The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-31
A Letter from Germany.
Marburg a. d. Lain,
Germany. Aug. 16, 1910,

| mug. lu' lu1O-
The Editor of the Press and Banner:
Dear Sir:--Perhaps you will agree that
every good and sensible American is a
Democrat. Now ! have by no means q
clear idea what the word democrat means
but / think it means one who believes in
the common people, or who likes the COM
mon people. Two more propositions: u
The German students are democrats. (2
The common people travel fourth class on
the trains. OF course you have already ar
rived at the conclusion that the students
also travel fourth class. Quite right. Now
have given you this long Introductory
explanation, because it is a matter not al
ways clearly understood. For instance, if
you ask a student why he travels fourth
class, he will usually tell you: "Oh, the
distance is quite short" Some people may
say that there is in this case q shortage
somewhere else than in the distance. But
it is to be hoped that no one will say that
| To proceed with the fourth class travel,
which the students call bust-picture trav-
| elling, because when you stand up in front
of one of the windows the people outside
see your bust, although there are some OBJ
| iections to it, one arrives as quickly at his
destination as by third class on the same
| train. AS to those objections above men,
| toned, the chief one is that when one
grows impatient on account OF the trains
speed, or lack Of speed, he cannot get out
and walk, because the windows are too
high to jump out that way there are no
| ladders that one might put to the ground
and escapel, and the doors are locked. An
other objection is that there are no seats.
| There are indeed in each compartment
eight or nine seats, but these are all occu-
| pied bv twelve or fourteen Stalwart and
| determined looking fellows who seem to be
capable of holding their own. Besides the
eight or nine seats in each compartment
there are twelve or fourteen standing
places. There are six straps to hang to,
and the other occupants Of the standing.
places are supposed to lean against the
wall. Sitting on the floor is discouraged,
as it takes up too much room. Another OBJ
lection which some people have to fourth
class is that the air is not fresh, but this is
only q minor NATTER True, one thinks
the air is not fresh on entering but after an
hour or so one doesn't notice it at all.
II some Of the cars are locked, there are
others with which it is possible, notouly to
open the door at the side, buG also to pass
from rom one car to another through door in
the end. These are called through trains,
not because they go through small towns
without slipping, but because it is possible
70 90 through the train from one end to
the ether-a privilege for which you pay
one mark extra. But that you may not
have too bad an opinion Of the German
trains, it should be added that for the same
money you can have the same comfort as
in America. Fourth class costs half cent
kilometef which is about five-eights OF
mile. The difference is that all Americans
who don't travel first class travel second.
Another difference is that if our trains go
faster. they pay for the speed in accidents.
AS between the United States and Ger
many the deaths from railroad accidents
are thirty to one, as have been told.
But all this doesn't interest you perhaps
as much as what happened in Cassel after
the Journey. All Hesse was there, from the
big towns and from the villages, (the farm
ers all live in small villages instead OF liv-
| ing on their land, SO there Is no country
| folk crowding to the central square OF the
| town. reached the town at half past eight
and followed the crowd to this square
around which already mass Of people was
gathered. I chose a good place where l
could see everything in the square and
waited for about fifteen minutes for some
thing to happen. By chance asked man
bv me when the parade would be loose"
as the Germans say. "At eleven" said my
neighbor. Well, it takes full blooded Ger
man.to wait two hours and half standing
to see anything. went away tc look at the
| town bit, and when | came back at about
| half past ten the crowd was like wall,
with the police keeping it straight. But
| those who came later made up in ingenuity
| for their tardineSS, and you could see them
running down from all directions to the
back of the crowd with chairs, boxes, beer
kegs. step ladders, benches, in fact any
thing that would support mans weight.
| I got chair and came along with the rest.
Soon the Kaiser's triple tone auto whistle
was heard, and the people began to cheer
| hn ,>,ccnl Hn wont into fhn SrhlOSS
| facing the square, and while he was getting
ready to come out and review the troops,
two chaDlainS one Protestant and one
Catholic, began to bless the new banners,
supposedly TO be given to new regiments.
You see the Germans are q wise people,
and they don't want to make any mistake
about the conservation. In order to be on
the safe side they have their flags twice
best. With the blessing of the cOlOrS be-
Gan the booming of the cannon, which con-
tinued while the Kaiser rode out, followed
| by his generals, passed around the Genital
snace along the edge Of the crowd, bowling
and saluting. He was followed by the
| Kaiserin and the Princess in carriage, be-
side quite number of notables, presuma-
bly counts and dukes etc. After making O
tour of the square the Emperor stationed
! himself in front of the Schloss and the re-
view began. Perhaps you don't know what
| SOOSc SlCp ~ Npii9ioco III
without bending the knees, raising the foot
about to the level of the hips and falling
forward. If any one wants to practice it
thev should do so alone, for the effect of q
single person marching parade march" Is
calculated to excite the risory muscles OF
the onlookers. But however ridiculous this
step may be in one person, it is quite i'm
pressive when done by q good line OF SOL
diers. The Kaiser watched them quite
narrowly too, as he was to judge which
battalion was the best drilled. After about
fifteen thousand regular soldiers, there
passed in review the veterans of the war
with France in 1901. There were five
thousand of them there. Besides all these
there was bunch" of war societies which
wanted to be reviewed, but the Kaiser
said them nay" Poor man, he must lead
an awful life with people peering around
corners, through opera glasses, telescopes,
scanning the windows of his house if per-
chance they may catch glimpse of him.
When he passes by in his auto the road is
lined OH either side with people hoping for
a glimpse from him. But however bad the
Kaiser may fare, it is a fine thing for Cas-
sci that he passes two weeks there every
summer. Just imagine what an advertise
ment it would be for example il we had a
real Kaiser who came to Abbeville every
winter to spend two or three weeks. Why
; there would be skyscrapers from Blue Hill
to Fort PickenS in no time. l leave you to
reflect upOn the adysability of making the