The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-07-19
nHE Jolly.


It is gratifying to see that our people
are gradually acquiring some mastery
over their slavisb fear of the Opinions of
EurSpsau critics. A few years ago al
sheer from some British PsuDy a-linsF
was enough 70 drive all America frantic.
The vulgar Iibels OF Charles Dickens
caused as much excitement among our
people as a declaration Of-War would
have done. We were stuDg, scorcbed,
witbered by them. We went crazy over
every foreign novelty. JeRoy Lind and
Fanny Ellsler received such oysIiOns as
would not now be accorded to the whole
constellation of kings at Paris. Our
literature was a weak imitstion Of Euro
Pean writer's; in art. architecture, dress,
aud sill other particulars. the same child
ish servility prevailed.
The late war did much for us. We
learned TO bear British lies and SANDERS
with equauimity. We could endure
their prophecies of disaster, confident in
our own strength and in the final result.
We threw aside foreign arms and modes
Of warfare, after ascertaining, to our great
astOnishmsnt, that our own were ia every
way superior. To such writer's as Whit
tier, Emerson, Walt Whitman, Holmes,
and Mrs. Davis, We begin TO see ihC
dawniug promise of . distinct naliona
literature. There is still much to be done
however, before We are relived from tb'
lhralldom of foreign opinions.
At present there is a new outburst 0
lackadaisical hunkeyism over our scanty
contributions to the Paris Exposition
Every half, Aedged dry-goods clerk wbC
has mansged 10 obtain leave of absenc'
long enough to take him TO Paris, sends
, to his local newspaper quires of the viles
grammar and rhetoric, blotIsd all oVeI
with tears for this deficiency. This ii
utter folly. The French Emperor, with
E out especially consulting our people
erected his ':gasometer" and invited al
, heather dom and christie ndom; WheTeupor
these young gentlemen at once raised |
violent clamor on the subject, urging oul
state and national governments to make
appropriations and appoint commissioners
: whose principal duty it should be to spent
/ large salary in Paris tbeaters and dram
shops, and quarrel with each other. Ev
y cry agricuIlurist and manufacturer wal
( tc be worried and bullied into wasting
. his means and wares upon the Paris Ex
E position.
3 We are unable to see anything but ut
E ter nonsense in this whole performance
, Why do We want 10 send these things t.
Europe? To gain the good will and ad
, miratiOn of her people? But what ough
? ne to care for European praise or dis
: praise? EuropAsis not our market fO
anything but cotton and grain. We haEP
p no political relations there that need to b.
, fOstersd. Our people get 10 good from
their habitual Pilgrimages TO Paris. They
) only bring back a stronger tincturs o
j dissipation and extraysgauce, aud sillis
. contempt for the Spartan virtues of q tru,
Republic.
Ii is time to create healthier public
9 sentiment on this question. American
, should be be more sell-centered and nation
allied. Let the little kings hold their fair
= and strut in purple pumes; Americans
;. had better stay at home and mind thei
D own business. The history of the Grea
O Republic is the only contribution We nee,
, to make TO the Paris Exposition. Whe-
a Jonathan, the STRIPPING giant, has COM
I to full consciousness Of his own powers
be will no longer be troubled about thu
f gossip of Lilliput.