The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-03-20
Tourist Money and What Draws.

| try to Europe annually Is some ;hing
fearful. The gold paid in interest
on the country's indebtedness TO Ell
rope, the gold paid in dividends ON
properties owned by Europeans in
this country, must of course be paid,
but aside from these things Ameri-
can tourists pay annually to foreign
steamships and in touring Europe
an dthe British Isles quite $250,000,-
| 900, a sum which in ten years would
make or break any other country in
the world.
A paper in Rome estimates the
amount at $4,000, 200. 1t cites
the fact that up to date J. P. Nor
gan has purchased works of art in
Europe that have cost $4,000, 1000.
| (He spent in the purchase last sum-
mer $1.3O0,0O0D The number of
Americans in Europe last year varied
from $4,000 to 10000. The ex-
pense for each was, from $500 to
$4,000. In Switzerland Americans
spend annually $40 for every inhab-
liant of that country. European
banks report that American letters
of credit are usually for $4,000 for
| few months. One German who is
posted thinks 100000 Americans
visit Europe annually and each one
spends on an average $40; or an ag-
gregate of 100000, 900. He says
further, that American ladies leave
annually about $7,OO0,00O in the
Paris shops.
Nothing but hard times, times So
hard that they hurt the rich, can
stop that awful drain; but that
| little of it might be diverted to
| American steamers is feasible sure
ly.
And 1t is time for the government
of our country to begin to prepare
counter attractions. France built
her great opera house, there Is not
splendid cathedral in Europe that
was not built in part or in all by
government money. The United
States should endow one great uni
versity and should prepare one art
institute and adorn 1t with all that
is rare in art, al THAT can be pur-
chased with money. All the great
cities should have art schools each
of our great cities should plan to add
such attractions as would draw peo-
pie to 1t. Each state should work
on the same line. Mount Washing
ton pays New Hampshire more reve-
nue. annually than as though 1t was
rolled down smooth and converted
into fertile land And Mount Wash
ington is but a baby compared with
Shasta or Rainier or Hood or St.
Elias. Europe has no river that
compares with the Columbia, and
there is not a landscape in Switzer-
land worth mentioning in the same
day with Yosemite. Nowhere In the
Alps are such wonders piled up as
in Yellowstone park, while all that Is
splendid in any country in Europe. II
tossed into the Grand Canyon of the
Colorado, would be lost and the nat
ural grandeur of that stupendous
canyon would not be marred. But
there must be good roads construct
ed and the natural parks beautified
by man, and in the east where the
millions of our countrymen congre-
gate they must be made to see that
1t is kind of disgrace for an Ameri-
can to rush off to foreign lands to see
their wonders, and while there, be
unable to give any clear idea OF the
greater wonders which the Great Re-
public possesses.
The first thing is for the United
States to have steam service equal
to the best that the old world can
supply. That will stop part OF the
drain. Then the western states
should advertise their glories and
make 1t comfortable for strangers to
come and see them. Utah should ap-
p propriate 100000 year for this
purpose. There should be a great
museum in this city, filled with the
rare specimens that might be gather
ed in the state. There should be a
conservatory of music and art In this
city. A nucleus formed here would
in twenty years be an institution
that would make the state famous
and draw thousands of people this
way, and It would be one Of the
greatest educational institutions con-
ceivable for all the people Of the
state. The gods help those who hell
themselves and this applies to states
and cities as well as to man
Goodwin's Weekly.
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