The United States.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 49, 5 December 1901, Page 3

The United States.

(By the Rev. Father Ainsworth, S.M.)

On my arrival in Wellington after completing a tour of the world, your energetic representative requested me to give my impressions of the United States. I cannot attempt to describe that great oountry entirely, I will merely give an account of what came under my notice during the month I spent between New York and Wan Francisco. Everything in the States is worthy of notice, every city and town has its importance, still I might be allowed to single out a few cities to be described in a few words.

BOMB OF THE CITIES.

New York is of course the great city and centre of Americanism and is remarkable for its rapid growth, and complete up-to-dateness The streets and avenues are broad and long, clean and well kept Although the city contains almost 3,000,000 inhabitants it is quite impossible for a stranger to lose his way, owing to its admirable divisions into streets and avenues. As a general rule each avenue and street is known by a numerical name, each block is of the same length, bo that the new arrival can tell exactly how far he has to go. It is a splendid Bystem, far superior to the confusing continental style. This great city boasts of the most modern hotels, the finest public buildings. ben>t streets, most complete traffic arrangements, of any in the world, and yet, the least tax n d of all. This is the boast of rrnny of its citizens, but I had not the opportunities to verify these statements, so, I suppose, we must take them for granted. Four hours in the fast southern train brings the tourist to the famous city of Washington. This city, with it suburbs, has close on half a million of inhabitants, and is the seat of the Federal Government. In my opinion, it is the finest, best kept, and most beautiful city in the States. The splendid avenues are far grander — to my mmd — than the boulevards of Paris. The colored people flock to this city, for here they find full liberty and a certain degree of equality with their white brothers. They already number 200,000 in Washington City alone. It is very interesting to visit the. negro quarter and watch their quaint, good-natured habits, and listen to the old coon songs and lullabys sung- as only they can sing them. Chicago comes next in importance. Considering its age this oity already rivals New York, and i* extending so rapidly, that many are of opinion it will very soon bo the most populous in the States. Its slaughtering establishments are renowned all over the world. In one place alone, 264 bullocks and 7.~>0 pigs are slaughtered every hour, whilst about 10,000 hands are employed, and 900 clerks work in one immense office, This will give your readers some slight idea of the big way in which Americans compete with the world. St. Lonis is another flourishing city and boasts of the finest railway Btation in the world. It is very prosperous and is growing quite as rapidly as Chicago. They intend to hold an Exhibition there very soon which will simply ' lick creation,' and I am confident they will do it. Denver is the youngest of the cities, yet for its size it is the most perfect, and has a grand future bifore it. Salt Lake City, the chief city of the state of Utah, has always attracted great attention owing to its being the home of Mormonism. It ia iituated almost on the great Salt Lake, and though still small, is well built, with ample provision made for future developments. The Mormon Temple and the Tabernacle always interest the traveller. The Tabernacle is unique in structure, and has the most perfect acoustic properties of any building in tho world It it about 250 feet in length, and yet if a pin be dropped to the floor the noise can be distinctly heard all over the building. What interested me most was the very fine college conducted by the Marist Fathers, under the presidency of the Very Rev. Father Larkin. Whsn the Fathers took over this institution a few years ago, th>* pupils numbered 2.">, but to-day that number has increased to 110. The Buccess of this college in sports and in the various examinations is most satisfactory. It is merely one building in that fine city, yet everywhere its beneficent influenjeis felt. The students show a fine manly spirit, independent and thoroughly American if yuu will,

but withal a fine class of boys, equal if noB superior, to any I have met in my travels. All honor to All Hallow'B College * prosper© precede et regna.' San Francisco is perhaps too well known to make my description of any interest. I can only Bay that, like the other cities of the States, it is very beantiful, and is in a most prosperous condition.

THE NIAGABA FALLS,

Nearly everyone has heard of the Falls. Most people have read descriptions of them, or have peen picture* of them, yet. they cannot be properly described, nor can any picture give a true idea of their greatness and grandeur. They are unequalled in any part of the world. This reminds me of a story related to me. An Italian guide conducted a worthy Yankee around the Bay of Naples, through the museum and famous aquarium, but was alway» answered in the Bame way, ' Show me something else, we have all this in America.' The guide, driven to desperation, brought him to the summit of Vesuvius to gaze down into the awful crater, and smiling said ; ' I think I have you at last, you have no Vesuvius in America.' ' You're right,' said the American, ' but I guess we have a Niagara that can put the whole darned thing out in an hour.' The American is justly proud of Niagara, for he knows full well, that no matter how much travelled a man may be, Btill Niagara will always interest and astonish him.

THE PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION.

Here in New Zealand we hear very little of this American triumph, yet from several points of view, it is the most famous ever held. Its electrical display exceeded everything ever before ahuwn in the world. The buildings were large and splendidly ornamented, the groves, avenues, midway, artifical rivers and lakes, and beautiful statuary, and unique electric lighting were something well worth seeing. I often visited the Temple of Music to hear the great orchestra, and I stood in the very spot where, a few days previous, the illustrious President fell by the assassin's bullet. The Buffalo Exposition was really great, and well worthy of the 'greatest country on earth.'

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Many are inclined to look on the Americans as an egotistical, supercilious people. I found them quite the contrary. It is true one sometimes meets the Yankee abroad, who usea his nose as an organ of speech, and who can see nothing good anywhere in the world but in America. This may be a specimen of the globetrotter, but it is not by any means a specimen of the representative American citizen. He has customs peculiar to his country, and must be understood to be appreciated. Born and raised in a country of true liberty, he imbibed, at an early stage, that love of liberty and independence which he happily possesses ; his independent, off-hand manner is always detected, still at heart he is the soul of honor and good nature, always ready to listen to the accounts of other countries, ready to admit the trivial faults of his country, he is generous and large-hearted to a fault, a keen follower of politics, most hospitable and entertaining. That is my appreciation of the American citizens as far as my experience goes. Others may think differently, but I can only speak of the American as I found him in his own home. We may ajcount for this in no small degree by the fact that the Irish element is very strong in the States, and though they become Americanised still they spread on all sides the influence of their kindly, honorable, and generous traits of character.

THE CIIUKCH IN THE STATES.

In the early days, priests were scarce, Catholics were numerous and spread over a large tract of country, consequently, and, at the same time, unfortunately, many grew careles", mixed marriages were common, and the offspring was brought up in a careless manner, and frequently went to swell the number of the various Protestant sects. But to-day the Catholic Church is fully alive, her clergy are moßt enlightened, and when her prelates epeak, all America listens. The members, on the whole, are true Catholics, and are proud of their faith. The American does not pause to consider which is the moat aristocratic faith, as is done in England ; he is too socialistic and democratic for that. He is convinced and firm in his faith, and ie always ready to proclaim to the world that he glories in being a child of the Church. The clergy are pious and zealous, and being American to the core they succeed splendidly with the people. Conversions are very numerous, and prominence is given to everything Citholic in the United States press. As a result of my inquiries and observation, I am of opinion that there is a great future before the Church in America. I have not apoken for all America but only for those places I saw. and the people with whom I came in contact. My conclusion is that the American people are, as a body, tho best class of people I have met with in my travels, and that America is the most up-to-d t tte, grandest, and most beautiful country I have seen. Though such be the case though the whole world be so full of interest and charm, give m,e my own native land, ' Pacific's Triple Star,' which to me is v.ore beautiful and dearer than any pluce in the world.