Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-17

American, and the shops simply swarm
with Them A paper is printed here every
morning containing. nothing but lists OF
guests at the different hotels. 1t is about
as big as eight pages of the Recerd-Her-
aid Nearly half of them register from
the United States. The Germans are next
in number. I see by the home papers that
the emigration department reports 11S.OO
steamship passengers departing for Europe
up to the 1st of August, and it looks as II
most of them were here.
And the way they spend money Is amaz.
ing If you were to watch the shops or
Paris. Geneva, Vienna and the thousand
and-one resorts on the continent. as well as
those of London. you would not hesitate 10
believe the recent statement of Mr.. -tep-
burn, president of the Chase National Bank,
that $500, 600 of good American money
is spent in Euroupe by tourists every year.
And 1 see that the New York importers are
complaining Of the extensive smuggling or
diamonds. pearls and other precious stones
and jewelry into the United States by
Americans returning from Europe A tour
list cannot conceal new gowns or new pom
nets from the customs inspectors, but she
can easily hide diamond necklace or a
brooch and it is undoubtedly true that 30
per cent of the jewelry bought In Europe by
American tourists is never seen by the Gus
toms authorities.
At all the European resorts. at Homberg,
Carlsbad Nauheim, Aix-leS- BainS and at
every popular place in Switzerland the
leading jewellers Of Paris, Vienna, Geneva
and other cities have branch houses, and
their windows are filled with the most al
Turing objects. 1t Is only necessary to
watch the throngs that fill these shops and
crowd around their counters to realize the
truth of Mr.. Hepburn's statement. And the
shopkeepers go to Egypt and the Riviera
for the winter after the tourist season is
over here. The American tourist and his
wife and daughters get rid of their money
very rapidly, and usually pay a higher
price than would be charged for the same
articles in the main establishments OF
which these are branches
Americans Send Up Prices.
As rule Americans are very reckless
about expenditures. The Europeans blame
us for the rapid increase in prices at ali the
resorts and fashionable hotels in the cities
of Europe. They assert that our people viii
pay a dollar where an Englishman pays a
shilling a German a arlS, or a Frenchman
a franc; and that our habit Of paying the
first sum asked for souvenirs, and never
disputing a hotei bill, has sent up prices so
high that they can never come down again.
1t Is true that hotel rates carriage hire and
everything but railway fares have advanced
rapidly during the last few years. Instead
of 10 francs a day. the average hotel charge
Is now 20, but, at the same time. the accom-
modations have been very much improved
and you get more for your money. When
first came to Switzerland, twenty-five
years ago, there wasn't such thing as
bath room in any of the tourist hotels. Now
you can get room with a bath attached in
almost all Of them. This is concession to
the American traveller, who will not battle
in a movable tub like an Englishman, or go
without, like the French and Germans.
There are elevators in all the hotels today,
where few years ago they were such
novelty that the landlords used to advertise
them. The hotel employees all speak Eng
lish. The walters and porters are required
cure employment in order to look after the
wants Of the American patrons. who not
only demand the best accomm odations that
can be furnished. but are willing to pay the
highest prices for them. Every hotel has
electric light and other modern improve
ments. The only objection now is the