The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-14
G GERM ANS VIEW or
THE UNITED STATES

4 U sHVvVvst ts1 0tnyeS
One OF the most prominent literary men IN
Germany is Karl 1aniprecht, professor Of
history IN the University Of Leipzig. He
has long been a leader OF thought In
the Fatherland. and has taken, a cot,sp'c.
tous part In tho discussion which has
been going on In that country for ten
years concerning the nature and scope
OF history The Immediate question, under
discussion Is whether or not history is
science or an art. Lanprecht claims
thai 1t Is q science while his opponents
maintain that It Is and must always re-
main an art. S In reviewing the discuss
sion, Professor William u. Dodd, OF
RANDOLPH College, says that Lam
precht divides all knowledge into two
olasses-the one dependent OH mechanics.
the other on psychology. He contends
that history Is. a science dependent on
psychology, dealing Will, the acts OF men
jrst as botany deals With tie manifcstn-
tons OF plant life. He holds that tho
making of history which tho politicians
SO often conceivesto be their role In lie
is q very misleading term. History IS
mot made, but 1T unfolds itself as re- re-
sultant Of the thousand and one forces
Of which our lenders are bit the hum
bic opponents. The great influences
which give a people their character and
determine the direction OF their develop
nient arise from climatic and geographi-
chi conditions, race antecedcnts and the
reaction on these Of economic forces
which forces are themselves in large
measure the resultants Of the above men-
toned conditions. Economic advantage
and Industrial ID aptitude determine the
character of people, not the VIII OF
leaders or leading classes.
Professor Iamprecht recently paid q
visit to Richmond and to Randolph Ma
con College, and all who met him were
charmed Will, his delightful personality
He Is brilliant; he Is learned: he is witty;
he Is magnetic, and his somewhat broken
English makes him all the more attrac-}
tive. While in & Richmond representa-
tive of The Times-D Dispatch took him on
q drive, pointing out along the tway&vari-
Gus objects OF Interest, He saw the state
Library, the statuary In the Capitol
lie buildings, but that which pleased him
in the western suburbs. He is q great
lover Of art, and HIS eyes fairly danced
as he gazed upon the noble figure ~
the Confederate Echieftain. He finally de-
gclared that It impressed him as! no other
work OF art In the United States had
done. In vain was he reminded that some
of the critics found serious fault with
the statue. He had no fault to find. He
was asked y ( he liked \ 1t better than he
liked the Was hlngt on group In the Cap
itol Square and he iunhestltatingly re-
piled in the az cirmative. He said that the
Washington group was historic while the
-
He, was favorably impressed also with
the Howltzer$ st atue at Howitzer Place.
While speaking Of art he said that the
American love for athletics: had done.
a great deal for American art; that we
.ofSthe human form divine and that our.
statues brought out the muscles and the
best features OF physica development
Attic 8Westmorelard5 Club 1.-THE portrait
which pleased him most was that or Pres
ident Davis AS soon as 1T caught his.
eye his face lighted up, and, turning, to
his companions, he said: Artist ocra tie
He also studied with keen interest the
portraits Of Lee and jackson and other
Confederate heroes: s35
Tho conversation finally turned to Ger
man affairs; and he5wasS asked to inform
his companions what q German social
list was. He laugh he'd and said that In
the main he was a nalcontent;s that It
was true that Germany had her COM
munists. but that they we're few in the
ranks Of Socialists; that the great body
OF Socialists did not believe dn con1mun-
ism. and would not think OF voting with
that political factioni If they thought there
was any possibility of4scontrol by the
communistic element; but that the per-:
sons who were ''ag'in the government
manifested their opposition and protest
by voting with the Socialists. Referring
70 a recent event concerning one Of the
nobility which need not here be d tall
ed. he said that most OF the people in
the locality chiefly concerned were in-s
.dlgnant at the course which a fairs took
and at the very next election manifested
their indignation by voting with the Sos
.cialists.
That is a most interesting view. and
suggestive. Some day, perhaps we shall
have such a party in the United States
a party with big safety valve attach
'lGent through, which the temporary In.
dignation Of the malcontents may find
vent. 5s
II Professor Lamprecht had been travelling
considerably In the United states. and In
his travels had made a passing study Of
the railredds OF this country and their
systemaof operation. Hc8is himself notl-t
Ing Of a communist. but he believes In
government control and operation OF rail-
roads, and thinks that the German sys-s
tenn Is Infinitely superior to ours. He
also inssted that there was nothing mon
arcllical in government operation Of rail-
roads. One complaint which he had
against the American roads was that the
tladns we're often delayed. and that IT.
~ Int a4
for delayed train could ascertain with
any certainty when It would arrive. It
was not so, he declared, In Germany,
adding tllatAif a certain fast train To-
Berlin should arrive an hour behind tllne.i
the incident would he subject for dis
cussion In the Rechstag. lie also in-5
sisted that the schedules to and from the
commercial centers were much better
than In the United States. and were made
TO suit the convenience Of passeng gers. 4S
Speaking OF the war between Russia
and Japan, he paid n high tribute to the
Intelligence of the Japanese. He regards
them as among the shreWdest and most