The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-28
Public Places and Avenues a
Model Of Cleanliness.
After the Manner of Chicago
Only Much More Substantial.
COMMENT ON THE CITY.
Everybody Eats, Drinks and
Stays Up All Night.
Can't Say Much for the Noted
Inter Den Linden

bSIlins 0C4AId4lS5 July 10
Berlin is a new town. Forty years
ago its population was less than half
a million. Now it is more than two
and a half millions. With this increase
of five fold in what is called "our
times" the city naturally and neces-
sarily is modern and up to date and
not at all in the class of European
cities which are "old and interesting.
We think cities in America have risen
rapidly. Berlin has grown faster than
Chicago. which is going some. The
boom struck Berlin about the time
Prussia defeated Austria and estab-
nshed herself at the head of the Ger
man federation in 1866. 1t was stimu-
lated by the victory over France IN
1870 and made immense by the organ
izatiOn of the German empire in 1871,
with Berlin as its capital. Since that
time the imperial authorities and the
force of business have pushed Berlin at
every turn, until this town in a sandy
plain without commercial advantages
or excuse for its progress has gone far
beyond all other German cities. 1t has
been built under direction of a power
full authority which has used sensible
and artistic rules for architecture and
construction. The buildings are hand
somer than those IN Chicago and the
public places and avenues are as beau
llLul DIS any the WOIlQ. Inc ODJSC-
ton of the tourist is that it is too
new" 1t is too much like Chicago
would be if Chicago had been built of
better material and with an idea of the
beautiful. instead of just growing up
hit and miss. The ground upon which
Berlin stands is as level as Hutchin-
son. but the sewerage and drainage are
perfect, the streets are kept clean and
there is neither dirt nor smoke. The
emperor doesn't have to be reelected
every other spring and therefore he
can do as he pleases, regardless of
complaints of tax payers, property
owners or business men. In Berlin
and in Germany the kaiser is still
''ft'' regardless of city councils and
reichstags.
Emperor William and I have had
hard time getting together Last year
I called on him at Strassburg but he
was not there. Just now he is out of
town visiting the young king of Norway
and probably trying to work him on
some political deal. William has a fine
large house on the principal street. It
has gilded dome but the walls need
about two coats of paint. There are
200 rooms and the emperor must have
to keep g lot of hired help. but that is
cheaper in Germany than in the United
States. He is very public spirited
German told me of a lot of parks and
promenades which William had had
constructed and paid for out of his own
pocket. AS the taxpayers pay William
all he gets 1t seemed to me as If the
people had really done this themselves
but my German friend looked upon 1t
as an act Of wonderful civic pride.
don't understand that the kaiser econo-
mixed any or cut off smoking, or did
anything else to make up for the vast
sums Of money required. But I didn't
push the argument further. 1 am not
knocking on Bill-not in Germany.
This German acquaintance, who held
a position under the government, which
may account for his belief in the en-
perOr discussed the difference in public
life between Germany and the United
States. I admitted that there was
great deal Of graft" which I consider
ed largely due to the fact that we had
developed a new country very rapidly,
making numerous opportunities for
amassing wealth and going faster as
nation and a business community than
our laws and regulations could keep up
with. Graft isn't confined to your
country by great deal" he said. Then
he told me of a cabinet minister who
was interested in a big firm which sup
piled the government with large
amounts at exorbitant prices. After
ward I told a newspaper man what I
had heard He said it was true and
that everybody knew it. What a great
piece of news" I commented. He gave
a shrug of his shoulders and said: 1.-The
newspaper man who printed that would
be in jail before the edition was off the
press" Then he told men Of other sim
liar instances comforting because it
made me realize there were others. And
the newspaper man predicted that on
account of the publicity we are giving
to such matters in America we would
come nearer wiping out the disgraceful
/ condition than they would in Germany.
And he told me Germany was the
4 cleanest European state in that respect
Everybody knows that the Spaniards
were defeated so quickly eight years
ago because graft had sold their gov
eminent useless guns and poor powder.
The Russian government is a mass of
corruption. England is finding her own
we'll established rules, formulated on
years of experience, no match for hui
man greed. SO we don't need to give
up in the United States for we can at
least tell all We know (and sometimes
more) and the people applaud instead
of sending US to jail.
The main avenue in Berlin is called
/ Inter den Linden. It is about 200 feet