The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-01
A New Monthly Magazine.

Consul MASON OF Basel has fine gifts as q
descriptive writer. He is the Leading con-
tributor to the August number OF the Cbni-
me,.cial Relations of the United States. This
periodical, which we have had occasion to
notice from time to time, was founded by
the Hon. WILLIAM NJ. EvARTs, and is issued
from the Government Printing Office at
Washington. Five hundred copies of the
new magazine are printed at the public ex-
pcnse for every one that is ever opened and
read The bulk of the edition goes directly
to the junk shops, its virgin pages UNI
thumbed. Yet it is n wonderful publication
About five years ago 1t occurred to Mr..
EvARTs that the American Consuls abroad,
having nothing else under heaven to do,
might as well as not employ the time in i'm
proving their literary style and cultivating
the graces of rhetoric With great practical
foresight he established this magazine, for
he knew that no existing periodical published
by private enterprise would print the efforts
of his Consuls, and that it is very discourag-
ing to keep on writing year after year and
never get into type Although the experiment
costs the people a good deal OF money annual
ly. the results have in some respects justified
the hopes Of Mr. EvARTs. The Consuls have
filed up a good deal Of idle time and have
produced some rather remarkable pieces of
composition. 1t is curious, however, that
ConSuls in different parts of the world do not
show the same degree of progress. For in
stance, while Consul ROBINSON of Tamatave,
Madagascar, does not write better than when
he began, most OF the Swiss Consuls, notably
Consul MASON of Basel and Consul BYERs OF
Zurich, have made astonishing strides in
the art OF picturesque presentation.
Let us listen to Consul MASON who has to
record the interesting fact that emigration
from Switzerland to America still continues
40, any Wednesday or Thursday afternoon-particu-
larry during the spring autumn months-there may
be the Central Railway station in Basel throng
OF people mostly of the industrial classes mechanics
factory operatives farmers, shepherds, and foresters
from the rural cantons, and brightfaced young men
from city counting the schools with their sis
ters mothers wives and children of all ages dressed in
their best clothing and prepared for long journey
Some are chattering voubly with friends, many are
singing while others thoughtfully silent These
the emgrants for the United States and the relatives
and friends who have come to wish them COP speed
their long journey TO their new homes !"
1t will be perceived that this runs very
smoothly, and successfully combines the max.
imum of sound with the minimum Of sense
one of the main objects of diplomatic writing
Consul MASON proceeds:
"A few moments conversation with the sturdy, intel
gent egrants who leave here each week shows cearl,
that their change OF habitat is blind leap into the dark
they have weighed all the chances informed themselve
thoroughly, and know where they are going and wha
they expect do when there. Three out of every NV
have brother father, some trusted friend or neigh
Dor who IL already established in America and has writ
ten back exact Information which draws the remaining
members of families resessly to the free life and large
| opportunities OF the New World.
AS the Switzer Is patriotic home-loving man. usu
ally thrifty and content, it would require more than
superficial statement to fully explain this steady out
flow Of the best yeomanry of the Alpine republic. 1t II
not because Of untoward seasons for although frost
have in late years, made the wine crop and un
certain the harvests of last good and thu
preceding and succeeding winters eptonaly mild an'
genial II Is not from an oppressive government or
grinding military system that the Swiss emgrant fees
for this IL government of the people, by the people
for the people, and the militia service of the noun
taineers and workingmen admirable as it is in mill
tary and economic sense, is hardly more than summe
holiday compared with the rigid martial duties under tn
| French, German, and Austrian systems"
1t is not to be expected that a writer o.
Consul MAsoN'S facility should confine him
self to the narrow limits OF Switzerland. Hi.
eye Is upon all Europe. and everywhere he
finds facts which iiatter his patriotic spirit
"Is there, he asks, "any permanent protec
tion for European manufactures and agri
culture against the enormous resources, tn,
industry and tho enterprise OF the American
republlc?" He observes that "the Italian
statesmen recognize as fully as the impcria
Austrian economist the growing strength o
American competition; but they are equal.
at loss to devise means of protection" Blu
here Is the most convincing Of all Consu
MAsoN'S observations:
"Itisbuta few months since Mr.. WORTH, the note
Partisan lady's tailor pronounced American dress silk
equal 10 the best that Lyons produce and the Eng
lish and Partisan taiors who announce In their card
and advertisements An American At guaranteed. pa
similar tribute to the superior style and hnsh OF GEL
tlemens clothing when made BY tie best workmen /
| the United States"
Let us now turn to Consul S. NJ. II. BYERs o
Zurich, He has had the enterprise TO explor
tho entire length OF the st. Gothard Pass
| aud " survey is widest gorges from the to