Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-06-13
Letter from Denmark.
CoPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 25, '88

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 25, '88.
Editor Republican: The little king
dom of Denmark celebrates this year tire,
events in its local history: First, tn,
centennial of the royal edct issued b,
King Frederick vi. while governing tn,
country as regent in the place of his in
sane father, according to which liberty
was granted the peasantry TO remove from
the place of their birth, forming the frs
step in the releasing OF the peasantry from
their condition of serfdom, making them
free anG independent, and eliminating,
towards the end OF the reign of this much
beloved and revered king, in making
them independent owners of the soil they
cultivated and allowing them to enjoy the
fruits of their own labor. Secondly, the
semi-centennial of the birth OF the Indus
trial society, which has done much to cul-
tivate and extend industrial habits and
has been one Of the main factors in pro-
noting manufactures throughout the
kingdom. Thirdly, the twenty-ffth an
niversary OF the reign OF the present king,
Christian TX, who, notwithstandin POI
litical discussions among the people, is
beloved by all classes, net only az we'll
meaning, patriotic and conservative mon
arch, but also in his family lite az a model
husband and father. To properly cele-
brate these events, a number of enterpris-
ing private individuals combined to form
an industrial exposition, mainly calculat-
ed to exhibit specimens of manufacture
and agriculture from the Scandinavian
countries-Denmark, Norway and Swe-
den. This exposition, called officially
the Northern Exposition of Industry, Ag
riculture and Art, was opened with great
eclat on the 18th inst. by the king in per-
son, aud in the presence of all the men,
bers of the royal house, large number
of high dignitaries of state, and an i'm
mense concourse Of people, not only from
the Scandinavian countries, but from all
parts of Europe. Its original scope has
been greatly extended, and while in agri-
culture and art it mainly represents only
the three countries named, it has been
made to embrace, in the line OF manu-
featured articles, almost every country 10
Europe, among which especially Russia,
Germany, France and Italy are quite
largely represented, the first one named of
these exhibiting variety of home manu-
tacture that is delighting The Danes, and
is creating surprise and establishment
among those who are wont to look Hpon
Russia as a semi-bar barous country and
its people as an uncultured collection of
Nihilsts and serfs. The articles of manu-
facture are the home products of the
countries exhibiting them, and an Amer
lean would be likely to look with aston
ishment upon the exhibits made, rivaling,
and in many cases far SURPRISING, anything
that our country can produce. Space will
not permit to enumerate the articles ex-
hibited, or even to refer to few of them
In but the fewest words, but there is not
line OF goods unrepresented and not a
branch of industry but what has its repre-
sentative. La only one line, that of the
manufacture of agricultural implements,
can the United States claim any super
iority, and the reason of this is obvious,
for though agriculture. at least in Den
mark and parts of Sweden, is very i'm
portant factor, that branch of it pertain
ing to the dairy has of late years taken
precedence over all other branches, and
the manufacture of butter and cheese has
attained high degree of excellence.
Previous to 1880 Denmark exported year
ly an average of 19,000,O 900 lbs of butter;
in 1885 this reached 100000 lbs; in
1886, 100000 lbs, and in 1887, 3d.
100000 lbs, and the entire value of the
dairy products exported is about 500, 00O,-
600; this in a country only about half as
large as the state of Wisconsin and where
no new land is available, but where the
entire surface has been cultivated for cen
turtles. 1t would seem to be a matter Of
regret that the United States minister at
Copenhagen should be absent from his
post of duty at such time, when an in
telligent observance and examination OF
this exhibition could not fail to furnish
him with materials for reports to the State
department that would be both instructive
and interesting to our people; but re-
searches among old archives and transla-
ton of old Iceland sagas are probably of
more interest and pecuniary advantage to
our minister. The exposition occupies a
space of nearly fifty acres of land OF ter
ritory formerly occupied by the old earth
Notifications formerly surrounding the
city, but OF late years leveled to the
ground, while the city itself has far out
grown its old boundaries and now extends
for miles cut into what was twenty-five or
thirty years ago military reservations or
private farming property. This part of
the city is finely built up with business
blocks and residences, while many parks
and public gardens serve as breathing
places for the population, who on week
day evenings and on Sundays and holi-
days frequent them in large numbers.
The old part of the city is rich in histor-
ical "reminiscences, consisting of buildings,
palaces and collections, to which [ will
refer in my next. w. T. r.
Y. M. G. A. Anniversary Meeting.
The first anniversary meeting of the
WatertOwn 7. VI. G.. A. was held IN the