The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-02-23
ASNISS MERCHANT IN AMERICA,
An Interesting Interview With
A Stranger.
Some Comparisons Between the Old
and New Worlds.
Switzerland an Ideal Repuriic-sharp
Criticism OF American Institutions.
Dangers of Professionalism In
Southern California.

Leon Flutener is the name of a we'll
TODD Swiss merchant who is visiting
Southern California. Mr.. Flutener went
first to the settlements of his country
men in San Luis Obispo county, and
then, from curiosity to see the country.
he followed the plan some American
tourists adopt in Europe, and walked to
Los Angeles. He had rather comical
experience, as will be seen. He speaks
good English and proves quite interest
ing in conversation. To HERALD re-
porter he remarked:
''The Swiss people in California are
doing quite well where they have gone
into the butter and cheese making in
dustry. l was pleased to find several
old friends of mine, who made it very
pleasant for me. Switzerland is one of
the bright spots of Europe. In Ger
many, Austria and Russia the people
that is the mssses-are robbed first by
the state and then by the church. 1t ia
almost impossible to describe the hor-
rors the poor have to suffer ell over
Europe. 1t is a satire on Christian civili-
cation that after nineteen hundred years
OF 1t the best use the governments Of
Europe can find for their young men is
to take them from industrial pursuits
and train them to cut the throats of
their neighbors.
Switzerland is 30 small that little is
heard OF it. yet the people,, though by
no means rich, are quite happy and
| Ia TO ha i
mitted to the people before it ia enforced
and the result is that we have the only
pure democracy in the world. The
people are moral and kindhearted, and
tramps and vagabonds are almost I'M
known. Everyone is expected to work
for living, but no one need go hungry
if he is willing to share the simple fare
of the peasantrv. The church and
school are to be found in every settle
ment. There is no bigotry and but lit
tie contention among rival sects. We
Swiss may well be proud of our country.
III its resources were not SO limited few
would emigrate.
"The United States is looked upon, all
over Europe, with great admiration and
respect. find much here, however,
that disappoints me. 1t is true that
nine out of ten of your families find it
hard to make both ends meet. Rents,
interest, taxes, high-priced clothing
and other necessities make it essential
for your middle and lower classes to
labor almost from the cradle to the
grave. Your Rockefeller gives mil
lion dollars to Baptist college and then
raises the price of coal oil and gets
his million back out of the pockets
of the people. Your Mr.. Stanford
POUNDS q university and follows Mr..
Rockefeller's example by charging all
the traffic will bear. In the eastern
states hundreds freeze to death with
mountains of coal in sight. You must
admit you have curious kind of O re-
public.
''In California l find thousands and
thousands of acres of land uncultivated
and unused. Under your fine system
some old men and old women are able
to keep the millions of land-hungry peo-
pie from owning or even renting the
broad acres which the monopolists have
fenced in and neither sell, improve or
use in any way. Los Angeles could sup
port a half million people if the ranches
north of you alone were broken up.
GAS you gather from my conversation
l am not at all sure that Americans
need to feel any great pride over this
it ia drifting to class government very
fast. My experience in my pedestrian
tour south will show you how free your
people are. Dressed in rough suit
and often dust and mud stained,
l did not look very far removed
from a tramp. | asked no favore, paid
for what got, and yet on four occasions
I was halted by constables, rudely
asked my business, and it was only too
plain that they were eager to make Q fee
out of me az a vagrant. In this alleged
free country of yours l find it is crime
TO walk your highways and ask for
work. and furthermore, it seems that
the rural constnbles and justices, to use
an American phrase, pool their issues
and consider it a crime for man to
walk at all. In little town in Ventura
county constable actually arrested me,
and only gave up his prize reluctantly
when I showed him letters from the
Swiss consul and from influential friends
OF mine. As I walked away / said to
myself: sand so this is the starry land
offreedom-the home of the oppressed of
all nations." / wondered as saw an
American flag flying over California
school house ii the children could grow
up to respect an emblem which repre-
sents government that protects land
monopolsts and sends men to Jail for
walking it's highways and asking for
work.
my pedestrian experience ia ended.
l leave for Santa Fe, N. NJ, tomorrow,
and after spending few months in the
southern states | shall visit the worlds
fair and return to Switzerland"
Undelivered kilograms.