National Republican., 1883-05-08
"Dcnationalized Americans"

There is some encouragement in the fact
that the i"1pfc Magazine has admitted to its
pages ali - in which Henry Cabot Lodge
says some very plain things about donation
allied Americans. 1t is not often given to the
readers of that or any other magazine to read
so fine strain of truth and common sense, so
clearly and directly wordcd. Mr.. Lodge could
not have selected topic more distinctly in
need of treatment, nor one moro dis
tinctly and unpleasantly conspicuous. That
tho rise and growth Of leisure
class in this country has fruited
miserably to the country itself is not sur
prising. The mighty labor of building new
world, in which this people is engaged leaves
no time for simple idlencss in anyone. Those
too hasty riches find themselves abortive
weeds in garden of great endeavor. Out of
place among us, and wholly out of sympathy
with us, they. bend their heads to other lights,
and either trail away to other lands or exist
at home under pale pretense of being ex-
otic. Mr., Lodge sketches the conditions that
as having reproduced the old and
dying spirit of colonialism. The class is not
composed of people broad enough to appre-
hend that they cannot be other than Ameri-
can if they would, nor that at the highest
point to which they can ascend in their strug-
giles toward Standardization they are simply
Lodge describes them as that large class, COM
prising many excellent mon and women, no
doubt, who pass their lives in Europe mourn
ing over the inferiority Of their own country.
"Thoy do not" he says "cbange into French
men or Englishmen, but are simply dis1gured
and deformed Americans. We find the same
among the rich and idle people of our great
eastern cities, especially in New York, because
it is the metropolis These groups are for the
most part made up of young men who despse
everything American and admire everything
English. They talk and dress and walk and
ride in certain ways, because tho English do
these things in those ways. They hold their
own country in contempt, and lament the hard
fate Of their birth. They try to think that
they form an aristocracy, and become at once
ludcrous and despicable. Tho virtues which
have made the upper classes in England what
they are, and which take them into public af,
fairs, into literature and politics, arc forgot
ten. Anglo Americans initiate the vices OF
the follies of their models, and stop there. II
all this were merely passing fashion, an at
tack of Anglo-manin or of Gallo-mania, OF
which there have been instances enough
everywhere, it would be of no consequence
But it is a recurrence of the old and deep
seated malady of colonialism. 1t is a Inca
descendent of the old colonial family. The
features are somewhat dim now, and the vital
ity is low, but there is no mistaking the hered
itary qualities. The people who thus despist
their own land, and ape English manners
fiatter themselves with being cosmopolitans
when in truth they are genuine colOnists
petty and provincial to the last degree"
When an evil or folly has gone to such
length that even the infected begin to poin
it out reaction has commenced. Tho ap
pearance of such an article as this in the Al
, lantic, which more than any other magazine o
periodical published in America has fostere
this same colonial malady, is indicative Q
such turn. When over the rattle Of rid
. cule that is directed upon 1t in the dali
0 press comes the boom of such ordnance as th
+. Atlantic can command, it is not unreasonabl
z | to ipaplSs hope that thsSs w saOgtly