Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-02-19
LUXEMBOURG IS AN
INTERESTING STATE
Englishman Writes Entertain
ingly of One of Europe's
Tiniest States.

Reginald r. Brickley, in T. P.'s Weekly.
One knows h charm Of those king
doms OF romance, wherein hero and
heroine and common people fit in with
a life of beauty and adventures: where
neither lion nor unicorn fight for a
crown; and only love rules. Such a
Ruritania is described In Luxembourg:
the Grand Duchy and Its People," by
George Renwick. Whether it is really
q kingdom of cupid one does not know.
But certainly 1T is organic. And it is
upon q sort of federalism that Europe
has been built up; while all her woes
n wars have come about through the
idea of conquest n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Luxembourg Is just a little smaller
than Cheshire, its population about
that Of Edinburgh. Take your map and
find 1t, pointing It's neral to its three
~neighbors, Belgium, France and Ger
many. As to government, the grand
duchess dominates the 10 members OF
the upper house. There is a chamber
Of 48 members, elected for six years,
half being returned each three years.
The executive is a sort OF cabinet of
These are responsible to parliament.
There are also 13 cantons, or counties,
each under a Justice of the peace.
There are w departmental courts.
one at Luxembourg city and the either
at Dfekrich. The court of appeal sits
at the capital. Burgomasters are ap-
pointed by the government. Indeed
one has a curious combination of pop
ular control and conferred authority.
This is instructive to those whose
minds are SO obessed that they assume
that votes and intelligence are twins.
Education and Industry.
Mr.. RenWick's fine book may be fesa
for various reasons; for it's romance Of
history, as an e~nthralling holiday plan,
h1Vtt IN k1NeN {r,$~ .,-z -. 80 y
study. In this small area there are
500 primary schools, in which duca-
ton is compulsory. The religion of the
country is Catholic, but a generous toll
Grafton exists, which the author puts
to the credit Of the grand duchess, a
woman comparatively young, but OF
rare personal charm and first rate abii-
ity. There are 700 "adult schools and
three splendid high schools, the one at
the capital having Industrial and edu-
caticnal sections. AT Esch-on-Alzette
is a school of industries, while at Eft
telbuick an agricultural training col
lege exists. Not only teachers. but
artisans arc trained and brought up to
date. The result of all this is thai
poverty does not exist in an acute
form. Glass distinctions are reduced
to perfectly natural social preferences.
All are free, able to work, and work
Is provided for them.
M 8 Bn0 Land QUESTION,
When Mr.. RenWick wrote that DOW
erty practically did not exist, I was
scepticaI. There are but two ways OF
a~bolfshing it; controlling the indus
trial system, and providing free train
ing, land n equipment for agricul-
ture. Otherwise there always must. be
a fringe OF artificially produced loafers
and unemployed, half starved persons,
the more so now that women are UNI
~dercutting in every trade. In LuXem-
bourg this is precisely what has been
done. Here is the statement Of an au-
thority:
1T would be absurd to think that the
best can be got out OF the lard unless
those who work it are properly trained
INT can have, when 1t Is necessary, the
most up-to-date advice on every pos
sible point. We endeavor to live up to
those two maXims. If a. mans land il,
poor we put it right for him; il he
wants stock We obtain it for him from
thesbest sources, and provide him with
it at tho lowest possible figure, giving,
wherever required, most liberal credit.
The advanced state Of agriculture
shows that the policy Is highly sue
cessful. and Its progress Is of enor-
nous value to the country and to the
people. We pay great attention, too,
to aff~orestation yet, as you know, the
scenery in our little country loses none
OF its natural charm-does not look
III lle SiiSitIeSI ueSASo uidQe OF ar
tilcial.n
Education. both agricultural and gen
eral. is cheap. "A further source Of
social well being lies In the succession
laws. On the death Of the father all
land and money Is divided among the
family (male AND female equality. And,
what Is more to the point, the legatees
are In the habit of working so that it is
OF use to them. Nor are there large.
undeyeloped estates.
III An Historic Glimpse.
MI. Renwick traces his history from,
pre-Celtic times, up to the Charlemagne
period, to the domination OF Louis OF
France. the over-running by the Span-
i1ards, and the occupation ofsthe Dutch.
All Europe, Teutons Latin, Anglo
Saxon alike, swept against Iuxem-
bourg like q tide. And like d tide they
Preceded. From the Tenth to the Fif-
teenth century q the line Of Sieg-
iSfrierid. Wencaslas Iwas the first Duke
OF Luxennbousg. have not had time
to probe he matter. But from Mr..
/ Renwick,s account, iteis fairly safe to
say that all that Is noble and right
lRhout the Duchy today springs from
i feudalism. For Luxembourg is the one
! place In Europe where the unity OF
Istate ana family have endured, together
with modern improvements such q