Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-01-26

a military power, Germany leads all Europe.
Every ablc-bDded German owes seven years
OF his lifc-from Is to 2j-to his Emperor
and until lie is Al he is liable TO be called up
on Tor military duty. During the first three
months OF his military life he is taught to
walk-that is, to walk in the military FASH
ion aud the result of this long and thorough
discipline is that the marching qualities of the
German soldiers can not be excelled in the
world After the soldier has been taught TO
walk, every part of his body is developed and
exercised in similarly thorough fashion. In
the third year he IS taught the military ma
n1nvrcs, and the whole army is brought to.
gc'her for this purpose. The German soldiers
attain an almost incredible accuracy of aim.
iheir pay is four cents day. To support
The vast army taxation is carried to the
lurthcst limit The army is everything.
| Ihc officers are the most arrogant people on
the face of the earth. Drunkenness is al
most unknown in the army. A sevcrer Of
fence can hardly be committed For the
iirst offence there is severe penalty and for
the second the offender Is dismissed from the
army and deprived of all civil rights
Education is universal and compulsory.
Germany abounds in universities, the leading
one OF which is Heidelberg, where may be
found students from all parts of the world 1t
his seven duelling corps | was once admit
ted, us II favor, to tue dueing room. 1t was
u 81 acious apartment, perhaps 25 by 100
leet. Two combatanls, both novices, were
brought in. They were covered with padded
cloths, ETC., and only their faces were ex-
posed to the sword. The swords are about
q! feet long and are ground as Sharp as ra-
zors. No thrustipg ia allowed. The pre-
| liminaries adjusted, the duclisls went ut it
fast and furlously. Soon one of the COM
ba'ants was wounded, but the surgeon put a
| piece of court plaster on the wound and at ii
| they went again. In the second duel one of
| the combatants received cut nearly the
whole length of his face. And so the duel
ling went on. all day. But this is only an
eccentriciy of the students. The law pro-
hibis duelIing aud Bismarck uses his intlu-
encc 10 enforce the law. Besides universe
ties and gymnasiums, etc, Germany has
schools Of forestry. Nearly all the primeval
| forests OF tue country are gone, and the ex-
i5ting forests are those cultivated ard cared
for by the government Saxony is famous
for cherries, and in the blossoming season
the country for miles looks as if it were GOV
cred with snow.
description Of the German diet was then
given by the Speaker, who continued The
Germans are the most polite and ceremo-
NOUS people have ever seen. Everyone of
them has a title Of some sort. They have
little calantry. The women work as hard
AS the men and at the same kind of labor
Dogs work too, and dogs and women work
together. Tho Germans lead the world in
music and the drama. In even the smallest
town music hall is supported by the town
government. They are u thoroughly musical
people. The government also supports the
theatres. The scenery in their theatres is
magnificent. Tie Germans are extremely
fond of observing feast days, the greatest
being the Feast Of lanterns
The most famous river of Germany and of
Europe is the Rhine. 1t is almost deifled by
the Germans. But TO nm American who las
seen any of the great rivers of this country
the Rhine Is great disappointment. Its
chief charm is the beautiful scenery Of the
country through which it runs. A striking
feature of the river are the great mills built
upon bargcs.
Mr.. Smith then described trip through
parts of Germany lnfrequently visited by
tourists, and continued: The cities of Ger
many are admirably governed. The govern
mcnt looks after the mnutcst details of per
sonal life. 1t keeps a record OF the financial
standing, condition and biography of every
citizen Of the German Empire. The police
are omnipresent but unobtrusve. SayOny
raises ;he finest looking men and women. 1t
leads in the fine arts, Bavaria standing see
ond in rank. One OF the most beautiful feat
urcs of all German towns are their parks,
which are always carefully and admirably
kept German hotels are simply abominablc,
The German people love their children, and
The children are quaint, lOvablo little things
Applause.
The exercises closed with reading by Mr..
Tinkham OF Tuubridge, Evening at the
Farm"
Adjourned until this morning, at ten