The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-12-25
Peculiar Traits Shown by Differ
ent Nationalities.
Conduct Of Swedish, German, Scotch
and Other Occupants Described by
Aoent-Americans Pay Most,
but Want Earth.

Ing agent was, WI nat H"'AOi''iiUJ'
please?" Being from New England,
says the New York Times, the pro-
spective tenant replied by asking,
"Why do you want to know?
II meant no offense,'' said the agent.
II only thought that by finding out
your nationality l could refer you At
once to certain buildings on my list
that would be apt to please you
The prospective tenant had half
notion to get angry.
'T don't see what my nationality mas
got to do with finding suitable fiat,
she said
1T has a good deal to do with It,
said the agent. Now, | can see thaC
you are an American born and bred.
This is q delicate question that you
have plunged me into, but since l am
in it | mean to founder around III
tie while longer and tell you a rev
facts pertaining to the merits and de-
merits of different nationalities view
ed in the light of 1athouse tenants.
First of all, | want to speak from
the standpoint of prompt payment. IL
my success in business depended upon
each tenant paying his rent exactly
when it was due, should try to I'LL all
my houses with Scotchmen.
Never have ] lost cent on
Scotchman, and never have l had 10
wait. Understand, | am not making
the rash assertion that it is impossible
for a Scotchman to be dishonest while
everybody else is trying his best to
cheat me. The point ! wish to make
Is that personally | have never suffer
ed loss at the hands of Scot.
but they give trouble in other
ways. They are inclined to be quar-
relsome and raise so many rows with
the other tenants through the dumb
waiter shaft that it keeps the janitor
busy Strengthening out domestic
snarls. In all my buildings where
Scotchmen reside I select janitor
with an even disposition and dlplo-
matte gifts 1t doesn't matter so
much about his ability to scrub floors
and keep the furnace going. Utilita-
rian accomplishments are secondary
consideration.
Taken all in all, the most peaceable
people l get in my houses come from
Sweden. You never hear a peep out
of Swede. He doesn't bother his
neighbor and he doesn't bother me, I'M
less he has extreme provocation. AS
a rule he is good pay, too.
1.-THE only fault l have to find with
him is his fondness for moving. A
lease is a dead letter in his eye, and
he has no more conjunction about
moving without a days notice than
he has about going to bed when he is
sleepy"
The prospective tenant inquired
timidly what were the chief character
istics OF Americans as tenants.
Their supreme selfshness," said
the agent. "They have not a spark
of consideration for landlord.
"They want the earth. They never
get through asking for improvements.
They are not content to get the walls
tinted and the woodwork painted and
the plumbing fixed once or twice a
year They want new decorations ev-
cry month, and all the trimmings must
be first class. Americans pay big
prices for their flats, but there is not
really so much profit in catering to
them as to other nationalities, for the
simple reason that / have to pay out
nearly all my income in trying to
keep the building up to the style they
demand.
"The people who ask for the least
are the Italians and the French. They
take almost any old thing l feel like
giving them, the French meekly pro-
viding their own decorations and the
Italians going without.
81 like Germans pretty we'll, too,
but they are hard on flats. I never
could understand how they manage
to inflict so much damage on walls
and floors. Judging by. an apartment
just vacated by a large German FAM
lily, one would think that their star
piece of furniture was a battering
ram.
Russians also have an abnormally
developed bump of destructiveness,
though they hold a special spire
against glass. 1 have one house that
is occupied by ten Russian families.
If they were not compelled to repair
their own damages it would keep me
poor putting in new windows and
gas globes.
Il also rent to English people. I
have three houses mostly filled with
them at present. They're all right, too.
But when you come down to facts all
my tenants are nice people, only /
thought it might not be amiss while on
the subject of nationality to mention