Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-19
AMERICA IN SWEDEN
Along the Tfaolof Our Com
merciaf Invasion.
VENICE OF THE NORTH
STORES ARE FILLED WITH GOODS
FROM THIS COUNTRY.
Demand for Our Tools and Machinery
Are the People Really Our
FriendsP
Copyright, 1903, by Frank G. Carpenter.)


of our commercial invasion. This Scandi
navian peninsula has about seven and one
half million people, but it's inhabitants
buy more goods than five times that many
Russians or fifteen times as many Chinese.
Both the Swedes and Norwegians are thrift
ty money makers and good spenders They
have wants and the money to satisfy them.
The Swedes alone annually import $685.,
100000 worth of goods, and their exports
approximate 100000, 600. The country Is
financially sound and its paper Is good.
1 am surprised at the wealth Of this
Swedish city. The people on the streets
are well dressed, and not one man in a
dozen has patched pantaloons such as you
will see on the lower classes Of
London or Paris. The stores filled
with fine goods and the new build
ings compare favorably with the best in
Berlin The new Royal Bank is a magnif-
cent structure, the post Office building is
another and the new parliament houses
facing the bridge which leads to the kings
palace are grand. There are many new
big business blocks and the whole city is
having a substantial growth.
The Venice of the North.
Stockholm is beautifully situated. 1t is
sometimes called the Venice of the North,
and in some respects it surpasses in beauty
the Venice of the Adriatic. Rome was,
built on seven hills, Stockholm stands on
seven islands, separated from one another
by as clear water as that which flows from
the mountains Of Virginia. In front of it
is narrow ford, which, island studded,
winds it's way out to the sea, distance of
seventy-five miles, and behind it is Lake
Malar, which is spotted with islands as
ElU 10 fhn T hot
Montreal and Toronto.
/ came across the Gulf of Bothnia from
Finland to Sweden, going in and out among
islands. Entering the ford which leads to
Stockholm. we wound our way through is
lands which sometimes were so close to-
gether that the channel looked like river,
and we could see nothing but the wooded
shores on each side. Then there would be
break in the Islands and a beautiful bay
bordered with cottages would appear show
ing out Of the evergreen trees. Now the
islands were evergreen hills. rising from
the water like the haH-submerged Andes
at the Strait of Magellan, and now they
were apparently floating like those of Lake
Titicaca, on the Bolivian plateau. We had
all the beauties of the inland sea of japan
allied to those Of the Thousand Islands of
the st. Lawrence.
There were five hours of such sailing and
then turn Of the boat brought Stock
holm into view. The city fioated. as it
ing directly in front. On one of the hills
nearer us was big factory, which, / am
told, chews up bales Of American cotton
and weaves them into cloth for the Swedes,
and not far away were flour mills which
are fed on American, grain. On one side
were shipyards where the Swedish men-of-
war are built, and right in front was the
city, with its towers and spires extending
high above the houses and shipping.
American Goods in Sweden,
Landing at the quay had no trouble in
finding the tracks of the American inva-
sion. There were barrels of -four from
Minneapolis on the wharves. great boxes of
fruit from California, side meat and hams
from Chicago, lard from Kansas City and
American machinery from everywhere. 1
stepped out of my ship on the Island of
Staden, where stands the kings palace, and
crossed the bridge to the island on which
the chief business blocks are
Walking past the opera house I came to
one of the biggest machine-tool stores 1
have seen since l left home. 1t was full Of
great lathes, augers, cranes and boring ma
chimes: There were emery wheels and
every kind of grinding and cutting tool.
1 could see from the window that most O
the machinery came from the United States
and entered and talked with the manager
He was Swede who spoke German. He
told me that the store was owned by
German and that the chief branch of the
was in Berlin. with a minor
branch in New York. He said that the best
machine tools sold were of American make
and that they were better liked than any
other. The most of his goods came in
through Germany, being credited in the re-
ports to that country and not to the United
States.
They Like American Foods.
Leaving this shop I went on to my hotel
where left my baggage and then started
out for walk. found other machine-to
stores in different parts of Stockholm, and
also other establishments which handle
American goods. There is an agency for
American reapers and mowers near the
Central station. American sewing ma
chimes and rolled oats advertised on the
bill boards, and American cameras are to
be seen everywhere.
/ entered half dozen stores and restau-
rants which were using American cash reg
listers, and saw several agencies selling our
best bicycles at high prices. l am told that
America is now setting the style In almost
all kinds Of machinery, and l see that 1t Is
also setting the styles for dress. The Amer
lean flag is used for hat trimming here as
it is in Berlin. 1 saw fair-haired Swedes
on the streets with jaunty hats bound
about with the red, white and blue, and it
seemed to me that the people must be
friendly to us.
The Swedes and the Yankees.
I have since learned that their love is
doubtful The Swedes take American
goods because they are the best. Other
things being equal, they would rather buy
of the English, Germans or French. They
do not like the enormous emigration which
has been going on to our country, and they
apparently do not like u.s. Until within a
few years a jealousy and suspicion seems
to have existed as to all things American.
Indeed, it has been almost impossible to
Introduce our goods into Sweden. When
the Swedes were, told that they were
cheaper than the same things made in
Europe they replied that this might be so,
but the stuff was cheap and nasty They
put big tariff on American goods and
tried to keep them out of the country. We
sent them. however, Notwithstanding the
tariff. and they have made their way by
pure merit Our exports are still subject
to rigid inspection. and If there is any
excuse they are Disseminated against
Since the Spanish-American war our repu-
tation has risen, and our goods have some-
what profited thereby, but the inspection is
still rigid
They Eat Our Horse Meat.
curious export from our country for
instance. is horse meat This Is sold at the
butcher shops and is greedily eaten by the
poorer classes. The meat is imported from
different countries, and among other coun-