The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-25
A Foreigners Impression Of America.

Mr.. Walter Besant, the English
novelist has been travelling in this
country, and in an interview with a
representative of the Pail Mall Bud
get he relates his impressions OF the
people and some of the cities he visit
ed. We copy in part: -, -,
"What do you think Of Chicago?"
'The business part of the city is
ugly. It consists of vast blocks of
buildings. Three of these blocks
they are contiguous, and each is
eighteen stories high-accommodate
no fewer than 5000 people-princi-
pals, clerks, storekeepers. warehouse
men and others-every day. This
part of the town is empty in the eve
ming and is silent on Sunday it is,
in point of fact, very similar to- our
own City Outside the region Of
business there are beautiful villas form
ing suburbs like those which encom-
pass London.
"And the inhabitants of this great
city-what about them?"
"There is one great point to note
in these towns said Mr.. Besant, by
way Of reply, "and that is the vast
number nun Of foreig gners. In Buffalo, for
example, there are Polish quarter, a
German quarter, an Irish quarter, and
a native American quarter.
"But the English, have they no
quarter?'
''They generally merge with the
Americans. The Irish do not. They
keep to themselves and form their
own little political caucuses; but it
would be an exaggeration to say that
they are greatly beloved by the peo-
pie in whose midst they have conde-
scended to take up their abode. Some
day, indeed, the Americans will rise
and-but there, we had better not talk
politics"
"But the other races-the Poles,
the Germans and the like?"
"These will merge, like the Eng
lish, with the Anne ricans. And that
very soon, I think. Listen to this
little anecdote. While in New Ha-
ven, I was asked one day if. / would
have my boots 'shined.' 1t was a
bright-faced, pretty little boy who ac-
costed me. I asked him for his name
and he said it was Bobolovoski, or
something of the kind-spell it in
your own way-and that he was q
Polish Jew. He was only ten years
of age, he said, and he got up every
morning at six and went out to shine.
From nine TO twelve he was at school.
He shined from twelve until the af-
ternoon, when he went to school
again, and in the evening he shined
once more. Now this little fellow
was, in fact, a perfect American
there can be no question about it
although by birth he was Polish
Jew"
"And now, Mr.. Becant, I would
like a few of your impressions OF
America. F"
IT have not overmuch to say re-
piled the novelist. O'"fhe thing which
struck me most was the fact that you
have not seen America at all until
you have been to Chicago. New York
is not America, New York is a cos
mopolitan city ]; Boston is not Ameri-
ca, Boston is old; Philadelphia is not
America, Philadelphia is asleep. But
at Chicago you are at the very heart
of the country-you are at the centre
of everything. Chicago will be to
America what Babylon formerly was
to Asia. The city and it's inhabitants
are young. They are rich in resource.
They are full of confidence. They do
not care what they spend. Consider
what sums they have laid out over
the Exposition. 'We do not mind,
that is what they seemed to say, let
the thing be dead failure if it will
we can get plenty more millions later
on. These good people do not want
to save, and they have no desire to
endow family. They give away
enormous sums. During Commence
ment at Harvard University, the
president announced the receipt Of
donations, amounting to something
like s750,000. Harvard is, indeed,
richer than Cambridge. Yes" said
Mr.. Besant in conclusion, America,
in spite Of the many years that have
rolled by since she first became ma
tion, is still young-young, vigorous,
and rich in hope for the future.