La Junta tribune., 1908-07-18
FROM FOREIGN SHORES
R. W. PATTERSON ABROAD
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS on LAnp Ass SEA

corn was only twenty to twenty-five
cents. and prices Of all kinds Of pro-
duction. manufactures and labor
were low and money scarce. Today,
however. prices are high. and labor
is pretty we'll employed and paid.
and we not only have double the
money lgold. silver and currency.)
that We had then. but we. have al
most double the money per capita.
1t was well that this panic came
when it did and as il did. for the
country is in good condition to meet
il, and will soon recover from it.
The panic affected the east much
more than the west. for the great
mills, factories. railroad and COM
'merciai enterprises had been over
done and now must shut down or
curtail their business. On the side
tracks and third tracks Of the Penn
sylvania railroad. through Indiana
ana Ohio, are a hundred miles Of
empty cars. and here and there hun
dreds of idle engines. all Of which.
eight months ago. were doing over
time. La Junta has been affected
by the panic less than any place I
have seen-less than even the a9ri-
cultural towns Of Illinois.
l thought best to visit Washington
again before travelling in Europe.
that ! might make better compari-
son with their capitals. but unfortun-
ately. 1 had not reckoned on Sun
day. so that one of my two days
stay found the public buildings
closed. save the congressional H.
brary. which is probably the finest
architecture in the United States. Ii
IS Of gray granite finished within
with the finest polished marble.
mostly white and mosaic work. The
decorations are of pure gold, and
frescoes, sculpture and paintings BY
tire great artists. There are statutes
OF our distinguished men in bronze
and marble Of giant size. The
paintings represent scenes in Ameri.
can history. but mostly legends Of
mythology. while some represent
art. music. poetry. patriotism and
the virtues and nobler sentiments.
The library is more work of art
than for its utility. II is an edifice
Of which We may well be proud. The
most elegant room in the capitol is
the presidents room. used BY him
chiefly in signing bills. especially at
the closing hours Of congress. The
gliding is of twenty-four caret gold.
1t is small room but highly decor
ated with paintings and frescoinp.
The domeof the capital is decorated
by painting $50 feet above the
floor, looking to the eye like scutp-
tured relief work, representing i'm.
portant events in history. The cir.
Gle is not complete. simply because
it was designed to commemorate
some event in the civil war. the sur.
render Of Lee or similar incident
but out Of respect for the feelinus
of the people Of the south, the de.
sign was abandoned and there is a
vacant space as testimony to fell
lowship and peace.
New York City can hardly be con-
sidered an American city. for four
fifths of the population are foreign
ers. and throughout the city in vari-
GUS parts. the English language is
scarcely heard. The streets are
crowded and thronged with men,
women and children. so that one can
get along only with difficulty. Many
times ! asked a direction to places to
be answered only by an unintelligible
language. Hundreds of thousands
live in the great tenement blocks,
ten to sixteen stories high. children
never seeing open air and sunshine
except in the crowded streets, where
toddling babes run about among
crowded. rushing travellers, appar-
entity without injury or anxiety Of
mother. An American mother