The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-06-11
The Grand Duche of
Luxembourg.

Paper Read Before the Chdutauq,td Circle.
Luxembourg is free, Independent
little country of Europe with pOpu-
lation of three hundred and seventy
FIVE thousand people. The peopls be-
long to the Catholic faith; however,
there are also some Jewish people.
The army of this small country con-
sists of but sixty-five men. Their rep
resentatives, elected by popular vote,
assemble at the country's capitol city
and the proceedings are similar as in
America.
There is difference tho in this
country's voting. Every man has the
right to vote only at town and city
elections, for mayor and aldermen
held every two years. In government,
or national elections, only those citi-
zens who pay twenty marks Give dol
lars) for taxes are allowed to cast votes
at all election Of government officials
All other officials are appointed by the
government. They have no governor,
lieut.. governor. or sheriff.
In my native city of Luxembourg
there are two universities, one of the
finest seminaries of Europe, several
normal schools, and several agricul-
tural schools. Each city, town, and
village, has one or more schools and
every child, from the age of SIX to
twelve years, is compelled to attend
school. If any child is kept from at
tending school without good reason
the parents are punished according to
the laws. However. If parents are too
poor to send their children to school,
then the children are sent to govern
ment schools at, the expense of the
government. Inspectors appointed -by
the government visit the various
schools and see that children are prop
erly instructed, etc.
In Luxembourg are several great
: copper mines and the biggest iron
mine in Europe, thus thousands of
men are furnished work the whole
, year. The companies conducting these
mines will not employ foreigners, ex.
, cept when native help cannot be Sc
cured. Each company has big yard
of twenty or thirty acres and every.
thing connected with the mines is un.
der roof. Specially constructed cars
: are used to convey ore out of the
mines. It is dumped III the yaro
. where men and boys handle it, they be
' ing paid sixty cents per day for theil
labor. In each yard are two smelters
one hundred feet high, and they art
;, kept going day and night. 1t requires
y twenty-five men to attend to smelt
er. These men, day and night shifts
receive ninety cents per day. Along
: each smelter is space fifty feet wide
:. built of solid iron; and has .furrow
three feet apart, six inches deep
Every six hours the oven is opened a
the bottom and the ore runs into th'
- burrows. 1t Is dang place t.
:. work and everything Is spt in first
, class condition. Imagine one hun
dred tons of moulten iron, flowing in
to furrows, in such hallway. Shoult
). anything go wrong no one would b.
able to correct the mishap. AS sool
= = as the furrows are filled the oven i
closed. After an hour or so gang o
men, in light overalls. wooden shoe
IL with iron soles, enter the hall an
3 with crowbars and sledge hammer
70 break the iron in two-foot length
u While hot, it is easily worked, but a
~ 1t gets cooler it becomes harder
= break. Talk about heat! you canne
imagine how hot it becomes, i. e.,
you have not witnessed such sights.
have seen men hastily drop tools an
ne run out into the open air. These me
w receive from two to three dollars pt
Is! day, and it requires men of strong col
h stitutions to endure the heat and d
Is! this kind of work. The companit
ed maintain boarding houses for the q
or commodation of employees, the boar'
is, ing rates beng twenty-five cents q de
.e- l-and man can eat all he wants t
it While the wsges may be low, sti
nd everything is cheap. For instanc
ye. yoQ can secure board for six or etgl