St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-01
A BEAU rIFUL CITY.
Impressions of Munich by Resi-
dent OF St. Paul

Impressions of Munich by Resi-
dent OF St. Paul
To the Editor of the Globe.
MUNICH. March 16.-This is beauti-
full place, and it is strange that it is not
more spoken of in the United States. |
suppose it is because there is such an
overwhelming number of fine cities and
so many works of art and historic relics
all over Europe.
All the streets here are built with
view to symmetry; buildings along the
entire frontage of the street or avenue
are OF one height, many of them adorned
with fresco paintings on the outer walls
or with Sculptured figures, and some
with both of these concentrations COM
bined.
The collections of paintings, which
are all open to tbe public without ex-
penSe and contained in ornamental
buildings of Greek style, surrounded by
parks, excited my envy, since no Amer
lean city possesses anything like it. The
trouble is that we have had no king like
Louis |. of Bavaria, who for time eX
hausted all the talent and ingenuity of
his kingdom to make Munich an en-
porium of fine art.
There are many monumental Struct-
ureS, suchias Greek colonnades, monu-
mentS, arches, etc., erected for purely
ornamental purposes, besides many
palaces, parks and places of amusement
which are, as rule, crowded; what
struck me with surprise from the first
day of my three weeks SOjOurn here, is
the overwhelming number of English
speaking people. There must be leglons
of them living on the European con-
=. Ncf, 10 oE +lrv
Americans, too. What is the cause of
it? Does not America offer to her sons
and daughters pastime and amuSements
of that higher kind which alone make
life humane and sublime?
If we lack the atmosphere in which
art can prosper, then let us create it.
Our millionaires instead of sending
their emissarieS abroad in search of
works of art, which they purchase and
seclude in the privacy of their mansions,
should establish schools of art. But
what is the use to lament because such
things should be done but are not. Let
us resort to the great law-making
Juggernaut and tax every American
who embarks with a bag full of
money which he intends to spend in
Europe at least 500, and we should
soon have large fund together to start
art schools in every capital city OF the
United States. 1t seems to me that
would be better than to build the
Chinese wall of so-caled 'protection,"
and to crown the nonsense by giving
the highest official authority power to
lay breaches into it at his option (reci-
procity)
Railroad travel is very agreeable, es-
pecially during short trips. Beautiful
station buildings at even very minor
places. Prices are low and the officers
polite and very communicative, some
thing which contrasts with American
railroad officials, where short answers
are the rule.
The only thing which strikes an
American, and be he even an adopted
citizen, with dismay, is the display Of
the military, especially on the drilling
grounds. where the revolving spectacle
of men being trained to exterminate
each other in the most approved style,
can be had. The new infantry arms
are SO deadly that they penetrate
a tree ten inches thick, and
the certainty of aim is SO great
when they look at their targets after
practice The projectiles are so FAT
flying that bodies of infantry can open
fire on an invisible enemy, the dis
tances being given by superior Of
fcer. The powder used is smokeleSs.
and the report is not as loud as that of
the older firearms. The same powder
is used 10y the artillery.
When return home it will be with a
feeling of security and comfort to have
chosen a country for my home where
the power to make war lies with peo-
pie, who knows by experience, the cost
of it, and when by the geographical
position such unfortunate collisions are
not much to be feared. EMIL GEIsT. 2