davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-31

Mrs. q. w. Cronkhfte has had a
large Delco Light plant installed at
Highview farm, 1t being the first Del
CO Installed In the town.
This plant furnishes power for over
40 light besides many other convent
ences for their elegant home.
Miss Florence Tracy Is assisting
Mrs. Merry with her Homework.
The remains of Mrs. Harry Burton
were taken from the tomb at the
Southside cemetery in Skowhegan
and buried in the East Ridge cemetery
Sunday. Harry Burton and sons,
Tom and Willie and daughter Myrtle
accompanied the remains of their wife
and mother, Sunday.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-31

Wooden houses may not last; but
farms will last. and farming will all
ways last. The Americans can SOW
and pillow and reap and live by these
everlasting things; nor shall the
foundations of their state be moved
G.. K. Chesterton.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-31
CORNNILLE

John Moody and wife from Skowhe-
gan and Mrs. George JOY of Lynn.
Mass. were Sunday guests of their
father, p. A. Moody and brother Ray
Moody and family.
Mrs. Roy Walton of Skowhegan is
stopping at her home in town.
Mrs. George JOY Of Lynn. Mass was
in town Sunday and called at c. T.
Moodys
There will be a pie social at the
Grange Hall, Saturday evening, June
End. --.------
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-31
HINCKLEY

u Marriott Alexander OF Water
h. 'sS IN town Friday.
n D q, Leonard of Bath is visit
\. ssr Niece, Mrs. Royal H. Went
~, george Merriam preached at
@eratlon Sunday afternoon. On
W Ol the baccalaureate sermon
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-31

This country will not practice for
estry until woodland owners get the
idea that timber is a crop, to be plant
ed, cared for. and harvested like any
other crop, except for its longer grow
ing period.
Evening star., 1923-11-04

only system that Is suited to us.
Such matters depend on climate,
geography, size and history of the
country. Our government corresponds
to the historical development Of
Switzerland. 1t might not do for a
large country like the United States
but 1t Is the right government for u.s."
What is the condition OF Switxer-
land as far as business Is concernedT
'uust now 1t IL not good" replied
the president Some of our fac
tories are idle and we have many men
out Of work. Our Industries depend
largely upon stable conditions In the
countries about us and the low ex-
change all around US Is hurting our
trade. I think we may have become
over industralixed. It used to be that
the chief business Of the Swiss was
agriculture. Today. most Of our peo-
pie are manufacturing In one way
or another. and the factories have
imported cheap labor to such an ex-
tent that we have more people than
we can support. We must have for
eign trade to be prosperous. The
class OF goods' we make Is what is
known as luxury products, the sale
Of which is limited in times of finan-
cial depression among the nations
about US. That is the situation to-
day. Nevertheless our money is good
and our people are thrifty. We are
cutting down our expenses. reducing
the number, of our government en-
ployes, and in time we shall again
be on the high road to prosperity"
MY conversation with the presi-
1Vl dent covered a wide range.
We talked Of the political parties, OF
Evening star., 1923-11-04
BY ANNE RIfTENHoUsE.

NE must economize on bread
and butter, or ice cream and
cake. according to the ap-
petite, to buy a new coat.
Autumn is the season of sacrifice for
sarterial glory in winter. The canny
housekeeper finds that the reason the
willing servant of October is the van
fshed servant Of December is that she
has made enough money to get win
ter coat The fearful and fretful
woman who paid her last instaflment
for a fur jacket on the hottest day of
August is not an isolated Individual.
There are some coats that last
through three seasons. giving a wom-
an surceases from anxiety, but their
serviceability does not allay the
gnawing desire in her mind to have
a newer and a different garment, We
could reform clothes in the twink
ling of an eye II we could reform
ourselves. But we can't. So there's
an end of dress reform.
The coat that wraps about the body
like the shawl of an eastern dancer,
holding itself together by one button
on one hip, is seen everywhere. 1t was
worn last winter. so the economists
argue that 1t is In good style this.
winter. And 1t Is. One who is bound
to wear what She possesses can cover
any frock with this coat provided It
has a collar easily converted into a
choker around the neck or into revers
that rest on the chest.
y
H ~
i new garment. 1t is rendered IN fur.
more often than cloth and its height is
sufficient to eclipse what Is left visible
Of the head by the hat.
The new seasons coat differs, also,
from its predecessor in the size Of its
armhole. II is small and carefully 9t-
ted The shoulder seam no longer
droops down on the arm. Sleeves do not
hang Imply from a lowered opening
They are wide at the wrist under Chi
nese influence, but they do not end in
cloth cuffs. carelessly turned back They
end in mum cuffs, those extravagant
bands Of peltry that give the occidental
the chance to protect the hands from
weather as does the oriental When the
arms are down these cuffs seem to be
hip protectors; the gloves vanish In
them.
Comfortable, old-fashioned muffs Of
fur are back in fashion simply because
these Chinese sleeves took SO much
glory to themselves and won the ladies'
But a mum must match the fur used on
the coat Therefore, 1t is not easy to find
one in the trunks of forgotten things
that will bear the test Of accompanying
the new coat OF pay for muff coats on
the coat and a separate muff, too. is a
burden.
1t Is not possible TO treat new sleeves
in a fragmentary way. They are too
important The revival of the small
, armhole In coats and frocks makes for
: trouble.
The trade talks much of coats that
Evening star., 1923-11-04
ages in Switzerland Elect the School Teachers Poceme

higher up. They look out on the
Alps and face half dozen mountains
more than two miles In height At
ter my talk with the president we
walked out on the balcony In front
of his Office and his excellency pointed
out the gigantic crest Of tho. Jung.
frau and other snow-capped noun
tains which are known all over the
world. - s
Before entering the government
buildings I strolled about through
the business parts Of the city. The
most ofsthem are like a slice out of
the middle ages. They have narrow
streets. walled with three and four
story buildings with overhanging
tiled roofs, out Of which peep dormer
windows which look down like SO
many red-rimmed eyes on the traffic
below. Some of them are so old that
they lean this way and that, making
one think Of the drunken structures
on the Amsterdam piles. Here and
there a tower is built over the high
way. arohing the street and MAX
ing each block a winding court walled
with these houses. Some Of the
erected 600 years ago. and there is
one out Of which. on the stroke o.
the hour. a great rooster struts and
crows while a troop Of bears marches
back and forth in procession. The
clock has hands and figures plated
with gold. It's dial, which IL about
twenty feet In diameter, Is surround
ed by frescoes.
It was through this tower under
the clock that walked into mile
or so of the cave-like stores that
make up the business Of Bern. The
pavements are tunneled, as It were.
through the walls of the houses.
backed by the stores which look out
into the roadway beyond. The whole
of the business is done in arcades
and the stores are like, monastery
Evening star., 1923-11-04

and telephones are under the post
office department. They are extrav-
agantly managed, and last year the
posts and railways. ran almost
$2,0e0,000 behind. The people want
the civil service reduced to a mimi.
mum.
Republicanism goes further here
than with US. Every village and dis
trict is little republic. The COM
munes, into which the cantons or
states are divided. corresponding
somewhat to our counties, townships
and wards, are more than 5000 I'm
number and they settle almost every
thing relating to their own localities.
The people elect their own school
teachers and policemen, and they
have town meetings in which they
decide upon all local matters. Some
times the meetings are held in the;
open air, and the decisions are by
word of mouth.
Some. of the communes own prop
erty in common. such as forest lands
and houses, and every family may be
entitled to free pasture or free wood
for the winter. In the early morn
ing, one sometimes hears the concert
OF the cowbells as the town cows,
owned, by the various families, are
being driven by boy or 80 to the,
communal pastures In the mountains
nearby. and the same bell-ringing is
repeated at night. Once back In the
village. every cow knows its own
home and seeks 1t straighway.
The citizenship in some OF the COM
munes is valuabie. and it is some
times sold fors several hundred dol
lars Or. more. It may be inherited.
On the other hand 1t may prove less
than a blessing. Tor each commune
must pay itss local expenses and
support its own poor, and poor
man with a. large family may demand
some support. Fhea., contracts for
feeding the poor iaseaput up at auc-
tion and the. loSeat htdner gets the
prize. S'}s -. -,'s. ,seS,,
(copyflxht. 1ses, carpenser,s World Tsayels.p
Evening star., 1923-11-04
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

BERN, Switzerland.
7 N the capital of Switzerland, half
way between the borders Of
Germany and Italy, and only
two hours by rail from where
the league of nations Is sitting at
, Geneva, on the borders Of France,
write of how the Swiss govern
themselves. During my stay here 1
have visited parliament and talked
with the members. I have seen
something OF the bundesrat, the
council or cabinet which administers
the country, and. around a plain
table, have sat elbow to elbow with
the president of the republic and dis
cussed the differences between his
government and ours. -.
But first let US look at the capital
Of Switzerland. It is Bern, one Of
tho oldest, quaintest and most charm
ing little cities Of Europe. Founded
when Richard the Lion Hearted Of
England was fighting the Turks for
the possession Of Jerusalem, 1t was
an independent free city. before the
Magma Charta was signed. 1t was
chosen as the seat of the federal
government at about the close Of
our Mexican war, and since then has
been the homo Of all governmental ac-
tivities. except those Of the supreme
court which, as a sop to French Swift
zerland, sits at Lausanne.
Bern Is only about one.flfth the
size Of the city of Washington. but
1t Is far more picturesque. The town
is q peninsula embraced by the deep
swtft-rushing Aare, whose glacial
waters roar as they tear their way
on down toward the Rhine. The city
Is on both sides of the river and
magnificent bridges cross from one
bank to the other. The capitol build
ing and the presidents palace are
right over the stream, but 100 feet
Evening star., 1923-11-04

which the country has a half dozen
or. more. including social democrats,
liberal democrats Catholics. agrari-
ans land others. We discussed the
tariff. the president saying. that our
high duties do much to cut down the
work Of the Swiss. We spoke Of the
initiative and referendum, Of both of
which he approves with some grains
The initiative is the right to de-
mand that any new act or amendment
may be put to popular vote upon the
petition of certain number OF
voters. Such a demand. signed by
$4,000, can force a vote to amend the
constitution, and only 10000. or the
request Of eight cantons. are required
to force q vote on any new law. II
the majority vote in favor Of 1t, the
law or amendment Is In force.
The referendum is the submission
to the popular vote of any measure
which. congress has already enacted.
This relates also to both the con-
stitution and laws, and, with certain
restrictions, the majority rules.
UHy Stdy ucEo Lie ndIfou ildS
taken referendum vote upon aAlaw
passed prohibiting the farmer or citi-
zen from making his own "hootch"
and giving the government the con-
troll Of the home production and sale
of strong alcoholic liquors. and, has
decided that it is null and void.
AS I understand It the government
wished to control the sale both on
moral and economic grounds. The
lower classes are drinking a great
deal Of almost pure alcohol, which
they manufacture of potatnes and
refuse material. and this is' having
the same degrading results as in
some parts Of our counefy. am
told that enc reason why the people
voted against the; law was the great
increase in the number OF. public
officials which would be REQUIRED to
enforce It.. y
The government .of Switzerland
owns the railways ana the telegraph
Evening star., 1923-11-04
Subtle Changes in Winter Coats Tempt Woento New P

color and has host of followers, al
though II takes a certain cIeanness
Of skin to wear It. As the tafIors
offer II freely for frocks and suits. its
choice as a day coat is not always
fraught with danger. sS9
Some coats In .thfs' color have hieh
mounting collars and huge cuffs fdf1 a
skunk, the common variety 4wiEk;
coarse hair in light beige and brown.
No one objects to wearing such cosfs- e
bfnations when afoot in the city. Fdfcl
the late Autumn we have In rhfsr
country. which In the southern statsss
stretches into early spring. this rGstz
shade Ia quite enchanting. It blendy
with autumn. foliage better than any !
color We moderns wear. It has !.
enough red in 1t to look like frosts
bitten leaf and 1t brings a mostalgfan,
to city folks for the smell OF burning !
leaves In hazy atmosphere. r,..
y + + ~
TSHE Cambodian Jacket, named from
= the French colonial possession. !
L. bound to simmer DOWN into an es.
tablished garment. It has the ear
marks Of popularity somewhat like
the Jumper jacket exploited at Deau-.
Vile well over year ago. The
original garment as fashioned by
the house Of cheruft of Parts, Is :
sensational. with its faring and
stiffened godets at each side. maxi
ing 1t appear even shorter than 10
Is. The American adaptation of 1T
easily meets the moderate American
demand. The flares at the hips are
merely two circular fiounces set In
as an. extra movement of material.
Despite. the efforts to keep the
jumper jacket alive, It is apparent
that 1t is dead as a first-class fashion. !
It's stitchery Is dead, also. and the
sash at the right hip. The two coats Of
the season are the modified Cambodian
and the three-quarter length with
high collar and small armholes,+ -
1t may be the Chinese influence
again that tempts US into coats
for winter nights. At least. they
are, the fashion. voluminous fur
capes hold powerful place and
cost pretty price. but other gar
ments usually have sleeves. The
Oriental brocades are plentifully used,
especially In red. gold. black and.
dull yellow. Black and gold together !,
make a good combination. Metal
cloth comes in with other Oriental
suggestions. Velvet. especially in
green. topaz. Peking blue, and black
is the best choice after fur and !
brocade. ..,,.
Z The silhouette Of the evening coat
Is twin to the day coat. Many
animals go to make the decoration at
hem. neck and wrists. Belts are un-
known. They do not appear any
where. The lining is plain as the outers
surface is too decorative to admit
of gay coloration, beneath. :
(CopyriVht. 1923
Evening star., 1923-11-04

The western Is largely French and
the southern, Italian; but all Of these
are Swiss. About 20 per cent of the
people speak German, 20 per cent
French and about 6 per cent Italian.
with a small percentage speaking
other languages. In western Switz-
erland nearly all the signs arc in
French. In the east. German, and in
Ticino italian. t
~ +
WHEN interviewed the president
w OF twenty years ago we talked
together in Germany. My converse
tion with the president today was In
French; and from then until now
they have had just twenty presidents
chosen from different parts of the
republic without regard, however, to
linguistic ability.
The president Of Switzerland has q
different position from that Of the
President Of the United States. Our
President II elected for four years
by the vote Of all the people. men
and women, and he receives a salary
Of $4,000 . year with $25.ooo extra
for travelling expenses. The presi-
dent of Switzerland II chosen by the
the federal council. His term Is for
one year and his salary Is S5.400.
Whether he gets railroad passes
do not know. The president is really
only the chairman Of the council, al
though he has the title Of the presi-
dent of the republic and represents
1t on all ceremonial occasions.
This republic IL AZ free ana demo-
cratic as ours, but the machinery Of
administration Is different. The coun-
try is divided into twenty-five can
/ tons or states and they join together
in electing . national council and the
! state council. The state council cor
responds to our Senate II Is COM
posed of forty-four members or two
from each state. The national coun-
Gil is like our House Of Representa-
tives. It has 1913 members, chosen
by direct vote at the rate OF one for
every 10000 souls In the republic.
Elections take place every three
years on the last Sunday In October,
and are often held In the churches.
Only men over twentyrone Shave the
right to vots, Switzerland being one
OF the countries which have not yet
adopted suffrage for women. Each
state elects its own two members Of
the state council in amy way II. may
choose. and their pay comes from the
state. The Geneva councillors get
IS q day, but the average salary Of
the others II ~ and for those Of
some cantons only -. The repre-
sentatives Of the lower house are paid
from the government treasury. They
get rs day for the days they are
present and nothing whom absent. I,
The sessions are held four times =
year They usually last two or thrse
weeks, and . whole years service
seldom takes up - much ~ three
month"; The members attend regu-
larry and their constituentss object
when they stay away. II . con-
grsssman cannot give . good reason
| for his ab6shce he does not get Ata
l36. This II Ia striking contrast e
| our Congress. whsrera member may
stay away half the session and re-
ceive his 81. 500 just the same. Any
one except = clergyman may spss Z
member oe the .Swisa congrssS. 9hs
meetings hsgin at : o'clock IN the
morning IN summsr and . O'Clock u ~
winter. oar congfses nhsses g No.
The ysar ssund. ss
/ Ghe eoSer tive N6AS az lNifaox4n6d
Evening star., 1923-11-04

cells looking out upon cloisters In
which the people walk back and
forth. This makes it SO dark that
most of the shops have to burn
electric lights throughout the day.
The arcades are about fifteen feet
wide. and in the oldest part Of the
town SO low that ones head is not
far from the ceiling. Now and then
there a4e cross tunnels for the streets
cutting through to the right and left,
the whole forming q kind OF cata-
combs, quaint and delightful, but not
in accord with modern business EN-
cheney.
L are situated between these ar
caded streets ana the Aare. on the
high bluff which borders the river.
From the. other side of the river they
look like fortidcations. They were
planned by Swiss architects and built
by Swiss workmen. Their material
is Of sandstone from the ouarries Of
Bern, and Of marble from several
cantons. The wood IL all native and
the furnishings. even to the great
clock in the entrance hall, were made
in Swiss shops The clock. which is
the official timepiece OF the republic.
ID as big as piano box and has a
glass case that shows tho works.
These buildings had just been COM
pleted when 1 was here at Bern In
1902. and. at that time the president
made q speech, which fihd in my
notes. Said he:
People Of Switzerland. we here
hand over to you the new capitol.
It's cupola, surmounted with the fed
eral cross, will ever be q, token OF
the unity and amity that exists
throughout our dear nation. May
these conditions continue and. under
the protection OF the almighty God
may we preserve them with justice,
wisdom and truth, animated by q
brotherly love equal to that we have
for our free fatherland."
That was moro than twenty years
ago, and the building Is still as spic
and span 40 when Il was finished.
The Swiss keep everything polished
up and the parliament halls are
scrubbed like 30 many Dutch 'kitch-
ems. There was q gang OF old women
on their knees washing the tiles az
passed through on my way to the
president. There were foot scrapers
and foot wipers at the entrance and
rugs for cleansing your shoes at
every door.
This afternoon visited the pariia-
ment chambers and fingered awhile
In the Hobbies, which are walled with
marble and have ceilings gorgeous
with paintings and carvings. The
house Of Representatives is In the
shape Of half moon. with the
seats rising In concentric rows from
the front to the back. The president
sits on . raised platform somewhat
like our Speakers desk, with q clerl
on each side Of him. ana the press
gallery IL 1t the front. 20 that the
members face the newspapsr men q
they speak.
4. A curious feature 10 the public
Etranslator. Speeches may be made Il
three languages, German, French and
Italian. The orders Of the presfdsn,
arc translated by the ,omcial inter.
prefer and all Of his messages an
furnished to the press n oermap and
French. The government reports ars
printed In German, 15epcA and 11A1.
ian. % t&ax every citisSn can rsaz
them. ThS ssatsrn part u ~ -.
public II almost alt4getl3er 0srsnaA