The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-27
PRECONCEPTlONS.
Swiss Climaie---Mixed Language
Neral People.

Special Correspondence NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
ZURICH, December Ii, 1883.
There is perhaps, no European country, ex-
sept England, 10 which the ordinary Traveller
brings 50 large a stock of preconceived ideas as
70 Switzerland Tell and the apple, svalanches
and ST. Bernard dogs, Swiss watches and Swiss
carvings, Swiss patriotism and SWISS industry,
come into thc school reading books of 50 many
Of Us: travels IN Switzerland come into the
later leisure reading Of so many others, and so
mauy OF orr friends write home glowing ac-
counts Of their own exploits IN Switzerland. hat
VIC have in advance pretty definite idea Of
the land OF summer travel Much Of the IN
fercst Of q first journey through Switzerland
lies in the work Of verifying and correcting the
notions which have come into possession Of cur
ninds, perhaps we do not always know when
or how
First. as te the climate. snow peaks and noun
tsin lakes furnish us with clear ideas OF that;
then as to the peopie-strong love OF country,
Gtronc nerve strong VIII strong sense OF duty
the Tel legend and Arnold Minl1elreia "
leave no doubt on these points; liberal, too, in
religion ard politics. On the other hand, how
ever idiots. cretias. beggaTs goitroDs mon-
stfosities must stir our feelings, or our pEeaT-
ranged scheme Of Swiss life viii be incomplete.
pictCrcseneness also is requisite. peasant ces-
tufaes and characteristic Industries; tiny chalets
upon sl0ping hillsides, and within industrious
families engaged IN the production OF toys and
wood carvings, perhaps, also, OF watches ana
lace. And this fsctlresqueness must rcst, too,
on q basis az hnslbie prosperity, founded on
peasant pvoprietorship ard wise government;
lelse Why have we all read SO much Of the sS5-
rantaees Of small Swiss farms ard Swiss fee
simple ownelsiips1 Bat as 10 the government
our ideas are tTiae hszy.
Alas. fer the fate of human prejndice. IN
the case Of tho Swiss climate, for instance, it
seems that
AEALAScuEs AND BrrEsC COLD
are only special features eF certain limited dis
tricts. that snov mountains Cannot be relied
upon TO produce freezing winters throughout
Surround ng valleys nor for tanning burning
broNs IL August with sDcw-cocled summer
breezes Climate Is mere question OF hcieht
and exposure talan OF neiehbering lakes and
towering snow peaks, and in l0N-lying BeTne.
though IL fu.l vies. CT the snow caps OF the
Bernese 0bcGlaud. have suffered from heat rs
prostrating as the August heat OF Philadelphia
1earos on the other hand. famous cure high
among the mountains above the cloud level a
Gays journey from Zurica. hes ia e little valley
&C sheltered from SNOW winds and SO flooded
with wlafer sunshine that the poor consGnp-
i've patients who gather there, come at mid
winter oat into the slnuy garden at monday
90 bask III the soft, mild air. AvalsDches and
biting cold there are, Vi course. IN Switzerland,
bit these are by DO means the only winter
characteristics. Much mere prevalent features
Of lie SEiss winter are the fsrs which envelope
the low-lying valleys. Switzerland is. in great
Eneasare lake country, and lake countries are
powerfully foggy; hence the fact that at
Zurich and Geneva, for instance. there is not
only the large proportion ofsunless days which
n-aEc winter north Of Italy trying TO Ameri-
css, but thareare also frequent, almost constant,
fogs. This ferns no part IF the preconceived
idea q Switzerland. The avalanche was much
more In proportion than the fSE, according 10
ta2t. II proves however, that the predami-
5za1t cl2l-cteristics of the Swiss climate is not
- &aat or cold sunshine or fog. though each of
these chAracts-izes many separate parts Of
Switzerland.
The predominant Characteristic Of the Sgyiss
climate i ts diversity II j. hot or cold, wet
OF dry. bright or dull. according TO the place in
which the traveller as 10 be-aceerdi1g to
tho special pecus.4- Gties Of height, exposure
and latitude Switzerland like America. may
BE ssia 10 have al climates but no climate.
So much for one Ireconceivsd idea. Next as TO
TIE PEOPLE ASD THEIR PATRIOTISM.
1t becomes evident after short acquaintance
with Switzerland and the Swiss, that their
famous I'VE Of their native country means love
for some particular village, some woDted view
OF lake or hillside, some little group OF friends
or relatives OF wiae-reaching love Of country.
Of that love which rests. AZ last, IN great meas
IRE upon the feeling Of fellowship and sylnpa-
thy with the citizens of the iar-distant as well
g. OF the nearer parts Of tho whole land, ii
Hsust be difficult 10 feel the slightest glow in a
hand whose people ere sharply cut apart by
radical differences Of language and OF religion.
Whatever the distinctive quality may be which
binds the Swiss into one nation, * is certainly
1ct aai1y Of race II is hard 70 grasp the idea
1f a nation which can live in peace, prosperity,
and active. healthiGl development without q
co1nr3on lapeuage, acOE,snon religion. a common
literature, OF even aldistinctIve coinage. There
H. something wholly inc0ngEaDus in hearing
here il Zs:rica no other language than TIE
German, yet needing no other money than the
French. Zurich Is emphaticaliy ia
cERsEks SWITZERLAND
Wien, therefore ] was about to ieave Paris for
Egy1cil, zried 70 g=t supply Of small German
rcin, Tor nae on rlT arrival among caiylner-
porter ard iigtel servants. , banker assured
ne that French money seas received. cgnid
rot sabuse my miDd Of tbc idea that German
Er0nev FAUST be necessary Ia z fcwa ID which
German is the cxsTent language and The uni
Fefsity ranked as German unworthy, and
grrghased certaiu marks and E,icnnige. Bot
81 1.s 8irs attempt 70 use TIE pfesuige ] va
sbsToG 10 admit tlist my banker knew more O
the Hys sefics Of his craft than did: Tor Tie
c4Idattor ~ The Zurich traIncar. 10 WHOM
'0feFel some 81 tae disputed German cain, ia
nlglaails feissed 4. but ee.etly took ssaallel
FrtsFrii Dras IeeR. by iegFsss, learned that
that FRENCH Beieizn, ffaiian, Gfeciaa as wei
AS Gelretla coins are, tie eI0re. equally We.
rens IN Swiss pockets. stil more inco1gru-
oas Is tbe
DE1G1E or a vsIEo7-N LANGUAGE.
The Swiss tongue a almost Is b0suitable 4,
the Swiss parse Thefe being 40 single ian
Foaec TIE National Assembly 6ebatos arc car
fsed "a I'd French. German and Italian accord
liz Is the ilcsabsrs who speak come from
Wfstsra eastern 81 s9us bern s.ritzssTland. tn,
eoHsfitnEi0n Is printed il SIX forns-in French
.srrrnan md Italian. in tT0 forms Of sDecial
soe.hers diaisct. aid ~ scApeeizer- neassch III
sfig sgseaa gossassiag ~ Bndae share OF broad
Es4gfs a4a E0agA coasc4aa1s. d language 50 ia
sdeaE5i ioF tbs uses Of TIE people adlistef
wsih j that thsy ehs i cat with seqniTse
g. tn4n aue cfien 9ish Preach also. The I'd
FeEcH az common language is Ne more re
rlsIkass hecaaee the Swiss nation Is Z yer5
o,c oise. - cary IS 1874 eight Of the in5e
TSncent districts aud towns united 70 form
le-Fue. wh5eh became powerful enough 70 10
itisfe wars ~ TIE course q which X c0nquerss
tise hereiiizry domain of Hapsburg from u.
LEkes Ut Austria. who failed 10 recover tH
Rucsear Austrian territory. Even Chgrles thi
Bod, ttalge q tagqnDdy, and snightiesf prime.
~ bis time. Was defeated in three battles by
the Swiss as early as 1876. This snccessfa
Earille iInpiies union and strength ia tn,
EogsrHmeBs and the national life even Of tia
aistaat SINE. But i've centuries Of con ederzti