro- portionate to the size and location of the business, hence it is absolutely just. The regulations are perfect and simple, and they are complied with to the letter and kept in spirit, so the drinking places in Bavaria, be they hotels, restaurants or regular cafes (the Ger- man saloon), are just as respectable as any place of business, where families and friends gather to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. Ranks Next to Prussia. Bavaria, next to Prussia, is the largest and most im- portant kingdom in the great German empire, and it occupies a unique relationship to the empire, being almost absolutely autonomous. The emperor is com- Glimpses of Europe. mander in chief of the Bavarian army only in time of war, and Bavaria is to all intents and purposes a king- dom of itself. The tariff laws of Germany apply to all the states, and the navy is entirely imperial, but many of the states, have their war departments, own their own railways and public works, and especially is this true of this country, with its king, parliament, prime minister (president), and ministers of foreign affairs, justice, interior, instruction, finance, communi- cations, and war. University Kingdom's Pride. The great university is the pride of the capital and the kingdom, and it, with the famous art and picture galleries renders Munich one of the world's greatest intellectual and art centers. To the south of Munich, under the Bavarian Alps, lies one of the world's most interesting and strange towns, I refer to Oberammergau, the home of the Pas- sion Play. I am told that the people are all kinsfolk, and they are wary of outsiders except to entertain them and get their marks. * * * Munich, with its environs, has some 700,000 people, and it is without doubt one of the world's most inter- esting, fascinating and beautiful capitals; being the capital, the commercial metropolis, the great art and educational center, it holds undisputed sway between Paris and Vienna, east and west, and Berlin and Milan, north and south. It is more to Bavaria than Brussels is to Belgium, for no Antwerp lies under it to show its commercial prowess. The city is clean and fine in most respects, while art is seen upon every hand and it is daily improving; since I was here last year, one of 80 Glimpses of Europe. the most beautiful and perfect hotels has gone up, and while Berlin has its new "Adlon," Hamburg its "At- lantic," Munich has its "Regina Palace Hotel." We hear much about the "last word in hotel construction," but if this can be said of any of them, I am sure it ap- plies to Munich's latest granite structure. * * * Old Nuremburg is a big city full of interest, with over 300,000 people; and is a great manufacturing center. The famous city of Augsburg has over 100,000 inhabitants, and is also a fine city; then there is Wurz- burg, another important and historic city of 95,000 prosperous and happy people, while the whole king- dom is dotted with splendid smaller cities, and its beautiful and prosperous towns and villages are found everywhere, even in the deep passes through the Alps. Owns Its Railroads. Bavaria owns its railways, and of the public debt of some $482,536,580, $352,835,495 of it is for railways bought and constructed, which shows the vast outlay in this direction, but as the fine railways and roads make Bavaria so prosperous and inviting, the debt is easily borne. Municipal ownership of public utilities is the rule in all German states. City Is Charming. Taken all in all, I am delighted with this lovely coun- try, and especially this magnificent, prosperous and happy city; with its commercial prowess, its culture, and its manifold advantages it is certainly a most charming city, and one can understand why Germany- is such a prosperous, marvelous and progressive coun- try when he visits and learns to know Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, and other great manufacturing and com- mercial centers ; and there are its great university cen- ters of art, music, and culture. . - -. ■ ..■ ■■■■■■ : ': :^r>-,-- , , > LIBRARY OF CONG"ESS • Q 020 677 577 4