Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-24
GERMAN CITIES.
Berlin, Dresden and Leipsic, Cologne,
Munich and Nuremberg.

greatest cities of the German empire
surpass in population German New
York or German Chicago. While the
French are not easily uprooted from
their capacity for travel or transplant
tation 1t has seemed to me that |
have never met so manly of them
travelling as this spring. But it is
not of Germany abroad that I am to
write, but of Germany at home. l
have just been knocking at the door
of several German cities, Cologne,
Berlin, Dresden, Leipsic, Nuremberg
and Munich They are all representa-
tive cities, and all differ greatly from
each other, as much as Boston differs
| from New York, Philadelphia from
Washington, or Baltimore from Chi
cago. Cologne is city of the rhine.
Berlin is pre-eminently Prussian,
though growing more and more an
imperial city. Dresden and Leipsic,
both strongly contrasted, show their
Saxon heritage; while Nuremberg and
Munich, though essentially different,
reveal the spirit of south Germany,
and adhere to it's traditions.
At Cologne I had only time to re-
Visitor the fourth time-the great
cathedral AS an incarnation Of the
exquisite charm of Gothic architecture.
what could be more beautiful than ST.
Chapelle at Paris? and for it's stipend
Gus magnificence what can equal
Cologne? When we think of the CEN
turtles it took to build it, it is sub
lime illustration Of continuity of as
piration in religion and art.
At Berlin, German imperialism finds
it's most imposing expression, not in
the monuments of the war, but in the
Reichstag building, one of the finest
parliamentary structures in the world
In architecture and decorations it is
rich brilliant, stately and Inspiring
No pains or expense have been spared
in ornament or convenience. On the
day which I attended, the proceedings
were devoid of excitement. There are
seven or eight different parties or
fractions of parties in the German Par
lament; but in important issues they
generally fuse into three parties
represented by the right, the left and
the center. Socialism is persistent,
but not united. The Reichstag con-
sists of about $50 mebers, numerically
almost the same as our own House Of
Representatives They have not made
the mistake of building a hall too
large Though members may and do
speak from their seats in debate, they
have, as in Parliament chamber at
/ - 0f
but lower than the presidents, from
which orators speak who have set
speeches to deliver While they speak
with their backs to the presiding Of
ficer, who has, however, no difficulty
in hearing, they can thus face at once
the members and the galleries. The
daily opening of the Reichstag is at
tended with no such founalities as
mark our own. The sergeant-at-arms
does not come in with the mace and
place it in it's socket, and there is no
chaplain to offer prayer. The presi-
dent simply goes to his desk, takes a
dinner-bell, and rings the house to
order. The dinner-bell, by the way
takes the place of our gravel in more
than one European country. 1t is also
used in France and Germany not lit
tie at railway stations, when the "20
minutes for dinner" has expired to
ring the passengers out of the din
ing-room as in our country it is used
TO ring them in.
The new Berlin is growing in an
imposing manner. The Thiergarten
| bo, oI with CT Of 20
great heroes in German history. The
memorial church to Kaiser Wilhelm is
beautiful modern structure, and they
are building a new court cathedral.
At Ploetzensee and at Moabit, Berlin
has two of the finest prisons on the
continent A kind extension of Of
fetal courtesies gave me an opportun-
ity to study the Berlin police system,
which is distinctly different in many
respects from that of London or Paris.
I arrived just in time to hear the must
cal tribute which the pupils of
Joachim, past and present, organized
in great orchestra, gave to him on
the Goth anniversary of his career as
an artist,-a notable tribute to a not
able man. I cannot forget, too, the
delightful afternoon at the home of
Fraulein Adele aus der Ohe and her
magnetic rendering of some of her own
compositions I was newly impress
ed with her genius.
The growth of Dresden in the last
% years has not spoilt it's charm. 1t
is still a small, homelike city, with a
fine park, modern conveniences, de-
lightfully situated on the banks of the
Elbe, and with great attractiveness for
English and Americans. AS passed by
a large field in the outer part Of the
city where two boys were playing ball.
it was perfectly evident that two Ger
man boys could not or at least do not
throw ball in that way. what part
of the United States do you come
from?" I shouted. "From near New
York" on of them answered. Where
in the world can one find such price
less collection of jewels, diamonds,