New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-24
qOo FASY-GOING AMERICANS.

100 FASY-GOING AMERICANS.
There is much truth in Mr.. Herbert Spencer's
observations concerning the American wiling
ness to tolerate small intcrfcrcnces with per-
sonal rights. He thinks the English beat us
as grumbers, and it is undoubtedly true Chat
their persistent grumblng relieves them from
a vast amount of petty annoyance which Amer
leans put up with as matter OF course. IL
Z" is this easy going readiness" says Mr.. Spencer,
{" to permit small trespasses, because 1t womb
abe troublesome or proftless or unpopular to
"oppose, which leads to the habit of acques-
cence in wrong. and the decay of free instltu-
tionsr Whether or not we take so serious
view of the ultimate consequences of this trait
of American character as Mr.. Spencer does we
must all admit that the trait exists and that he
has defined it with remarkable eXactness. AS
n people we are not good grumblers. we VIII
submit to all sorts of tritling infringements
upon our private rights rather than make
row. We look upon a man who does make
row. as being rather underlined than other
wise, and think of him patronizingly as one
who will learn better by and by. We not only
do not grumble ourselves, but we look upon
grumbling in others as decidedly bad form.
Take our daily life and walk in this city for
example. To what imposition does not the
average New Yorker submit without MUIR
mur7 He allows merchants and trucSmen to
blockade the sidewalk and force him into the
muddy streets three or fOuI times while walk
ing the distance of as many blocks, but ne
seldom grumbles about it. The garbage gath
erer besprmkles him with ashes. but he rubs
them out of his eyes brushes them from his
coat, and passes on without murmur lie
asks a train conductor civil question, and
receives an insulting reply, but he swallows 1T
rather than preciptate disagreeable wrangle
He slips and scrambles through muddy Streets
pays enormous rents and taxes; secs lnconl-
petent and dishonest officials making the
name of popular government i'll the city by
word and reproach but he goes Oh without
more than mere mOmentary grOWL lie ad-
mits all that can be said of the annoyance and
shame of this condition of affairs, and asks
But what can you DO about it I There will be
nothing gained by making a row. You only
"make Yourself uncomfortable and accomplish
@nothing in the end. The only thing to dc is to
"be philosophical and bear it rs well as you can"
Mr.. Spencer says this trait of character is
not there some truth in this What is it which
has furnished the most comfort to the pessl-
nlists who are sure that this Republic Is grow
ing worse each year and that IFS final collapse
is inevitable 2 They all find it III the TACT
that the best class Of Americans take less IN
tercst in public affairs each year, leaving the
venal and unprincipled to direct our politics
AS in more personal matters so in politics, we
stand of and say: "Well, why make row
about it TO be sure politics are in pretty
bad way, but we cannot make them any better
"by meddling with them" 1t is just here that
the mistake is made, or rather has been made,
for it IS our firm conviction that the better
class of Americans are beginning to think that
the time has come to make row, and that 1t
will do a great deal of good to make it. When
ever they have aroused themselves heretofore,
they have had no difficulty in demonstrating
their power. The honest men are in a major
ity everywhere in this country. Even in this
city they are oycrruled only because they are
too incident to assert Themselves
We think Mr. Spencer is right in his assertion
so far as he implies that the willingness to toll
crate infringemcnts upon our personal rights
has led us, uncOnsciOusly but none the less
surely. to a willingness to tolerate infringe
ments upon our political rights. Beyond that
we are unwilling to 90 with him. We admit
that we have submitted to this infringement,
and do submit to it now, but we do not believe
the ultimate result will be the decay OF free IN
stitutions because We are convinced that The
people will sooner or later arise in their right
eous Indignation and reclaim and reestablSh
their lost rights. The American people do not
crnmbe enough over "small trespasses
perhaps, but they are very quick to rise in
their might when those trespasses assume
dimensions which make them dangerous to
free institutions. Undoubtedly it would be
wiser to begin with the small trespasses, and
thus prevent the large ones from existing.