The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-09-17
Why | PREFER ENGLAND
By al American MiIlIonair.

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mix and meet here on terms that at
nrst amaze the American.
Now, at home, have to deal with
people who are all shaped in the
same mould; for, able, virile, and
splendid as the American man is en-
masse, you will realize that there are
very few outstanding Municipalities
In that population of ninety millions.
Your political world, too, possesses
a charm which, alas! is not yet posi-
Ole In America. The idea of young
er son of an American aristocratic
family taking part in the manage
ment Of national affairs is almost i'm
possible on that side of the water.
Mr.. Roosevelt was a notable, a fine,
exception. OF late years we have got
to regard politics as a trade, and a
pretty bad one at that.
In London l am not perpetually
stared at. telephoned at, written at.
Photographed at, and libelled.
The afternoon is spent here in any
of a hundred pleasant ways, and an
intellectual dinner is enjoyed without
mention OF stocks and shares.
l have only one objection to your
English life. and that is your super
tax on the wealthy man, which we
are still, | am glad to say, able to
avoid in the United States.
| Now compare my day in the partic-
ular American city which was my
headquarters. l lived latterly in a pa
latial hotel. beautiful in design, in
mechanical comfort far superior to
I, anything in England, but over-decor-
ated, over-heated, over-noised, and
with very little of the milk of hui
man kindness about it, Just as ii
takes half an hour to get shaved in
America, SO does it take twice as
long TO be waited on at table. The
waste of time in these matters is in
tolerable to one accustomed to the
quickness OF London. | am barely
awake wher l am, once a week al
least, beset by reporters asking fol
information in regard to the affairs
of my friends. AS like as not, were
, / to say a word-which | do not do
it would be twisted and distorted
Fortunately / established such a rep
utation for never speaking to the
newspapers that even when inter
views are ascribed to me my friends
know they have not taken place.
Fastening down to attend to the af
fairs of corporations with which l an
connected, | am snapshotted by pho
tographers, worried by impecuniou:
acquaintance, hustled by time-wast
ers all day long, so that concentra
.tion of business is almost impossible
am glad to return at night to my
noisy hotel to seek a little relaxation
in a quiet dinner and a game of bridge
with a few friends-which gets int
the newspapers as a huge gambling
gathering.
Right here would like to say some
thing that does not please my Ameri
can friends and that is about the
mucn-vaunted American climate. lie
any man compare the pale children o
New York tenement houses in thu
terrible hot months of June, July, Au
gust and September, with the sturdy
youngsters of the London cutters
and he viii realize to the full wha
that climate means. None but won
derful people like the American:
could work in those conditions, anC
IL prophesy that in the future onl!
those who have to work will do it
The sunshine does not make up fo
the heat trials, which make city life
lin the summer almost impossible, anC
compel us to send our women folk t
the seaside and mountains just at ;
time when London is so delightful.
J. These are a few of the reasons VIII!
those who have wrested fortunes il
the fierce business battles of thu
United States are more and more
spending their middle and old age il
bringing up their children in Europe
have said nothing of your publ,
school and university education
nothing of the unpretentious, quie
national spirit of England-too self
deprecating. too much inclined to pu
its worst foot forward; have said tot
little of the fact that a man is receiv
ed here for what he is. and not 70
| what he is worth. If the subjec
pIeases 1 will return to it later.
truth; for the greatest gift Of the god