The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-10-21

| ING LOT FRANCE, DtChuSt VI DtNltl puN
! Poverty is to be seen everywhere, and
| firmly believe large part of II is
because of the intemperance of the peo-
| pie. The saloon license is only
nominal one of So, and there are 166,
ga licensed saloons in the state, one
for about every ffty.nine people of
the population. Drunkenness is
common sight. Men will work four.
teen hours for 20 cents and spend
! 10 cents of it in drink 1t is impos.
sible to enjoy prosperity under such
conditions.
Horse power with which to carry
on the work of the farms and smaller
towns is scarce and expensive because
of the scarcity of feed. Dogs are
used more than horses, and yesterday
! saw woman and dog working to-
gether at harrow. Cows are worked
a great deal and human power in
moving loads is an every day sight.
| have seen two women pulling 2,200
pounds of coal upon paved streets,
and all manner of products are thus
moved.
The telephone and telegraph SER
vice is good and cheap. kilograms
of ten words can be sent anywhere
over Belgium or France for to 10
cents, depending upon manner of de-
livery. Here in Belgium a public tele-
phone is installed in every postofice
and town hall, free to all for use with.
in the province.
Tie public roads are paved with
granite blocks, but the work is poorly
done and seldom repaired. They are
so rough and uneven that traffic over
them is very hard upon both horses
and vehicles.
The railroad service is the best and
cheapest in Europe. First class is
used only to designate interstate tray
el, within the state second class being
used as first class interstate. One can
ride anywhere in Belgium-first class
at about one cent mile. Third
class which is second class within
the state-costs about three-fourths of
a cent mile.
Murder of Norfolk Mans Father.
| '@""N''i'i 10 Di'hN dlu he StuOOl
system is poor, and very little inter-
est is shown in such matters. The
The minister of education told me
today that about 20 percent of the peo-
pie above 10 years of age could Meth
/ err read nor write. The best families
are sending their children to England
and France for their intellectual train.
inc Many of 1,a
they need the labor of their children
to help make living.
1t is much more difficult to obtain
information here than in France. The
French farmer would stop his farm
work to show me his stock, and to tell
me how he planted, cultivated, ferti-
lied and harvested. The pleasure was
always his. Here they think I ask
too many questions. Several times |
have overheard them speak of me to
my interpreter as Monsieur Inquisi-
tive"
Since reaching Belgium | made a
visit to the village of Staceghem, to
! call upon the friends of Joseph De-
laere of Norfolk. The entire village
them something of their friend. The
: brutal murder of his father last month
is as much a mystery as ever. The
officials here make but a feeble at
! tempt to apprehend and punish any
criminals
Belgian Horse, King of All.
! | must say word for the Belgian
| horse, in many respects the greatest
draft horse living. In weight and
muscle and strength he has no equal.
In this city today I must have seen
thousand geldings at work weigh.
T ing ton or more each. The loads
! they draw are remarkable. | saw
one moving down the street hitched
to two-wheeled cart. and | thought
an entire lumber yard was being
moved. Lumber was piled all around
him, and several feet above and over
: him, but it moved just the same. Only
a block away the king of all the Bel
gianS was being driven down Rue Roy
ale in great splendor, but my admira-
! ton for actual achievement is so great
that while the natives We're uncover
| ing their heads in the presence of
their king, | for the moment forgot
myself and took off my hat to the
| horse instead. Long live the Bel
gian horse, for he has few equals
! The exposition here Is well attend
ed, rather more, in fact, than the city
can accommodate. There are still
many Americans here, and as many
English people as Belgians. The
work of the fire is a sad sight, Great
Britain and Belgium being the chief
losers.
G. l.. Carlson.
Says West is His Match.