Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-25
THE HAPPY vIENNEsE.
The Austrian Government and People As
Seen by an American.

The Austrian Government and People As
! Seen by an American.
1 Correspondence of the Washington Star.l
| Es giebt nur cine Kaieser Stadt, Es giebt
nur Elm Wien.
This is the old refrain that has for yeals,
ever since Haydn, charmed the Austrians
and finds an echo in the heart of every
visitor.
London, Paris, Berlin, Dresden, Munich
and Stuttgart have their attractions, but
not one of them has that Undesirable
abandon and primitive hospitality that is
peculiarly characteristic of the Viennese.
| Music, song, beer and cheer are the stars
that revolve around the axis of their exist
ence, and to live free from care, tomorrow
| being blotted out of their dictionary, is the
hight of their ambition. No wonder they
are jolly and fat, and it is easy to account
| for the chic of the women.
But this condition produces startling re-
suits. Out of 100 births 40 are born out
| side of wedlock. The State looks calmly
on, as it did in the days of Maria Theresa,
only disturbed when the average male pro-
duction fails to fill the ranks of the army.
In this one particular Vienna even sur
passes Paris, distinction that does not
Honest and ignorant as an Austrian" is
common phrase, and we have had numer-
| GUS instance while on our travels. Our
fathers did SO and so, and we, therefore,
must do so" seems to be their motto.
The spirit of progress and evolution
finds little recognition. Yet they are
happy and contented, have a royal city,
full of tall, elegant and costly buildings,
splendid Opera House, worthy of any
city, in which the works of the masters are
reproduced with a fidelity worthy of all
praise, "Stephans Kirche" or cathedral
| that can vie with st. PauPs and Notre
Dame. Statues erected to the memory of
its great men of the past that are not
scarecrows, and "Schatz Hammer" that
contains enough dead capital, relics and
gems, to make thousands of poverty
| stricken people happy, and Belvedere or
art gallery that has hundreds of old mas
| tiers, and the arrangements of the interior
of which surpasses that of Dresden There
is an exhibition here at present-semi-in-
ternational-which is very good indeed.
The agricultural and mining products of
the country and adjacent countries are
lavishly displayed and artistically arranged
and give evidence of prosperity and COM
mercial enterprise. The objects of inter-
est In and about Vienna are famous; the
Kahlenberg, mountain view that you
reach by elevated rail, is well worth visit
ing, while lovely Schoenbrun, the home of
the great monarchs of the past, and made
doubly renowned by its occupancy by Ma
poieon, is as ever gem set in green emer-
aids and sparkling diamonds.
The only and original Sfraucc ic pow
with US green Americans. Here they
laugh at our crazy adulation, for there are
score of composers and leaders who are
considered his superiors, but, as our i'm
mortal Barnum has said 1.-THE American
loves to be humbugged." 1t is delicate
ground to give reason for many of the
conservative "Sleepy Hollow" ways of
these people, but it can be told without
meaning or giving offense. The Church is
supreme; it leads and distates, the State
follows and obeys. 1t is an object lesson
for many of our own countrymen, and
especially our own countrywomen, and l
was never more forcibly impressed with
the grandeur and wisdom of our institu-
tions than during this European trip, and
God forefend that any of our children
should live to see our country fall into
European ruts.
The military demands sap every founda-
ton and exhaust every fount. A country
where woman is mere drudge and
where an aged matron and a young child
are used as beasts of burden is no country
for any decent American to fall in love
with Every essential of manly and
womanly independence is stifed; the spirit
of obedience and subserviency dominates
and is supreme. The character that grows
out of the "Frinkge.d surroundings can
never be an elevated one; it is pretty mar
row and local and lacks that broad, cosmo-
politan spirit which grasps the demands of
the hour. Our grammar school children
know more, think quicker, are more prac-
| teal than two-thirds of the older people
of Europe.
While was writing this letter piece of
paternal government was made known to
me. July 18th l sent from Berlin to
Washington cablegram; 1t seems paid
l mark and pfennig word, when the
tariff is 81 20. To-day l was called on
by our Consul General, who had been
officially informed to collect from me the
SO cents / owed the Government! Now,
the question arises, had | paid too much
would have been as closely followed?
| Speaking of Consuls-General, | cannot
speak too highly of our official here. Julius
Goldschmidt, although only one year in
office, is beloved by all. He is intelligent
! and energetic and has, against great odds,
won the respect of the exporters The
result of his work is largely increased
revenue and an honest clean administra-
| ton of consular duties. Colonel Fred.
Grant, our Minister, is absent; under
stand he is generally liked Mr.. Chew,
Secretary Of Legation, an old Washing
tonian, received us kindly. In this con-
nection l cannot forego the question so
often asked, Why has the United States no
| home of it own in the different capitals of
Europe? The State Department allows
20 per cent OF the salary for rent, when it
could own building, the interest of which
would not be over 3 per cent, thereby
raising and Identifying the position of our
officials saving IL per cent, or giving the
poorly paid Consuls and Ministers the
benefit, for they are wretchedly paid. The
| Consuls-General at Berlin and Vienna are
hard worked, driven from early morn to
late in the day by hundreds of merchants.
They have no bed of roses, and if they do
their duty, no sinecure then the cost of
living in both places is very high. Ger
many and England outshine us, because
they have trained foreign officials, and the
sooner we have them the better for us. We
have learned so much in the short time of
our political existence, we can learn more.
The American is liked and sought abroad,
his liberal ways are like an oasis, and the
influence we spread is wholesome and ar
reaching.
| Adam of st Victor.
| Adam de ST. Victor. who died in or
near the year 11S0, was the most fertile
| and one of the greatest of all the Latin