The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-07-03
WILLIAM SkEELS' IDEAS.
GLAD TO he HOME AFTER A
TOUR OF EUROPE.
He Chats of Sleepy Stores, Honest
~ Governed Cities and Well
Dressed Women.


Mr.. and Mrs. William Skeels have Just
returned to Sacramento after a Euro
pean tour of four months. Mr.. Skeels
was seen yesterday at his post of duty
at Weinstock e Lubin's. Though very
busy. he consented to give the Rec
ord-Union" his impressions of Europe
and the institutions of the Old World.
Aside from the sights beheld by the
usual visitor, Mr.. and Mrs. Skeels one
night found themselves pushed along in
Vienna crowd until they We're among
the visitors of royalty and in the pres
ence of the Emperor. When they ex-
planned to the guards that they were
forced to their place In the rush they
We're allowed to remain
Ihey also had a strange experience in
England. One of the guards on a train
asked for permission for a gentleman
to ride in their compartment, as the
train was crowded. A rather carelessly
dressed and absentminded man sat
opposite them. HIS valise seemed TO
be out of gear, and it flew open many
times during the trip, though he sol
EMMY closed it each time, and never
said word. A few weeks later he was
pointed out to them as one of the most
famous men of the age. Their compan-
ion that day was Zangwill, the we'll
known Jewish novelist
Of course Mr.. Skeels noticed those
things that pertain to his own business.
In response to a question about the
stores of Europe, he said among other
things:
THE foreign shops and stores were
a disappointment to me- They adver-
tise little and are not progressive. AL
most no attention is paid to window
dressing and special store features. as
in this country, while many of their
business methods are slow and incon-
Venient. For instance, the Bon Marche
OF Paris and other large stores make
but one delivery of goods a day, so that
a purchase of goods in the morning is
not received home until late in the
afternoon
Another point serves in illustration
of their methods: When any article
no matter how small its VALUES
bought, the salesman, after making out
his check, asks the purchaser to step
with him to a cashiers desk This may
be nifty feet away, and you await your
turn like man at a general delivery
window in a POstoffice. When your
turn comes, the salesman hands the
check to the cashier, who copies it in
detail into a large book. After all this
ceremony the cashier receives your
money, and the clerk who sold you the
order is free for the next customer. If
customer seeks to buy goods on what
we call the transfer system between
departments he might as we'll take his
luncheon along.
The most surprising thing is that
European stores do not display costly
and beautiful goods as we do. Most of
the fine goods seen in this country come
from Europe, but it seems that they
are made specially for America. They
are far too expensive for the middle
classes of Europe, and American buy
ers strip the big European houses of
their best goods.
Another thing is that there Is not
the difference of styles in Europe that
one would expect. 1 saw hundreds of
the gowns forwhich Paris is famous. The
sleeves We're of the same cut and full
ness as those now worn in Sacramento.
While fully one-third of the costumes
had the full blouse effects seen here
six months ago.
oul TIC rTSLcn women understand
the art Of dressing perfectly. Their style
ana taste are remarkable. / think the
chief secret of their success is that
they 90 not mix colors as freely as do
English and American women. We
saw hundreds of costumes of gray or
tan cloth, trimmed with ribbon or silk
embroidery, and almost invariably in
colors to match. When a contrasting
int
sparingly. With the costumes were hats
of the same colors, or quite as often
In plain lace or jet, medium size. and
quietly trimmed. 1t was amusing to
See English tourists in their French
costumes, for they invariably added
by means of ribbons or flowers on the
hat or dress, from two to three addi-
tlonal colors, completely spelling the
original effect. / think that the woman
who uses good materials, avoids ex-
treme styles, and puts but two or three
colors in complete costume. including
the hat, has the secret of the French
attractiveness in dress, as far as it can
be conveyed by formula"
Mr.. Skeels also made some observa
tlons In the realm of politics and the
government OF cities. He confirms the
views OF the editor of the Review of
reviews" to the effect that the gov
eminent OF cities there is honestly con-
quoted. On this subject he said:
The cost of armies and royalty in
foreign countries is great, but the
money seems to be honestly expended
Inere are no Richard Crokers or solid
boards OF Supervisors. This is espe-
clally true in England, where national
and municipal affairs are conducted as
honestly as private businesses.
"A very loyal and intense American.
Judge from Kansas, who has been
living there for several years, said that
there is less corruption in the election
or the go members of Parliament than
IN one Congressman in his own State.
The crying need of our country is
purity In the administration of public
aHalrs. Perhaps you do not know
what shock it is to the pride Of a
loyal American to have the chief topic
OF conversation on home coming ships
the sbribing Of custom-house officials.
Here we are a great and Christian ma
ton, just now engaged in an unselfish
war for the sake of humanity, and yet
we maintain in the full glare of our
greatest port a body of custom house
officials that feed like sharks on trav-
elers and at the expense of the Gov
eminent
These officials do not wait for you
to make the advances. They make The
way easy for all who are inclined to
avoid paying duty. In my case a man
came up to me and without the slight
est pretext said: I will see that Won