The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-17
Capitalist and Mining Man
Back From Trip Abroad;
Talks of Conditions of
Interest Here.
VISITOR IN VILLAGE
WHERE HE. WAS BORN
Favors American Commission
Making Trip to Kaiser Viii
helms Domain in Search
of Ideas.

John Dem, widely.known mining
man and capitalist of Salt Lake City,
who has recently returned from an ex-
tended sojourn in Germany, his native
land, believes that this country, great
as it is, could obtain some valuable in
formation as to the government Of mu.
inequalities by sending a special com
mission to the German empire to study
the conditions under which cities in
that country are controlled.
Discussing municipal government in
Germany yesterday, Mr.. Dern said;
There are a number of political
parties, Of course, in Germany, and
in the national parliment the con-
tests are as exciting as they are in
this country, but, somehow or an-
other when it comes TO selecting
city officials the differences are
buried to a great extent and effort
made to select men for the various
offices who are particularly well
fitted for the duties which they are
to perform. Again, they are elect
ed for long terms, and this gives
them better opportunity to Put
their ideas into effect.
From what 1 could see upon the
surface and from what Termed up
on inquiry, am led to believe that
the government Of such cities as
Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden and
Frankfort are as nearly ideal as it
is possible to make them.
Sailed March 27.
Mr.. Dern, accompanied by his wife
and daughter, Mrs. W. H. Cunningham,
and her son, Paul, sailed from New
York for Hamburg on March q. They
remained in Hamburg for four days
and then went TO Berlin, where they
spent three weeks. They Gen visited
Dresden, Carlsbad, Nueremburg, Frank
fort. Wiesbaden, Nauheim, famous
watering place, and other points. Gies'
sen. the birthplace of Mr.. Dern, was
included IN the itinerary, and the party
remained there for six weeks, and made
many tours from the city.
Further discussing the trip yesterday
Mr.. Dern said:
When 7 arrived in Germany l
found everything at high tension,
owing to the trouble in the Bal
kans, and it was generally believed
that war between the European
powers could not be avoided. On
that account. the financial situa-
ton was stringent and money was
hard to get. Interest rates, of
course, we're high-about as high
az they are here in the west, l
shoul. say--but since that time the
crisis has passed and conditions
are again normal, with the money
market much easier,
Upon the whole, Germany is en-
loving long extended period OF
prosperity. 1 have visited the
country several times within the
past fifteen years, and each time j
can see wonderful improvement
in industrial and financial condi-
tions. In fact, the development is
mary elous.
One OF the contributory causes
for this Is that the factory dis
tricts are not 1ongested, but are
scattered over the entire empire
Again, the railroads are owned by
the government, and no matter
where factory may be located, it
Is certain to receive fair freight
rates for It's output. There is no
such thing to contend with in Ger
many as what we term "common
point rates and the factories are
greatly benefited as result,
Worhmen Own Homes.
Many factories, in view Of these
facts, are being operated in the
rural districts, whore the workmen
can own their own homes and
farms and live considerably cheap
er than they could In the cities, In
| other words. the factories are be-
ing taken to the workingmeu, in
stead of the workingmen being
| taken to the factories.
+ found labor conditions IN Ger.