Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-04-20
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
Correspondence to the Alexandria Gazette.
Kaiserslautern, April IA, 1909.

LETTER FROM GERMANY.
Correspondence to the Alexandria Gazetie.)
Kaiserslsutern, April IA, 1909.
Since the commercial relations as we'll
a. the historical friendship existing be-
tween the United States and Germsny,
in consequence of the persistent efforts
of President Roosevelt and Emperor
William II are getting closer aud closer,
II msy interest your readers to receive
ioms information on the Germany OF
today, as compared With conditions ex'
istiug In Germany when the writer Of
this arrived In Alexspdris on the eve OF
the market house FIRE in May 1871. At
that time Germany had neither an ex-
tended commerce nor any Industries OF
Importance and her exports we're not OF
sny consequence Whatever aud today her
exports srs greater tran those OF Eng
lard end slmost as grest as those of the
Unitsd S aies, and her imports ere twice
az big ss those of the United States.
While America imports almost exclusive.
" manufactured articles and exports
chiefly staple goods, like cotton, petro-
leum, grain etc, Germany's exports
consist exclusively of manufactured
goods aud ss a commercial ration 1t
ranks second among ell nations. In the
last few years it's commerce hes doubled
itself, while that Of France has only in.
creased about &c per cent. Germany
has today ,he most extensive mail ser
vice in Europe and more than 5000
millions Of letters, postsls snd parcels
are forwardsd annually by the German
mails. The rate for sending ten pound
parcel ell over the German empire is 2
cents, while the rates chsrged by the
American express companies in great
many cases almost constitute conhsca'
tion. The government telephone sys-
tenn has seven times as many subscribers
So that of France; the rates are very
cheap and In this city they are Sl8 per
anDUm.
Germany has over $4,000 miles of
railroad trscks, or more than any coun-
try 10 Europe, and the government gels
net earning of 220 millions Of dollars
per annum from these roads, while the
rates ere over 40 per cent less than they
are iu the United States. In nearly all
he larger cities electrical street rail
ways, gas works, electrical plants and Of
course wsterEork are municipal prop.
erty, paying very handsome profits, not
withdrawing the fact that the rates are
far below tbe rates charged 10 the United
States. By systematically preventing a
pollution Of the drinking water, cases
of typhoid fever are reduced to figure
far below that of sny other country sud
IN many cities this disease has been
stamped ont. The evil OF trusts exis's
in Germany ss we'll IS In the United
States, but not being protected by pro-
hibidye tariff the trusts can't pursue
such high handed policy as they do In
America. While in the United States
all the smaller plants are absorbed by
the INN ense octopus, called trust, who
then operates with a wstered stock, 10
Germany the various plants particips-
ting In such combine retain their In
dependence with the right to withdraw
after three years and the purpose Is to
prevent an Improbable competition bs-
tween manufacturers In the same branch.
The German merchant marine ranks
second in the world and its tonnage to-
day is ten times as big as it was 80
years ago. The Gsrmsn chemical in-
dustry ranks frat among all the nations
of The world; it only commenced to de-
velop 80 years sgo and today there are
employed in it over 200, 600 working
men aud It's products exceed 400 millions
of dollars, half of which Is exported.
Five.sixths OF all dyestufs used in the
world are produced In Germany. A
good many Of these chemical works pay
a dividend OF 20 per cent and more an-
nually, besides taking csre Of employees
whose health has been Impaired in per.
formsnce Of their duty, which in many
cases is q dangerous one. The iron anC
steel works of Krupp at Essen have nc
equal in the wo;ld and shout $50, ,00(
people make their living through thl
} firm.
} Germany is very progressive couu
} try, and ofallits towns and cities have al
administration based on business princi
pies only; the American principle 0
rotation in Office is not known, and not
witsslanding this fact its cities have tn
cleanest municipal governments 10 tn
world. 1t bss also compulsory iDsur
snce for Eorkiugmen against disease
! accidents snd the iuGrmities Of old age
and over II, 900, 900 Of wOrkingmen ar
! thus insured. The immense govern
ment forests yield many millions Q
pref s annually, snd many OF the small
! er cities aud towns furnish their citizen
timber for the erection Of private dwell
} iugs free Of charge, and the net Gaming
from forests belonging to such muDici
\ palities enable tie latter in some case
! to pay The s'ate taxes for al their cit
} zsns aod do away with the necessity
4 leyyiug city taxes. 1t Is q rare occu
B renee to see beggsr or person undC
3 the Influence Of liquor, notwithsiaudin
! the fact t5st nearly every Germs
3 drinks, and there never was an sttemI
4 made TO force people into sobrie!y
4 legislation. Ths average German