The San Francisco call., 1897-04-04
GAS IIHERS SEE U.s."


Providence and the enterprise OF New York
publishlng-house we are enabled to view our
selves in full-length mirror prepared for
our use by a stranger within our gates.
Scarcely recovered, in fact still convalescent,
from a severe attack of Haweisetis, we are
once more reduced to a condition in some re-
spects similar by this prophet crying "Woe!
woeP' in the accents of a veritable Solomon
Eagle.
Our author processes to have written his
book in response TO the urgent solicitations of
American friends. The notes from which his
work has been prepared are those such as any
observant foreigner would make while on
tour of the United States. He assures us that
no malice is intended. since there was naught
but kindness received by him duri ng his two
visits to these shores. Albeit he evidently
sees lar less to admire in our institutions
than did either of his countrymen, Blouet
or Bourget and even less than the pessimiStic
Haweis. He is apparently a man who has
taken particular note of the small things of
life He is well travelled and constantly
makes reference to life in London, in Berlin
and in his native Paris. He compliments us
on one hand and unmercifully berates
us on the other. He launches forth into
denunciations and INDUCES in visions and
prophecies. His final conclusion is ex-
pressed in the idea that the American
Teople are nation of contradictions.
is received at the landing by a villainously
attired aud hammered omnibus-driveT, who
charges him 10 francs for a twC-mile drive
and franc tor each extra piece of luggage he
carries. The coachman does not possess the
SuG5iter in rodo OF the French cocher. Terri
bel AFreurn But there are compensations.
'You are ushered into the room engaged for
you at the hotel in Fifth avenue. In a mo-
ment the wharf, the hurly-burly are forgotten.
tah
bathroom done in tiles; there are soft carpets.
beautiful rugs, tasteful furniture, and tie
Figaro, Revue des DeuX Mondes and LIE Petlt
Journal cut and on your table"
Our Frenchman's first impression is prob
ably derived from corporation rule rs MADE
manifest in a wretched public service. The
cable-cars are overcrowded and the sign
"Complet" is not displayed. Machinery is
used TO what is to him an incredible extent.
Everything requiring nicely of mechanical
means everything that can be done by steam
or electricity or gas, or by harnessiug the
powers of nature, is done well-someumes
superiatively well-while anything demand
ing personal service or the training, discipline
and courtesy OF men and women acting as
servants, in either high or low capacity, is
done meanly carelessly, irresponsibly, and
without any sense of honorable allegiance to
master"
So democratic are we that we permit our
equalities 10 show themselves even in our
railway travel. The peripatetic trainb boy is
permitted 10 maintain stand in a Pullman
car Said trainboy distributes literature and
bonbons without regard to the needs of his
90 clients. Thus elderly gentlemen receive
packages OF chewing-gum, matrons copies of
sporting Journals; editions of Zola or Paul de
Kock presented 10 young girls; nurses
with infants are given apples or nuts and
candy, for which the children cry when the
Our traveller marvels that the good American
public stands this treatment under corporate
rule. In France, he says, "Such infringe
ments of the rights of the people to personal
comfort and personal dignity ii persisted in
would result in revolution, and in London one
day of it would fill the next days newspapers
with Indignant protests and IN a weeks time
the matter would be under the control of the
police"
In the instance quoted we catch a first
glimpse of the authors faculty for generaliz-
lag. 1t seems strange to the initiated that he
an apparently weIl-trsvelled man, should be
unaware of the overcrowding which takes
place every day on the Underground Railway
in London, for instance. He claims that pro-
test in America is useless as the protestor is
unpopular here. There are too many people
interested, he finds, in keeping the people
slaves to permit any one TO express dissent;
but what is true of New York in this regard
may be said TO apply with equal force to Lon
don. In any event it is fact which viii not
admit of dispute, that both the railway aud
municipal car systems of this continent are
infinitely superior to anything that can be
found either in England or in Continental Eu-
rope. Here at least one is not expected to
travel from Paris TO Marseilles or 10 the Rivi-
era deprived of even the commonest comforts
that are to be found in American local trains.
Our social life, the author of america and
G,dy ef.o
Wealth is the only standard and the average
American seems 20 dislike being alone. The
habit of dining out is a growing one and is
probably due 10 he servant question, which
rules here to a greater extent than In England.
man with $4,000 per annum in New York is
badly of. He must keep up appearances and
servants These servants do not possess the
faithful characteristics of their compeers
abroad: They are wasteful and extravagant, t,
and a French family could live upon the food
that is thrown away by the middle-class
American.
This brings US very naturally to the posi-
ton OF husband and wife in The American
household. The Oriental idea of woman being
the weaker vessel appears to be reversed in
America, thinks our author. and one of the
strangest political phenomena TO him seems
to be the ceaseless agitation for women's
rights in the United States.
''Rightsp' he exclaims, Mon Dieut They
have lights, privileges, autocracy in this
country. Pray what more can they want? In
Europe the wife takes the position of her hus-
band, but in the United States the husband
merely fits into the social exingencies of his
wife best he can. NO" he concludes chad
q young wife and daughters l should not
turn the N out for the summer at Saratoga or
Bar Harbor unless L were American hus-
band, in which case should do as were bid
and pay the bills"
From the husband and the wife to the chill
dren is but step. Oursuthor's opinion OF the
American child is expressed In the heading to
mis- chapter dealing with the subject: "L' en-
Jdnt terrible" He notes that even in the mind
of the American child there exists the same
plutocratic ideas as in the parents. Like
father like son, and you hear children in
chorus everywhere placing money values upon
every thing. Spoiled children in America are
the rule rather than the exception, and IL is
only too apparent that the word "home" is
merely figure of speech.
Apropos of this it is but meet to say that
there is much truth in the remark. The
writer of this review was staying for a few days
last summer at the Hotel Rafael. Taking q
constitutional and cigar one evening at that
celebrated hostelry be overheard a child re-
mark to her little playmate: "Oh, but we are
much richer than you are. We live in a cor
ner house while you live in the middle OF the
block" The writer thought that here was
good opportunity to read little homily to the
child in question. He called her to him and
asked: WHO told you. my dear that 1t was
more fashionable to live In a corner house
than in the middle of the bIockT "Why, 1