The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-17
First-Class Amcricansi

Tho Rev. DIR. BELLOWS, in his speech at
the dinner Of the Chamber of Commerce. on
Tuesday, remarked that he had observed
among cultivated Americans a certain dis
trust OF American institutions. lie added
that in conversation hc had had with Lord
NAPIER the Engi-hman told him that he
had never met a iirst-class American man
who had any confidence In the pcrmancncy
OF American institutions. DR.. BELLOWS said
he told Lord NAPIER that he had never
talked with the American farmers.
He might have told him that his inter-
course must have boon with American
snobs and fools. a class Of our society which
is as greedy Of association with lord as
any English shupkccpcr. These men think
to show their aristocratic tastes by dis
play of contempt for the republican and
democratic institutions through which
alone they have been enabled to get to such
positions as they have, and converse with
lord at all. Their ancestors like the an
ccstors Of most Of us, were people Of the
middle or ycoman class in the Old World, or
perhaps held even lower stations In the cast
iron social system of an aristocratic country;
and they immigratcd hithcr to better their
condition, or get freedom To hold religious
opinions which were regarded contcmptu-
ousy at home. Some Of them even left
their native country for their country's
good, and won here for their descendants a
place to which they could never have at
tanned i'm the older and less flexible society.
The snobs who distrust our institutions
because they have To vote alongside Of mon
who do not wear SO good clothes as they. and
who take pride in ncglccting the duties Of
citizenship because they are outnumbercd
by sturdicr mon, are themselves the sons OF
fathers or grandiathers who worked hard
for their living. the majority 81 them labor
ing with their own hands and SO honestly
gathering the fortunes which thcir progeny
enjoy. They are the descendants of the tillers
of the soil who cleared away the virgin for
ests, and the traders who bartcrcd with the
farmers, few generations ago II they are
rich, their wealth Is due to the sweat Of their
fathers and to the benign institutions under
which they live, and whose working so in
comparably successful, drew hither millions
of other toilers who left Indulgence in Europe
TO earn their bread under the frecr condi-
tons OF the great republic.
First-class American men! Lord NAPIER.
though doubtless quick enough to detect
and shun an English snob and toady is evil
IDENTIFY OF not 50 keen scent FOR the Amcri-
can varieties Of those social pests. He has
also met of course, many of the men who
mistake pretensiUn for culture, or who are
trained SO finely that their strength and
earnestness are gone; or else they are mi-
tators OF these, who fancy there is Won
derful gentiity in distrust OF the people.
In the first place, there are no classes in
this country, in the English sense, though
we have both our fools and our wise mon. our
upstairs and snobs, and our sensible folk
who are content to let foreigners take them
as they are-busy people who are trying to
make their living or TO keep what they
have. as their fathers did before them. Tho
institutions Of the country suit thcm. and
they mean that they shall be permanent. II
the snobs do not like the republic, let them
emigratc to n monarchy or an aristooracy
and try TO work their way up there.
There is, however. one movement which
really argues "A distrust of our institutions,
so far as 1t does not argue n desire for public
plumber. II is the GRANT movement, which
runs counter TO all our traditions, and has at
its head some of the most odiOus Of our
snobs and Treasury lccches. But the people
will take care of that.
Etrst-class Amorfcnnsi Bahi