Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-14
LETTER FROM PRUSSIA.
4 VISIT TO THE FORMER CAPITAL
OF POLAND.
German Methods for Trade Extern
sion-Necessity for Protecting
American Industries.

surrounded by handsome park and drive
way, and contains number Of buildings Of
historical interest, chief among which is
the Castle, in the vault Of which are the
remains Of the most illustrious kings and
heroes Of Poland Among those of chief
interest are the tomhs OF Casimir, Sobi-
eski and Kosciusllo. The day after our ar
rival we Joined an excursion party and
visited the celebrated salt mine of Vie
liczka. This mine has been worked almost
constantly since the eleventh century. The
descent occupied about an hour, and was
by steps cut into the solid salt rock. The
passageways were illuminated by tallow
lamps and torches. At intervals large cav
ems were reached, which were Illuminated
by fireworks. At the largest OF these all
lights were extinguished. After short
interval of silence and darkness faint
sound was heard. 1t was difficult to tell
from what direction il came; gradually,
however, the sound reached the ear in a
more intensified degree A dim light also
became visible in a remote distance, and in
a few moment more 4 curious spectacle
presented itself. Some half-a-dozen men
were in basket or cage, which was drawn
upward by slender rope or cable. Each
Of them waved n flaming torch, and sccom-
panied the movement 10y singing a strange
and weird song. Higher and higher they
assembled until they appeared to be but
specls in space. The sound grew fainter
and gradually sound and light both disap-
peared and we were again in darkness.
A few moments elapsed and there was a
display of fireworks The band started up
the Polish national air, "Iishzte Pulske,"
and we moved out to the "ball ROOM" On
our way We stopped at the chapel" The
altar and the four evangels were OF hewn
rock salt and were evidently executed by
artists of ability. The "ball room" was
brilliantly illuminated by chandeliers of
rock salt, and presented fine appearance.
There was dancing for 4 couple of hours,
after which the party again formed into
line and began ascending. On our way
we saw lake and the guard informed us
that it was very deep. When about mid
way up we were told that we could make
the balance of the ascent by foot or by
elevator-we took the later method and in
a few moments were again in broad day
light.
From Cracow we went to Prague. b.
hemia is a fine agricultural country, and
is famous for its numerous orchards, espec-
tally those of prunes. At regular intervals
there are forests which are carefully at
tended to by trained foresters. Prague is
perhaps the finest specimen of n medi-
eval city in Europe There are many
historical buildings and objects here
Chief among them are the landmarks
and vestiges Of the thirty years war, and
of the Hustle struggles. The old Jewish
cemetery contains many tombstones, some
of which date from the sixth century, and
are in an excellent state of preservation.
From Prague we went direct to Berlin,
and on our way we passed through the
Dresden are the Saxon Alps" and now
and then a choice bit Of scenery may be
seen, and here, as in other parts of Europe,
these choice spots are divided up into
homesteads, or what we call at home
/" town lots" On these sites are to be found
handsome residences, which continuing in
some instances for miles, gives to the
country an appearance Of struggling subur-
ban towns.
There will be time when the foothills
of Placer and FL Dorado counties will be
appreciated and they will likewise be COW
cred with costly residences.
AT BERLIN
"Sgibt nur Elm Kaiser stadt, S'gibt nur
Elm Wien" will have to be altered now to
"S'gibt nur Zwei Kaiser stadt, S'gibt
Wien und Berlin"
Berlin, since 1870, is hardly recogniza-
bic, so great has been its transformation.
What we're then fields and forests are now
streets of costly houses. There are many
factories here, and the city presents more
industrial appearance than Vienna. Like
Vienna, it is the seat Of several technical
schools where the sciences and arts are
taught, and like it there is powerful Or
gsnization here for the promotion of COM
merce, whose chief work is directed to-
wards the study Of composition duties and
tariffs.
Much attention is paid to foreign COM
merce, aud by reason of their push and en-
ergy they have firm foothod on the
trade of South America, to the exclusion
Of American manufacture. This is not
brought about by any reason of greater
merit or cheapness of their goods over
those Of the United States, but because of
more energy and greater skill in their dis
position and distribution. In other words,
they are better merchants.
Let us take as an example agricultural
implements. Those produced in the Uni
ted States are cheaper and better than
those Of Europe. No one will deny this,
not even Berlin manufacturer, and yet
the Berlin man sells his inferior and dearer
implement almost within stones throw
of the Rio Grande. Much of their sue
cess is due to the effectiveness of the aid
rendered them by the great commercial
organization"
A comparison Of the methods of the
American and German manufacturer will
illustrate the cause of the failure of the
former and the success of the latter: The
American manufacturer sends his CONNER
cial traveller to Mexico or South America,
for instance. The traveller arrives at his
destination and shows his samples by mod
els, or in many instances, from an illus
trated catalogue. The most conservative
and generally the most solvent refuse to
purchase from models or catalogue, more
especially as the models and illustrations
differ so radically from the style and de
sign they are accustomed to. Those who
are inclined to purchase refuse on account
of excessive duties: Others, again, object to
the terms
The commercial traveller, however, must
make book" go he is glad to take few
orders from any one. He retires in dis
gust, and the "house," ii careless one, fills
the orders" and seldom receives penny
back in return. One such venture is
sufficient, and new ventures in foreign"
line is never more contemplated.
Now for the German method: 4 Ger
man agricultural implement manufacturer
desires to do business in South America,
Africa or Asia. He first goes to the Per
manent Exhibition of Industry at Berlin.
In this exhibition building he will find
models from every country on the globe of
every kind of device for tillage, and full
sized working implements OF those in use
in the present state of the art" He
selects such as may suit his purpose. He
now begins TO manufacture his samples. A
commercial agent is then sent with the
working samples to the proposed foreign
market. If the ground is favorable, per
manent agency is established. Should the
duty prove to be too high, the great
Commercial organization" is resorted to,
and almost in every instance this hinder
ence is removed or fayorably modified