The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-11-24
10 a Great Industrial Country and Not
az Pictured In Romance-Increas-
ina Demand for Wood q So
rious Problem.
PRAGUE. AUSTRIA.

The Bohemia OF real life as an en-
tirely different sort Of place from
the Bohemia of romance. There has
been a disposition on the part of a
great many people to regard the coun-
try as a romance land simply, to refer
to it as such, thus neglecting the
splendid trading opportunities offered
by it to enterprising merchants and to
manufacturers of many kinds of mod
srn, time and labor saving machinery.
Bohemia is situated in the very
heart of Europe, on the highway Of
commerce between its nothern and
southern ports and eastern and west
ern markets, days distance from
tic former ports and only few hours
from the principal cities of central
Europe.
Bohemia is a land of extraordinary
industrial activity, great agricultural
wealth, considerable financial re-
sources, and vast commercial posi-
bilities; and the land contains one OF
the most Industrious and highly edu-
Gated people of the Old Continent,
where all branches of education are
far advanced.
Bohemia has a population of $685.
697, or about rs per cent. of the total
population of Australia 50,70S. This
population is about IS per cent. Czech
and IS per cent. German.
There is considerable rivalry be-
tween the two races. and this should
be taken into consideration in deal
ing with them. The commercial men
speak both languages, but generally
prefer to be addressed in their own
tongue, and, frequently, to deal with
their own nationality. OF the foreign
languages spoken, French seems the
most popular with the Czechs and
English with the Germans. but the
younger generation is learning both
languages, thus speaking for Ian
guages-German, Czech, English and
French.
Bohemia covers an area of 2O,061
square miles, or about Is per cent. OF
the total area of Austria. The climate
Is about the same as That OF New
York. OF the II divisions of the Aus
trian empire the Kingdom of Bohemia
ranks second In area but first in In
dustry and commerce. 1t is also
claimed that its land is very fertile
and its people Industrious. OF the
population about 40 per cent. are en-
gagged in farming and forestry. about
3S per cent. are employed in manu-
featuring and mining, eight per cent.
In commerce, railroading, ETC., and
nine per cent. as laborers. Only about
four per cent. of the land is not I'M
der cultivation. About one-third OF
the industrial or commercial firms In
Austria are established in Bohemia,
representing about 81 per cent. of the
total Austrian industrial and mining
interests and about rs per cent. of
Its whole commerce. 1t may be added
that Bohemia's contribution to the
imperial revenue averages about rs
per cent. of the total amount of state
taxes received. On taxes levied on
real property Gland, houses. etc. the
proportion is % per cent. and in per-
sonal income taxes, % per cent. In
indirect taxes levied on beer, alcohol,
sugar, wine, tobacco and mineral oil
the proportion was about q per cent,
giving a fair idea of the industry,
wealth and consuming power of the
population of the kingdom.
4. URBAN LEDOUx.