Page:Things Seen In Holland (1912).djvu/44

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Things Seen in Holland

congregate about the Beurs, concerning the architectural beauty of which the citizens themselves are at variance, so a stranger may not settle the dispute. Its bridges are naturally numerous; some three hundred are to be counted. Amsterdam does its best to extirpate malarial germs, constantly renewing its waters by an arm of the North Sea Canal, and dredging them frequently. Still, these operations leave much to be desired, as the visitor will find out to his cost when visiting the vicinity of the Rijks Museum in summer-time.

A noticeable thing in connection with so large a city—indeed, with all Dutch cities and towns—is the absence of beggars. The poor do not force themselves upon one as in other Continental cities. It is no doubt because the authorities care for them, and strenuously repress all attempts at professional mendicancy. The Jewish

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