The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-18
AT THE HOTELS.

ana comfort that our custOn1-hOuseE are,
compared to those in many foreign coun-
tries where customs official spells off,
ciousness and ineompeteney." said Lewis
Anderson, of New York, az the Raleigh
last night. Mr.. Anderson Is a hardware
salesman connected with a large New
York firm. and his business frequently car
ries him TO the capitals and most OF the
other large cities in Europe.
Russia Is particularly trying 10 tray
elers in this respect" continued Mr.. An
derson, and the ordeal that the average
citizen passes through Is terrible. A score
Of officials and twice as many special Dor
tiers Systematically 60 through every piece
OF luggage, large or small, Of every pas
senger. From each package something is
carried of in triumph and placed on the
large table Of the assessor because IL
either is or looks new. The traveller in
the meantime is In no happy state OF
mind, and after he is scrutlnlzed as a
criminal for some minutes and the prop
erty has been subjected to a careful in
spection, It is handed back 10 him and
he receives it palpitatingly without hay
Ing 70 pay cent He is then allowed to
pack his disordered trunks and 90 his
way. The officials appear TO go through
this process regularly. and with as little
remuneration 10 the government each
time. In my opinion IL is done merely
20 instili In foreigners a righteous fear
OF them. In other countries il is equally
bad, and IL is a great relief 10 reach the
ma L.
country.
I understand that Secretary Cortelyou
contemplates making some changes fl
our service and ordering some new reg
ulations as TO the methods Of eXamin-
ing baggage. If he does 50 America viii
have the best conducted system in the
world"
The transition that has taken place in
Alaska In the last ten years is the most
wonderful example Of the rapid devel-
opment Of a country in history" said
J.. c. CASTOR, Of Nome, AZ the Willard,
last night Mr. CASTOR has been in the
United States for several months on
business tour and viii return 10 his home
this week. Ia is a retired prospsct5r.
having made fortune in the gold fields.
Until 1888 he was employed as assistant
United States attorney in the Patent
Office. but was seized with the gold fever
and went of 10 Alaska
Ten years ago there were not twenty
white men in Alaska. The few that were
there were hopeless wanderers striking
about for gold without any prospects OF
seeing any. The sold appeared. and since
then the whole territory has been over
run with seekers Even now there is a
dearth Of workers, and any one can get
employment and high wages in that coun-
Try. Il would be hard 10 estimate just
now much gold has been taken out Of the
mines there, but il has proved one Of
the richest sections in the world. ard
there's lots more Of IT, although just at
present the yield is not startling.
Nome has taken on the aspect Of any
other large American city. From city OF
boards and cots It has grown into a city
OF hotels and theaters. Large residences
can be seen on every street, while bust
ness houses and Office buildings are COM
mon spectacles. Many people Ike Nome.
and have chosen it as their home, bat the
majority merely look on il as q place
20 make money after which they viii re-
turn to the States.
The greatest demand in Alaska is for
books Whenever a new book arrives in
town the reading public knows il, and
then follows a scene ike the little boys
at the pump when they say Monday.
Tuesday or next on you There Is
one library, however. and It is one Of the
most popular resorts in town. The way
the people devOur the month-0ld papers
and the current magazines is a revelation.
There IS great competition every year
70 determine just what papers viii be
subscribed for by the library on the lin
tied income that IS allowed.
Instead of the cry go West. which
seems TO have misled many into rushing
10 the overpcDuiated Coast States. I
should advise going to Nome. where. even
If a gold strike is not made, there is al
ways the certainty Of employment and
decent wages.
From Hronow, Bohemia, Phillip Ober-
lander came 10 Washington last night to
secure a game permit for hunting in the
United States He discussed his own
country at the Willard Hotel. He char
acterizes himself as a sportsman. and
says that he desires 10 try the game Of
the United States this summer and fall.
''Bohemia-it was q revelation % me 70
be told by some Americans whom I met
coming over in the steamer that Bohemia
and Bohemian in this country means the
casting aside Of conventions TO certain
extent. the giving Of full play 70 the
artistic temperament, or being recherche
according 10 the PaTisians. II the Latin
Quarter is mentioned IN your American
stories the word bohemian is sure 70
follow it closely. and in many other ways.
both here and in England, that name sig
niies a lack Of dignity. TO say the least.
Just how that meaning originated il
is hard for me 20 guess. and I have not
yet met an American who can explain it
to me I cannot believe that II is taken
from my country, because that country is
as staid and as dignifed as any on the
globe. The conventions there are observed
to the closet degree. and there are soma
strange and perplexing conventions. If
the throwing aside Of conventions were
properly named after city. that state OF
life should be termed Partisan. for the
Parisians have less regard for the set
modes Of living than any people in the
world"
According 10 reports, it has cost the
United States over 10000 10 retain
Cuba for nine months" said A G. Dray-
ton. a prominent Florida lawyer, at the
Arlington. last night. "Of course. that
money viii be refunded out of the Cuban
treasury, and instead Of dunning the
island. now that she is in a sad plight,
We are more than paying our own way
that is to say. Cuba can well afIord 70
keep the American protection, even
though It comes high.