The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-05-25
A Costa Kican opinion Of Ameri-
emma.


In work recently published, written by
a distinguished Costa kican, we find the fol-
lowing graphic testimony Of the s'go-ahead"
propensity Of the people of the universal
Yankee nation" The author says:
This fact confirmed what had been pre-
viously told and had seen relative to the en-
terprsing spirit of the Americans. $50
ahead !" is their motto, in industry MS we'll
as commerce. |. is the perpetual rule Of
their conduct; | see it in oil its splendor, in
all it's energy, in all its pride and disdain of
obstacles and dangers.
With these two magic words there is, in
fact, neither time nor space for the Amari
can. "Go ahead" defes all things, men as
we'll as matters like the ancient battering
ram, it breaches the thickest walls, never
failing to throw them down, or at least to
open a passage through them.
1t sometimes happens that the giant, too
confident in his go-ahead, trips agast a
mountain which makes him take back step.
But no matter for that. A defeat to his val
or, a surprise to his audacity, neither draws
tears nor creates faltering in him. simple
phrase, like a secret spring, again stimulates
him, and rubbing the aching part Of his body
the giant murmurs, ''nessE m,nd," and again
he is up, lifting his head high with pride,
and he returns 10 the struggle with renewed
Juror.
With his ego ahead" which in him per-
sonifes the audaclty Of enterprise, and his
"never mind,o that represents courage in
adversely and indifference in danger, the
American executes prodlgies. These two
sentences echo through every street in the
| United States, and are compendium Of the
nature Of the American people.
/ They have helped it to conquer its indie.
pendence, to fell forests as vast as the whole
1 Of France, to construct splendid cities, to
carry industry to the ultimate limits of the
unforeseen, to attempt what others deemed
/ impossible, to gain battles one against six.
| La fact, Gen. Taylor, writing to "a friend af.
ter the battle of Bncna Vista, where 5000
Americans put 10000 Mexicans to flight,
says 81 saw twenty times during the day
that tho battle was lost, but the enemy did
no, know how to improve his advantages,
nor did our men know they were whipped"
A mysterious voice, no doubt, shouted in
their ears, ego ahead, never mind !" and
they answered by throwing themselves fear
!esey into the ditch.
$50 ahead, never mind,o is the motto of
the American everywhere. With it he places
E Luis otoH " cmofihE Ft~h ~nSfS sutioot
/ of man dared not 10 tread, and across which
! the locomotive lends wings to the cars,
WHOM would sink with the least detention ;
he breasts the Mississippi with enormous
tows be creates railroad running through
forest, mailing rails to the trunks as he
fells them. Does he meet . lake, on goes
The road he takes piles and makes bee-
| line across it, instead Of going round its
edges. \ rolling valley mile or two wide
/ separates two mountains he builds IA tres
| sle-work, and the locomotive runs along it,
i trembling top, its rafting heard at a great
! distance. Sometimes these wooden bridges
come down the piles sink, the boiler bursts,
I bat what's the odds? Never mind, we'll
make another-go ahead. Don't cry for
/ split milk time ls money.
1 Such ~ the character of the men with
whom we struggle; of the giant people with
whom We are in open conflict. II we were
now to undertake TO paint ourselves; If be-
side this sketch 80 rapidly but lively drawn,
We we're to place our own physiognomy, then
But We think it better that each
man should do ii after his own opinion, and
thus We shall displease none.