The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-20
HE WEATHER YESTERDAY was clear and
AMERICAN MANNERS.
Ourselves as Others are Wont to See U

WHAT THE FOREIGNERS AT THE CENTEN-
NAL THINK OF OUR PEOPLE, MANNERS
AND CUSTOMS-SOAfE HARD HITS AND
TRUE REMARKS AND GOOD ADVICE
PLANS KINDLY SUGGESTED FOR OUR DO.
MEsTIC, MORAL, AND MENTAL IMPROVE
MENT-COMPARATrvE COST OF LIVING
HERE AND IN EUROPE AND OTHER DIS.
TANT LANDS.
from the special correspondent Of the worldI
PHILADELPHIA, September 16.-Most OF
the writers of the Centennial Exhibition,
and their name is legion, have devoted much
space to descriptions Of the articles exhib-
tied, and to talk about the visitors to the
great show; but it has been left to the
World correspondent to say word about
the exhibitors themselves, or rather to allow
the exhibitors to say word about us. |
have amused myself to-day by conversing
with exhibitors and commissioners from
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal,
Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Tur'
is much difference Of opinion among them
in regard to the merits and demerits Of our
mode of life and national characteristics,
OF their criticisms that they may prove at
once interesting and instructive.
THE PHLEGMATIC TURK ON THE INQUISITIvE
AMERICAN.
NJ. Bedros, a Turkish exhibitor, whose
chief places OF business are Mt Constantine
pie and Geneva, and who in manner and
thought is quite as much Frenchman as q
Turk, spoke very freely about us. He
thought the Americans good, big children,
very fond of touching everything and ask.
ing impertinent questions about matters
that do not concern them. Said he: "They
come up to your stand, handle your goods,
ask you all sorts of impertinent questions,
never apologize for troubling you, but ad.
dress you invariably with the inevitable
show much'9 This is no doubt altogether
republican, but it is also altogether stupid.
In Europe one asks merchant now
much," and either buys or does not, as the
price suits him, but here one asks, show
much; you reply 81, and the inquirer re-
plies, will give you fifty. cents and IS
much surprised that you do not take his
Offer" NJ. Bedros also thought the Ameri-
cans have much religion, "or," at least,
"they talk about it too much" He added
" The liberty, rs you call it, we should de-
scribe as grossness, impoliteness. People
address the foreign exhibitors here as ii
they were servants" At this point our
conversation was interrupted by an i'll
hammered citizen of the West, old enough
to know better, who came up to III. Bedros
and asked in patronizing tone:
"Sir, are you Greek or a Turk ?"
"Sir," replied the gentleman, Z" l am not
on exhibition, nor am here to answer such
silly questions as that"
The American subsidized.
In regard to the cost OF living here, NJ.
Bedros said: s'It is excessively dear il one
lives in hotels, but cheap enough II one
keeps house. I mean that provisions are
cheap, though rents are high, and the cost
of housekeeping, apart from that Item, Is
cheaper with you than with us. The great
absurdity here is your custom duties, which
seem specially intended to keep all the luXu.
ries and comforts of life far out Of the reach
Of the people of moderate means. Never
theless like America, and manage to please
myself here"
WHAT THE FRENCHMEE THINK OF US.
In the French department the opinion
was general that the American mode Of lne,
as far as the eating is concerned, is detesta-
bic. ssYour mode Of living" said one OF
the commissioners, "is the cause Of illness
among your women, which must affect the
whole race. The undue use Of ice-Water,
ice-cream, iced drinks OF all kinds, the
abuse OF pepper and salt, all are injurious.
You need public school to teach the art OF
proper feeding. We, most OF Us, know toe
much to live with Americans; we live in
French families" In regard to the cost OF
living here, NJ. Bazuque, secretary Of the
French Commission, and NJ. Nardy, presi
dent of the delegation OF French workmen,
said: "Provisions are cheaper here than in
France. 1t costs you less to live in
q family than it costs us. Wine is
too dear, it is absurdly high-priced
and of lamentably poor quality. II you
drank more good wine and less bad whiskey
it would profit you greatly. Clothes are as
cheap as they are in Paris. A suit which
costs here sixteen dollars would cost sixty
francs with us. Good shoes here are very
dear. but ready-made shoes are as cheap as
in France. The prices at your theatres are
not much more than in France, but we miss
our cafe chantants sadly" AS to the char
acter of the people it was said "the high
OF No. / does. much TO
stunt the development OF morality -
U There is not too much religion. here, but
there is q superabundance OF religlosity." !"
/" It is a great mistake to award to the Anne
the first place among the mechanics
of the world, They have, certainly, the
genius for invention, but their ma
chinery is too complicated and uses too
much COAL"
COST OF LIVING IN SPAIN AND AMERICA.
One OF the Spanish commissioners spoke
yery highly OF the Americans, whom he de-
clsred to be the most cordial and hospitable
people in the world. Living, he said, was
cheap here compared with that OF SPAN.
Provisions Of all kinds are cheaper here.
but rents are twice as high, and that makes
MI the difference. Work, artistic or me-
chanical, is much better paid than IN Spain |;
! Spanish workman gets but $l where an
American gets S3, but the workmen can
i've cheaper here. Veal, ham, pork, mutt
,on. and beef are fifteen per cent cheaper
IN Philadelphia than in Madrid or Seville.
Bread costs as much here as there, but
wheat is cheaper here. Fruits are dearer
.han in Spain, and groceries are about the
same. Machine work here 1s cheap enough,
but handmade work Is aWfully dear. Ma
shoes, which in America cost
e3, cost $3.50 or 81 In Spain; but hand-
made shoes which in America cost $10, cost
1nly % in Spain. The same is true OF
clothes. "A ready-made suit OF clothes
which ii, America costs $15, costs 800 in