The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-25
Mr.. Walters Observation.
From the New York Tribune.

- possess peculiar Interest 10 inc people Oh III
! country on account of his relation to the
greatest of English journals and his reputa'
: ton as man OF liberal culture, keen powers
of observation, and marked sagacity of judg.
| ment. In a long conversation with Tribune
: reporter on Thursday evening, Mr.. Walter
touched upon several topics which occupy u
prominent place IN the minds Of Americans.
!, Among the subjects discussed were the Cen.
tennial exposition, the luxurles and conven-
fences Of American railway travel, some as
poets Of the political question, manutactur.
ing and agricultural interests, the hard. mon
ey issue, hard times, and tree trade. With
all the themes taken up he seemed fully con.
versant. lie frequently cited English exam
pies for America, and deplOred the fact tina,
the latter nation should apparently prefer to
undergo hard experiences instead OF profiting
by that mother country. In many instances
the situation of the two had been identical
and yet Americans failed to see the logic of
events-wOuld close their eyes and stumble
over the rus when the smooth road lay
spread out before them.
Mr.. Waller said he had travelled extensive
| ly since his arrival In this country, visiting
| Boston, Albany, Chicago, Cincinnati, Wash
lngton, Philadelphia, and many other of the
principal cities. He was particularly i'm.
pressed with the beauties of Cincinnati's
suburbs. Boston, he thought, was inconven
iently situated, for in order to visit it IN the
regular Inc of travel tourist must lose the
beauties OF the Hudson and no man, Eng.
lish or American, could afford to do that
Mr. Walter did not feel himself competent 10
Judge Of the comfort Of ordinary American
railway travelling He had ridden so iuxu-
riously IN the SPECIAL Pullman car which
had been placed at his disposal that he was
unable to form an idea OF the way in which
other people travelled, THE palace car" he
Exclaimed enthusiastically, us fit for the
queen to ride in! In tact, it is much hand
somer than the one she uses" The llberality
with which railroad directors carried him to
and fro over the land was cause of great
astonishment to MIR. Walter. 1t was a cour-
tesy entirely unknown in England. The
queen herself was obliged to pay immense
sums every year tor railway conveyance, and
no railroad company in all England would
think of offering coach for the free use of
any gentleman, public or private. The
American car, in MIR. Walters estimation,
was far superior TO any English carriage
The possibility of being shut in with thieves
or madmen Ut had fallen to his own lot to be
shut in with madman) the close cramped
quarters which, In their very nature, stitled
all the comfort out of the unhappy traveller;
the parlitionDg man from the sight and So
ciety OF his fellow creatures; and, above all,
the shortness OF the carriages, which caused
them to sway and jerk about so violently
that conversation became "a torture and read.
ing an imposslbility; all these things com.
bined to render journey IN an English rail
way carriage matter of something worse
than unpeasantness. The permanent way"
or roadbed Of the English railroad, was much
mo hCtn t,nl 4
but the English carriages could not be com.
pared with the American cars.
Mr.. Walters opinion of the Centennial ex-
position was very high. 1t was certainly the
equal, and, IN many respects, the superior of
any OF the other worlds fairs. lie expressed
himself as delighted with the good manners
exhibited by the people Ae had met at the eX
position. Many of them bore traces of the
farmer in their dress and talk, but in no case
had he seen signs of the boor Yankee curl
osty was TO be noticed on all Sides but the
carlcatured Yankee inQuisltiyeness did not
manifest itself
The political situation was looked upon by
Mr.. Walter with great interest He was
somewhat surprised TO learn that congress
men and other officers were elected upon the
day OF the presidential election. 1t seemed
more proper that special dignity should be
conferred upon the candidates for the presl-
dency. The salaries TO national offices SEEM
ed very small to him when compared with
The expenses which they must meet in Wash.
Ington. He thought senatorial and judicial
positions should be made worthy of the &C
ceptancc OF the best men in the country; and
though they were usually filled by the best
men, who accepted sacrifices from motives OF
patriotism, 1t too frequently happened that
weak persons, unable TO Withstand the temp
tatlon which accompanied these places of
trust, were appointed 10 fill them, and dis.
grace, not only TO them but 10 the whole
country, followed AS matter of economy
1t paid 10 spend money to prevent being
made laughing stock-eSpeclally 10 a great
nation. With the expensive way in which
Americans In the higher circles lived, il was
Impossible 10 meet the outlay with the salary
given by the government TO It's leading states
men, ana IL they were not men of wealth they
must either steal or get into debt. He did
not feel qualified TO judge America on his
slight acquaintance with the subject. but if
England should try tins sort of economy il
would be, without doubt, herruin. The NAV
or of London received 5000 (about So5 OU0l
per annum, and the judges were paid cores
pondlngly large salaries Looking unon il
us an outsider he felt it would be wise ccono.
my for the United States to follow Enrland's
lead and give some adequate payment for the
labors of her servants The runner of serious
trouble arising from The closencSs of the pres
/ idenual election was secuted by Mr.. Waiter
AS matter of no serious difficulty He felt
sure there was no danger of another civil
war, there being no great issues at stake, and
The memory of the last war being sull too
fresh IN the minds OF the people To allow
them seriously 10 contemplate taking up
arms against their brothers. The foreign
mind was much more willing 10 believe In
lhe sincerity of the cry for reconciliation be.
tween the north and south than were many
northerners and southerners
Hard tines Mr.. Waiter said, were affect
ing England when he left that country The
business troubles were much worse however,
upon The continent, more especially in Ger
many France, always the lucky nation,
i whose crops were good, and whose people