Birmingham age-herald., 1894-10-14
CORY'S LONDON LETTER.
 F Brief vs'enned for Readers of the
 Age-Herald. Az .RICAN AND ENGLISH tu 6 p ,riodicalS Compared-Styles of the Two NatiOnS--Amer erica,
 as Usual, Ahead.
g .RICAN AND ENGLISH

spondence. IA month in London is worth year in some places which may occur to your mind and mine. But even 6 month gives only the merest surface view of things, for one might well spend that whole time studying Westminster abbey and St. PauPs, the latter being much the grander and more attractive edfice of the two. Looking merely on the surface, there are only two striking points of differ ence between this metropolis and the ordi- nary American city-the utter absence of ice water and antipathy to the Irish. We love them both. One is not expected to drink water here, least of all ice water, which is to be had at all only as a special concession 10 the unimproved and reckless American. The Irish have friends enough in England, more especially in the north, but the Londoner with whom traveller comes in contact resents even the little loss which this capital would suffer from even a small rival across the Irish sea.
 MT. Wilson of tariff bill fame was here last week and had banquet, at which he made fine speech among much cheering. He is accused of coming here merely to be lionized by the free trade British. Perhaps so. At least it may be accepted as non- sense that he should have come for his health to such climate as this, where the seldom sunshine is among the rarest and most prized of all the peoples possessions. However that may be, am afflicted with less doubts as to the correctness of the Cleveland Wilson programme than ever. Indeed these people are behind in these closing years of the century. Not myself merely, but every American you meet here is impressed with the idea of slowness visible all around. There is ar ral Inat xnff GerAf hi Tnh yu the marked characteristic with us. By certain ways and means they have mar veousy succeeded. Why change? So the omnibus is relied on for transporta- rarity, while gas still has the call on eec- tricity. Enelishmen thoroughly apprs- ciate, too, that their great rival is Ameri- ca, and 1t seems to me they stand just little in awe of the colossus across the way.
 We are accustomed to resent what we re- gard as an excessive adoption of things English among certain of our people. We have an idea that we rather run after them rand are too much disposed to buy English books and English goods, and tnat some- how we ought to curb ourselves in that fe-- gard. But if we will get down from certain 'supper class' who are toadies to an "upper classo here, and take the great body of people as represen tative, we will surely find the less prejudics on this side, the greater readiness to adopt American ways and productions. Our magazines and periodicals which are really representa- tive, such as the Police Gazette in it's line and the Century and Harper's in theirs, are a thousand times better known and more read than any English publica- tiou is in the United States. American authors are well known and as much ap- preciated here as English authors with us. On every street you see signs hung out, "Mr. -, American dentist, the home practitioner being wholly distanced by the popularity of the foreigner. Shops of every description are found with s'American' as a part of their designation, being com bined tribute to the value of the tourist trade and the popularity of Yankee Hnoticns.D
 Old age has its disadvantages in nations and cities as well as in men, and they sometimes counterbalance it's advantages. The jumbled streets and courts and by ways, the narrow passages and sudden turns which it IS now too late to rem sdy, are London's heritage from remote an- cestors. Commerce roars and rumbles, but at it's best 1t suff.rs manifest incon- venience and delay as compared with the easy rush of life through the wide, straight streets of modern communities, working from the beginning in the light of experience. With our better equipment, better application of the scien ces aud me- chanic arts to everyday needs, aud inn proved facilities for doing every imagina- ble thing, we ought not to stagger and grow afraid every time British competition
 
 to their laurels.
 The surface view of it all impresses me- however, with the sense of profound re- spect and almost reverence for what 1 see about me. Those who plan and build are evidently sfed!with the teachings of their own experience and put down tteir work as if to stay for all time. The sof' fly, massiveness, eternal enduring appe{ ance of London is in itself @ tribute to th~ grandeur of the people. Even the interior of the theaters have a certain substantially of their own. The only s'fashy' thing I have seen in old London is the Albert me- morial, the stately temple that surmounts the gilded statue of the late Prince Consort. With it's red and blue and gold colorinRs, it is surprisingly rich and beautiful, such structure as one would look for iu tho east of the romancers and poets. But it is out of keeping with every other thing don0 by these people, whose tastes are sobered by the fogs and tradition, an d SO it looka cheap and bizarre. This does not apply to the grand base on which the te F -
 The talk we hear at ho.ue es sfsssy srs being 'cheap'' in Engisiss, l.7aabss snd thot ;s d, aIs s , Catalogue of vsitor's snart u-s5n it comes to living ln hoteisi roa-SifR houses or apartms ts, All of Which have tried and thoroughly lu ouired into, the same money VIII go iurtneS-- in New York, our most expensive cisxs
 Consul Lucien Julien Walker Q, Sorzs Ireland, will be here to see me oc.oD0s = and will write you to what eAcsuv ne n nas sscaught on'' to the dialect or taS u.een Asie-a '''@'so. = O. O.