THROUGH AMERICAN EYES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 34, 4 November 1907, Page 9

THROUGH AMERICAN EYES

o CHAT WITH A WASHINGTON SCHOLAR. NEW ZEALAND'S LIFE AND LAWS. "Well, T didn't expect to find pressmen down here quite so enterprising," said Dr. Fisher, with a genial smile and a erican accent, when a Dominion reporter called on him in quost of an interview. Dr. Fisher is president of the Hanover College, in the State of Indiana, and, accompanied by Mrs. Fisher, ho is out for a holiday. IN FRONT OF AMERICA. "In ninny ways you are in advance of. the Uniled States in your legislation, and we are interested in watching how your experiments work out," ho replied, in answer to a question. "Some of the things you have introduced, wo aro introducing,* but not very many as yet. ' Our railways aro owned by Srivate corporations, but in a few of the tates they aro now agitating for the taking over of the trains —wo call them trolleys. We, have no old age pensions. There is some agitation in the direction of providing compensation for accidents, but we have no compulsory arbitration. Wo havo an eight hour day , law for Government employees, but not for any other workers. In regard to land, howerer, it is ontirely free to bo bought or sold; there are no regulations, except as to titles." THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. "In many respects we run on different lines," said Dr. Fisher in reference to educational matters. "We have our public schools, the control of which is left to the various States. Then there are the secondary schools, which we call high schools, and which aro all quite free. , We havo two kinds of colleges. Mnny of the newer States have, as tho' head of the school system, a State university, but in addition there aro many institutions that aro privately controlled, under special, charters. There is no degree giving body common to all; each collego gives its own degree. The Stato universities are supplied with the necessary funds, some of them receiving very largo sums from the State Governments." NATIONAL LIFE. i Asked his impressions concerning our national life, tho doctor replied:' "Of course , I am only a casual visitor and see little below

tlio surface, but it strikes me you arc furnishing aii exnmplo of what the labouring man will do if he gets the power, and .that is arousing the interest of the. whole thinking world, because the labouring man is the thinking man. So far as I can judge, I think the result is very creditable, in tho main. I do not think, however, that you cari grow very largely in population, under your present system. But perhaps you aro better off as you are, for one of our greatest problems is the immigration question. AVo are over-run by people of all nations, many of them very undesirable. MORE LIKE AMERICANS. "I have travelled a great deal all over the world, and I think you aro moro like Americans than any other people I have struck. You aro in appearance, general habits and speech—much more so than Australians. That's how it seems to me. Life here is fairly brisk, although, of course, it doesn't compare with Saw x'ork or Chicago. lam glad to find thai there are no slums' hero — not slums as wo know them.in New York or Chicago."

THE WALL STREET PANIC. Tho reporter, of course, solicited the doctor's views in regard to the financial troubles in 'New York. ''The trouble has mainly arisen through a feeling that tho stocks of many companies have been watered so largely that there is no chance of paying dividends," he roplicd. "Further than that, there- has beeii a good deal of feeling agiiinst the trust companies. The national banks cannot be broken, although circulation might be stopped temporarily, but there is a widespread suspicion that the trust companies do a large amount of what is-properly banking business without taking the same necessary precautions that the b.inks do.; And most of tho American pi'opje .believe in President Koosevelfc." '■'"'■■ ■"' '" '"■•■■■■ ■■