Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-25
BR|TON TALKS OF US
What Sir Thomas Dewar
Thinks of America.
UICK A G T | o N
sHARP-WITTED REPORTER AND
OTHER WONDERS OF THE LAND.
Introduction to Government Officials at
shington-Interview With
the President
Q lex A G 7 l 0 N



a representative of London Opinion, who IN
a weak moment called on him. some OF MS
impressions of our American cousins. The
customs officer who, he says is the first
person one meets, seems to embody the
democratic spirit of the republic the spirit
which may be traced in little incident
which took place on his landing. Being APP
preached by an officer and asked what he
had to declare, lie replied that his sole
dutiahla effects consisted of 200 cigarettes,
whereupon, with tap upon the shoulder,
the response was: My dear boy, not
so mean as that. oh, no! We are not SO
hard on you as that! It's not you chaps
we are looking out for; it's our own lovely
peaches with the diamonds.!'
Quick WitteG Reporter.
The next to address you is the ubiquitous
reporter and, Sir Thomas says, for quick
witted. shrewd intelligence he has never
found the equal of the American pressman.
The first to interview him was imbued in
an extraordinary degree with that power of
foresight inherent in the character of the
race illustrated by his opening remark,
made in one sentence: What stay you
making-how do you like our roads?" He
had apparently presupposed the object of
the visit. Sir Thomas being bound for the
motor races in Florida. What sort of an
opinion he did form might be imagined, con-
Sidering there had been fall of snow and
at the time ii lay everywhere to depth of
three feet. If he had forgotten some of the
many questions and answers, everything
being conducted at rate which any one
unacCuStomed to the hustle of American
life would find bewilderng he had only to
wait three hours for the afternoon edition
of the paper. which contained. besides q
photograph of himself coming off the ship,
a report, half a column in length, of the in
lerNlew, to have his memory refreshed
Manufacture of Speeches.
Sir Thomas is full of appreciation for the
function of the press who he says gives
not only our views and aspirations, but
often makes better speeches for US than
we do ourselves. To use his own express
sion, the skyscrapers still hit one in the
eye on landing and since his last visit,
four years ago, they seemed to have grown
taller, and apparently swayed when struck
by a blizzard, resembling the Tower of
Pisa at times. The underground subway
stirred his astonishment within him. t,x-
press trains travelling below the foundations
OF New York at fifty miles an hour seemed
incredible, If the same ideas of tube sys-
TENS were applied TO London it would
mean that journey from the Bank to
Kensington would occupy no more than
i've minutes. Again, the telephone is per
feet, he says, and assists the rapid promo
ton of business more than anything else
he saw during his visit. 1t is regarded as
an absolute necessity in America and one
cannot help being continually reminded of
its existence. for in large centers an instru-
ment is to be found in every Office, shop,
house. and almost every bedroom. One
minute is the time in which to get con-
nectcd by telephone and he admits from
his own experience ii is not so in London
The American goes straight for his OBJ
ject-he wastes neither time words
When looking on at the motor races at Or
mOnd Sir Thomas remarked to his neigh
lnll a 7 ha hon los h,F1r
al which the motors were passing each
other did not seem to denote a very high
regard for the sacredness of life. He re-
piled: Il guess not-in this country Frugal
is the chariot which bears the human soul
We don't, perhaps. think enough about it
He told a story of a hotel keeper who nad
among his guests member of a New York
dry goods firm travelling in the district for
orders. Now this man died in my hotel
said the hotel keeper, and of course 1 tel
egraphed to the firm what to do with their
partner. 1 got a reply: Search his pock-
cts, wire his orders and send his samples
by passenger train"
Quick Booking.
At dinner which took place just pre-
vious to his departure for Florida Sir
Thomas let fall a remark concerning whist
immediate plans he had in his mind, and
that he left on Friday for the south. When
he had finished speaking a young man came
up and said: Il have engaged by telephone
for you sleeper (he gave the number) for
the two nights you will take going south.
| represent the seaboard line: that is the
best. There are others" BY the first post
In the morning he received his ticket. and
the bill. At the same dinner a speaker in
sisted that, to be an after-dinner orator
one must be d poet. and, as though 10
strengthen his contention. went on to say:
Most of our great poets have gone; Shake
speare's dead Byron has passed away, Ten
nySon is no more, and, to tell you the truth
l am not feeling we'll myself tonight"
Interview With Roosevelt.
At Washington, where he called upon
member of the House of Representatives
he was conducted by this gentleman round
the different buildings, introduced to the
Speaker, Vice President, the Postmaster
General and several of the cabinet then
driven up in coach to the White House,
here to be introduced TO the President and
TO enjoy a charming interview of some ten
to fifteen minutes duration-aN In the.
space of one hour. He retains the happiest
recOlleCtionS OF his visit to the President,
who received him with rare courtesy. The
busy man being generally preoccupied
as TO pay little attention to the ordinary
individual, Sir Thomas half expected he
would receive somewhat similar treatment
TO that accorded to the unwelcome guest
who as il is said in American social cir
Giles, was met IN the hall by the host. who
presented to him his hat, remarking:
Here's your hat; what's your hurryT'
kingdom and America has never been
keener or more pronounced. AS one poll
tician remarked to Sir Thomas. Lord Sails
bury had lot TO do with bringing it about
For years We thought he was giving us
hot air unnecessary compliments but
when the Spanish war came we knew he
was sincere. We shall never forget it,
Sir Thomas has the utmost respect for
the Americans as broad-minded, generous,
hospltabe people. They give you what
they call the glad hand of friendship
Above all does he admire their love of pa
triotism. AS the Irishman said, Every
man loves his country whether he was born
there or notr' In the mind of every citizen
of the United States there is the same de-
sire for action in the common purpose
which binds them together and which is
reflected I'm the expression: Our country
our whole country, and nothing but our
country
Tan-Colored Rubber Overshoes.