Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-12-29
THE BEAUTY OF THE
ALPINE MOUNTAINS
German Tourists and Monstes
Hotels Have Injured the
Section.
BEAUTY LEAGUE FORMED
It viii Also Endeavor to Make sigh
Seeing Cheaper to Visitors
70 the Famous Summer
Mcccas.
From the Pail Mail Gazette.


The recent formation in switzerland
OF a league for the preservation OF the
beauty of the Alps has already met
with a sympathetic reeeption In Eng
land, where the matter has been taken
up with a view, If not of forming an
English branch, at least OF lending q
helping hand.
Sir Martin Conway, who was asked
by a representative OF the Fall Mall
Gazette whether the movement was
likely to succeed, said he thought It
was, and his reason for thinking so
was that 1t is a local movement. Had
the preservation league been formed
outside of Switzerland and he doubt
er whether anything would have come
OF it. but seeing that it was a home
movement 1t was likely, he considered,
to have considerable effect.
The great injury done to Switzerland
in Sir Martins opinion. has been the
erection OF Monster hotels altogether
out of scale with the villages n their
surroundings, and 1t was very diff,
cult, he said, to see how the destruction
of the Alps In this way could be pre-
vented except by the pressure OF local
pub%c opinion.
but has local opinion" Sir Martin
was asked. lever prevented the oper-
atoms of the builder where the needs
OF the tourist have been a considers,
tion?"
Yes" said Sir Martin, "I will give
you a case as much overrun by tour
lists al Switzerland, The very beautifully
Village OF STERLING. A league was
formed for preserving its beauty, and
1t has preserved II absolutely; not g.
single house has been moved or altered
and every new house has been built In
harmony with the old type. The place.
ii is true. has been cleaned n SMART
ened, but II is the perfection of preser-
walton. And what has been accom-
plished in the Tyrol can, I contend. also
be done in Switzerland"
Sir Martin admitted, of course, that
little, IL anything, could be done with
the PAGES hat have already been de-
prived of their charm. but there were
many beautiful places left. he pointedl
out. where the influence OF the league
should be most beneficial.
In common with every visitor to
Switzerland In recent years. Sir Martini
has not failed to notice that h days
when the principal tourists were Eng
lish have rome by. 'aThe English an1'
Americans" he remarked, ARE snowedI
under by the Germans"
ITO what do you attribute this
changer" our representative asked.
ITO organized trips and cheap travel
very largely. The cost OF q return tick
eft from Germany to Switzerland IL
small, and the journey. OF course, takes
nothing like the time that is occupied
In going from England. The Germang,
moreover, have always been a great
people for wandering In the summer
and the fact that they should have gone
to Switzerland In great numbers Is not.
extraordinary. They expect to findl
accommodation at reasonable rates,
and It 10 no doubt to the constantly In
creasing number OF German tourists
that the erection OF these monster
hotels Is due. But any one who likes
can go to pretty places still. There
will always be a demand for quiet
places In the summer. and ~ soon an
q place becomes rowdy and begins TO,
deteriorate, like some OF our watering
places that might be mentioned, II Will
be avoided by persons who require .
quiet holiday"
Reference was made before the In
terview closed to accidents In the Alps
"Ah!" Sir Martin exclaimed. Far
more numerous are the accidents or
which we never hear. When persons
totally inexperienced in climbing set
out, as so many do. with unsuitable
boots, and in other ways quite unpre-
pared for mountaineering and return In
safety-that Is an accident. and 1t -
never reported.