The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-05-27
Letter from Germany.
Correspondence of the journal. ]

a strange old world. Strange faces, strange
costumes, and strange sounds greet him at
every turn. If he docs not already speak the
German language, he has a hard battle to fight
and that too without weapons. No one can be
imagined more helpless than man i'll a strange
country who knows nothing of the language
spoken there. His first impression of the pco-
pie is that they are remarkably stupid because
they cannot understand what he says, and can
not interpret his mystic signs. Saitla friend of
mine to an American who had lived in Berlin
two years: ''The Germans are fooS.-' Has it
taken YOU two months to find that out" said
he; Il learned h0t before | was in Germany
two hours" This impression is apt to deepen
if one assumes a critical attitude and attempts
to compare everything he sees with what he
has been accustomed to see in America. But if
he comes to Germany with the intention of
learning the habits of the people and with no
preconccived idea of his own national SUPERIOR
ity, he will find after short examination that
German ignorance, like the wisdom of many of
our countrymcn, is only superficial. Every
German seems to have i'll his mental constittl-
ton the accumulated habits Of all his ancestors
and guards his possessions with religious care.
Conservatism is strong among Europeans in
general, but especially strong among the Ger
mans. have been into houses of business,
such as banks, clothing stores, apothccary
shops, AMI even beer saloons. that have been
carried on for centuries by the same family.
Nothing new is introduced into these houses
except perhaps now and then bust of The last
deceased. Every movement to change the cN-
i>tin" order OF things is considered >ucrilege.
have said that the Germans are not iynor-
ant, but they possess a sort of middle age
knowledge. In language they excel all other
nations. 1t j. rare that one does not lind in Il
German hotel pottirF who can speak Eng
li>h and French besides his native tongue
When one considers how great a task it is to
learn Il language, he cannot but admire this
ability.
Since the German Empire has been united.
(ahout fifteen years. its population has inrrea>-
ed wonderfully Berlin alone has gained 20
per cent Hard Labor conIure> 10 fertility As
is demonstrated by the large families of the
peasants. Fifteen children in family are Not
rare. Where is the German Nautilus; The
people themselves fear their own increase, and
many are eager for war, in hopes to dcrimate
the population. Bismarck is now irving colon
iZation but finds most of the desirable regions
of the earth prcoccupicd. Perhaps he will try
the moon. # ! We're q German. and any chance
for emigration We're offered, | would 20 to the
ends of the earth if only to escape the upprr>
| : a of my p.ti Np Ntt
the people love their Switzerland" in Il sort of
phcgnlatir way, alid are proud of its power
one often hears some patriotic 'Deut>cher'
di>rour>ing coqucntlv between drinks, upon
the glory of III. lie shakes his list at the world
and sWears by Bacchu>, or whoever is the god
Of beer that the German nation can whip any
other, or all combined
The officials her" 1t present seem to be
especially severe in the enforcement of the
law, against Americans. They apparently i'm
aginc that America i. It hot bed of Socialism
and Nihili>ln, and every American Who enters
Germany is looked ulon with suspicion. The
consul in one of the nei@hborimg cities told me
Il short time since of tile punetiIiou> care with
which the law il executed upon Americans.
y II
hit Of lilac blossom from Il bush that hung over
| Il wall. He wHS at once arrested and retained
i'll custody to await trial. His acrllscr must
bring some formal charge against him in order
that the complaint should merit Il hearing.
When questioned A. TO the magnitude and
quality Of the theft it wa- alleged that he had
stolen ,ro"|, to the amount of a cubic cent?
meter. about enough to make good sized
American match. The student acknowledged
that he wished to send the flower home to his
friends to show the difference in color between
il and the iac> Of his native land. He was
consequently conl ictc,I Of theft, and sentenced
to twcnty-fou' hours in jail. The con>uI, hy
cNcrting all his influence, both personal and
official, and finally by an appeal 10 the Emptr-
or, obtained his release. The authoritit dared
not impr>on him While aWaitin. the Elnprr-
or'S reply, and % the student enjoyed Il trip to
switzerland until his Majesty sent him Il par
don. The consul was thus anxious to obtain
his pardon before his imprisonment because to
have been in Jail charged with ever 50 small Il
crime entail, lasting disgrace.
\ short time since, Il Young man was notified
by the police that he could no longer remain in
Berlin. Upon inquiry he learned the cause of
his Punishment. More than year a@o he,
with party of Young men had assisted in cX-
tngui>hing Il fire in Il neighboring town where
he was ut that time residing. Aftpra success
full contest With the flames, the proprietor of
the establishment which had been saved, GEN.
crou>ll gave the young men some beer, They,
however thought their efforts deserved some
thing better, and consequently they entered his
cellar and Gucnrhcc their thirst with his wine.
They We're all arrested and imprisoned for Il
week. When this news came to the ears of
the police the young man. aS before stated,
WAS notified to leave Berlin, because he bore Il
bad character, and no such strangers were
wanted in the city.
Another instance related by the consul shows
with what jealous care the German officials
guard their dignity. \ gentleman was about
to start for Hamburg upon matter of nrrc>-
Sity. He applied at the rfpcdUjoH for L tick
ct and was Informed that no ticket for Ham
burg could be sold until the train then on the
track WAS out of the station. The gentleman
waited patiently until the train had departed
and again stepped 10 the window to buy the
ticket. The official slammed the window in
his face and strobe away. Turning to his
wife and the consul, who was present. the
woul,I-be traveller said ',drgcNuH" (rhtrIi,M.
In about five minutes he was arrested by Il
policeman and was refused all explanation of
the cause of his arrest. The consul, however.
soon learned that the official had overheard the
remark which was made, and claimed that he,
a German in uniform, had been in~ultcd. BY
means of humble apologies on the part Of the
consul and his FRIEND the gentleman was al
lowed to depart, with the injunction ''not to
do it again.
The German people in general have low
standard of morality, and religion With them is
more matter Of form than heart. They love
pleasure for its own sake and ii matters little
in what form it comes to them They are
kind, yet arrogant, humble and almost fawl,-
ing to superiors, yet naughty and impcrous to
their conservatism, it will be Il long time be-
fore the love of freedom shall awaken them to
heroic deeds, or make them a nation more to
DC loved than feared. j. l.. CLARKE.
BY reason of a further fall in the market price
OF silver, one hundred gold dollars will buy
- .ilI t..., "a ~.