Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-06
DELEGATES SEE THE SIGHTS
FOREIGN MEMBERS OF COTTON
CONVENTION GO ABOUT CITY.
Ask All Manner Of Questions-Think
Manufactures Should Be Es-
tablished Here.

BY courtesy of the Washington Chamber
of Commerce four large sightseeing auto
mobiles were placed at the disposal of the
foreign delegates to the cotton convention
Friday, and the visitors from distant
clmes were whirled about xhe Capital city
Some of the foreigners are said to have ex-
pressed especial interest in a city of more
than 100000 Inhabitants without a textile
or cotton factory within its precincts. They
also queried members of the Chamber of
Commerce as to the cost of labor and other
elements which enter into the problem of
manufacturing, and wanted to know if
such factories could not be establish ID here
at profit.
The seeing Washington trip of the foreign
delegates ordered by the execut We
committee Of the chamber last Monday in
order that the business men from abroad
might see picturesque Washington and its
environs. Mr.. Allen d. Albert. jr., was
appointed chairman of the committee and
Messrs. William F. GUIDE and Chaplin
Brown made the necessary ARRANGEMENTS
for the tour. subcommittee consisting of
Mr.. Ernest G. Daniel was appointed to ar
range for the autos.
While the 100 foreigners and their ladies
were making the rounds of the District they
piled Mr.. Albert with all manner of uues-
lions They made particular inquiries as
10 the smoke law and it's enforcement, and
learned that while that law is rigid, cleo
trlcity may be procured here as cheaply as
in any other city. The visitors We're said
to be self-contained but the questions they
asked Indicated that they had taken Sc
riously the problem of Washington as
center of manufacturing.
Should Manufacture Here.
One of the many questions they asked
was:
why would 1t not be feasible to bring
the raw cotton here from the south at low
freight rates and manufacture 1t in the
District for the needs of the city and sur
rounding country?'
The visitors pointed out the saving that
would result to the consumer from the
costs Of freights, soliciting etc. The mat
ter of establishing factories here seemed to
have made a deep impression upon them
and they discussed the probabilities among
themselves while the autos glided about
town.
The foreigners asked many other curious
questions. One of them wanted to know
II Booker Washington was a nickname for
George Washington. When he was given
a negative reply, he asked If Booker Wash
ington Is alive.
The race problem also caused inquiries
and some of the delegates seemed to be-
lieve that the lynching OF colored men is
rife even on the streets of Washington
and in its suburbs.
Only the German delegates seemed to
kHoW Anything ABOUT Alexander Granam
Bell, but all were familiar with the work
Of George H. Westinghouse. The English
men chatted necessarily about the wonders
Of the turbine, which they termed the
'tourbeen."
Finest Buildings in Existence.
All the visitors agreed that the Library
Of Congress building is the finest they had
ever seen or heard of, not excepting st.
Peters at Rome, in the matter of archi-
lecture, decorations and designs. They
wondered at the device for getting books
almost instantly to readers, and spoke of
the American spirit which could combine
the highest development Of art and me-
chanics in the same building.
Some of the visitors expressed the opin-
Ion that the condition Of the streets of
Washington Is only fair, and suggested that
more lights are Needed on the thorough
fares. A Belgian suggested with touch
of real humor:
You Americans are just awakening ar
tisticaIly."
To this another delegate made reply that
If the Americans make as rapid progress
artlStically as they have commercially the
Europeans will be robbed of all their glory.
The automobiles took the strangers to
the Capitol the Library of Congress-
through the residential section and to the
Corcoran Gallery Of Art. which the man
ayers opened free for the visitors. In each
coach was a foreigner who spoke several
languages, and also a representative of the
Chamber of Commerce.
knowledge Of Politics.
1t was remarked that the average Amer
lean knows far more about the politics Of
the old world than the foreign visitors do
about American politics.
1t was part of the program of the cot
ton delegates that at the conclusion Of the
convention the foreigners were to visit the
south and inspect the big cotton plants
there, they had previously visited the
cotton factories Of Canada. Their train
bound for Dixie left this city at o'clock
Friday evening.
Before it's departure Messrs. GUIDE
and Daniel on behalf of the Cham
Der of Commerce, visited the train and
found the foreigners at dinner. They pre-
sented them with three large boxes Of bou-
quets, the idea being that they would have
fragrant blooms as reminders of the Amer
lean capital they were about to leave, which
would last them until today when they
could get fresh ones in the land of flow
ers," whence they were bound.
1aN4r