The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-12
What Foreigners Think Of America and
JH Jr - Americans.

A newspaper reporter mas interviewed
the Commissioners Of the different nations
represented at the Centennial Exposition,
and has published the result. The views
of America and Americans thus elected
will be interesting to those who wish to
see themselves as others see them. The
phlegmatic Turk is astounded at our in
quisitiyeness, '"They come up to your
stand, handle your goods, ask you all
sorts of impsrtinent questions, never
apologize for troubling you, but address
invariably with the inevitable how
much.':"' The Frenchman thinks our
mode Of life, SO far as eating IS concerned,
detestable. "Your 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, ali areinjdrious. You need pub
lie school to,teabh the art of proper feed
ing" The Belgian also detests our mode
of living and our cooking. He thinks
our national stomach must be out of
order-not' far out Of the way-and we
eat too much meat. While VIC are ex-
ceedingly sociabe we have no cafes aud
drink too often and too quickly, is also
the Bel gian's criticism. The Frenchman,
so far as our character is concerned, thinks
"the high, appreciation of number one
does much to stunt the development of
morality" The Spaniard declares us to
be ''the most cordial and hospitable peo-
pie in the world" The italian thinks
we lack sentiment and principles. ''To
achieve what you have done," said one
of the Italian Commission, "you have
had to make god-the dollar-and
machine of your country, a money
making apparatus" But the American
women puzzle the Italian the most. Says
this same Commissioned:
"I ask myself concerning them: Is it
innocence, virtue, ingeniousness or what?
They are the most impertinent creatures
I ever saw. They 60 up to foreigner
with the most perfect sang froid, stare
him out of countenance, ask him if he is,
married, how many children he has,
where he comes from, and | know not
what. Their excessive freedom of man
ner to our hot blooded people seems what
hope it is not. ;, But they take the ex-
traordinary liberties. Fancy pretty girl
of eighteen laying cher little dimpled
hand on your arm aud asking you, naive
" or boldly, I know not which, how you
like Anericaiii ladies. What the deuce
can one think?" ~
Like: the Frenchman and Belgian, the
Italian is disgustedat our cooking. .'You
need thorough reformation of your cui-
sine" said one. "You have little or no
variety of food; and oh you lack good
wines /! IF you only had our wines you
would have less; public drunkenness"
The German laments the absence OF do.
mestic life, but he seems to regard
America as sort of promised land, and
thinks it especially a paradise for work
ing men. The Austrian, like the Turk,
is disgusted with the national impolite-
ness. Said one: "The people are pleas
ant enough, but they do not know the
use of the words please and thank you,'
and seem to. imagine that for the aduis-
sion price Of fifty cents they purchase the
services, as guides, instructors and play
things Of all the exhibitors" And then
we are wofully ignorant. Most of the
American visitors here" said this same
Austrian, "don't know the difference be-
tween Austria and Australia, and ask me
how like living in the bush: One old
lady asked me, just now, Where is the
Bel gian and Brazilian stands% You
know the place where they make bug
jewelry, jewelry out of bugs, and that is
only one instance in many hundreds"
The Dane thinks our middle classes not
so we'll educated as those of his own
country. The; Mexican is particularly
struck by the abuses of our street car
travel and our hacks. He would have
stringent laws.t6 prevent the overcrowd-
ing Of the street cars, and, to stop the
extortion of the hackmen, capital pun:
ishment. The Dutchman doesn't like
our women; thinks they are weak and
puny, compared with their buxoln girls.
And the opinion of the Cbinaman is
compressed into the following expressive
sentences: "Much likee Melica. Costee
muchee money livee in Melica. Costee
little money livee in Chilee. rcilee man
makee muchee money in Melica; Mclean
man makee d-n little money in Chi
lee."