The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1909-05-27
Not as Old as Rome but Has
Figured as Largely in
Making of Italy.
Is Recognized Seat of Learning
and the Arts-Rendezvous
for Great Authors.
By THOMAS F. MARSHALL.

Leaving Rome our route to Florence
leads across it-a vast low level fertile
valley of the Tiber, once densely settled
and covered with many prosperous
towns, now a dreary waste occupied
by few cattle and sheep herders who
fly to the mountains in May to avoid
the deadly malaria. Here is a great
opportunity for some such work as has
redeemed Cuba and the Panama Canal
zone from yellow fever and malaria.
The Campagna redeemed would be very
valuable as the land is productive.
Would be great work to dot this great
district with prosperous homes.
Leaving the Campagna we reach the
higher lands along the Tiber, all divided
up into garden plots, and nearly all
vineyards. In many places barley, rye
and wheat are growing between the
rows. The graceful Wisteria is in bloom
growing to the size Of large trees, and
the fragrant lilacs are everywhere. The
meadows are dotted with the golden
yellow daisies and blood red poppies.
We soon cross over from the head
waters Of the Tiber to those. of the
Arno, which is a far more beautiful
stream. Here every inch is cultivated
intensely. Each little plot is surrounded
by irrigation bitches, and dark skinned
men, women and children and white
skinned oxen are busy as bees. Amidst
such scenes we speed down the Arno
to Florence. Having come from Rome
to Florence through the very heart and
center Of Italy and as we 60 north we
are glad to see plain evidences On every
hand Of greater prosperity and try to
convince ourselves that the people are
receiving a more generous reward for
their toll. :;
Florence IL not as old as Rome, but
for all that isnot exactly'a new town
as we reckon time. It was fairly we'll
founded and doing business for two
hundred years before Christ was born,
and at one time was the capital of the
Grand -Dutchy of Tuscany, and from
1866 to 20 the capital of the kingdom Of
Italy, which she lost to Rome, but is
now the capital Of the province Of the
same name, and has 200, 900 population.
It is on the beautiful river Arno and
is surrounded by peaks Of the Appenine
mountains. Since the middle ages
Florence has superseded Rome as the
center Of intellectual life and lead in
art and literature. During the ages
gone by Naples, Rome, Florence,
Venice have all furnished numberless
great artists and scholars, painters,
sculptors, architects, poets. They
have been during all that time long
on statesmen who were striving for
liberty for their particular city or
province and some fought and were
killed. Many more didn't fight but
had their heads cut off. Doubtless
much progress has been made, compar-
atively speaking, but judging from the
number of statesmen who have been
playing the game these thousands Of
years, I would not pronounce it a
shining success for even now there is
no superabundance Of the kind of liberty
we were brought up on. Florence,
however, has done her share. As in
every place we have tarried, we have
viewei few hundred miles of pictures,
statues and antiquities in the museums
here. For years 1 surveyed land for
the government and thought I made
then some good records as walker,
but have beaten them all easily on
this trip in my tramps.
Another evidence Of prosperity as
we go north, they charge more and more
admittance fees to the museums and
show places. At one place / asked the
guard If we could 60 in without paying
and he said no. Then I asked him if
we could pay without going in and he
looked sorry for me. / presume be-
cause l joked in the presence of such
J old and sacred things. The poor fellow
probably did not know that this joke
like many others was as old as the old.
est Of his antiquities.
OF course Florence has great cath.
edral. They build the cathedral OF
churches first and If they have ANYTHING
left they build something else. It was
begun in 1896 and completed $50 years
Later and is known as the Duomo.
There are beautiful drives out Of Flor.
.ence and one Of the most beautiful
! marks I have ever seen.
Florence has been the temporary o.
permanent home Of many famou,
English and American authors ani
many Of them did their best work here
AT this hotel, tho Villa Trollope, some
ef ths mast distinguished aof the,
authors hsys iivsd, among thGin Robert
Browning, 0sosgs Elliot Mrs. Burtos
Harrison, Nataanisl Hawthoene, Har