Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-26
ARNOLD ON AMERICA.
A Genuine Interview in London Report
ed by Robert Laird Collier.


l have been asked by representatives of
! the Pdt Nall Gazette and other London
papers to be ''interviewed," and have al
ways declined the honor and furthermore
! have promised Mr.. Knowles, of the Nine
| tenth Century, that if l have anything to
say about America | will send it to him.
But l have no present intention either to
write or say anything. 1t was very shock
! ing to see that miserable hoax printed in
the Chicago Tribune, purporting to give
some criticisms had made through the
| Pau Mall Gazette. Since it's publication
have received many letters from friends
IN Chicago who feel justly aggrieved that
| such reflections should come from my pen.
1t is simply preposterOus to suppose that
i could repay their hospitality and .be
| great kindness they showed me by such
criticism. Such an act on my part would
| have been mOnstrous and objectionable
l met many most charming people in Chi
! cagO, and have there friends to whom |
am deeply attached. | was the guest of
| General McClurg, lunched with Prof.
| Swing, and formed an acquaintance with
Mr.. McVeigh and many others whom re-
| gard as valued friends. 1t is true l did not
care for Chicago; tits too new and as we
| would say in England, too beastlV pros
perous.' l would not go to see the pig
sticking at the stock yards. Certainly
not! Why should l wish to see pig stick
! ing? Still, as l have said, nowhere did
| meet more charming people than in Chi
cago. 1 liked Milwaukee and St. Louis
! better as cities, but prefer Philadelphia to
! any American city. Chestnut street is like
| Bond street. Philadelphia is so respecta-
| bic. There are traces, certainly, of
! Quaker rigidity, but at the same time
| great refinement. l everywhere met with
kindness and atfectiOnateness and came
| home feeling that the Americans are
| indeed very warm-hearted people. My
| wife and daughter We're 10th to quit the
country, so appreciative were they Of the
universal civility and goodness shown
them and myself. We enjoyed all we
saw, and the atfectiOnate people most of
all. Yes. l must say they are an affec-
/ tionate people. met more social refine
ment than had expected. Still, all had
written of society III America holds true.
| The Americans are a commercial people,
with the intellectual limitations
| of such. The conditions make
! them commercial people; they
could not be otherwise, situated as
they are. They have a vast continent and
all its resources are to be developed.
Business absOrbs the time and powers of
the men as it does not in Europe; cOnse-
quently there is in America no class of
gentlemen, as in England, although every
where there are individuals equal to any
gentleman in the world. And the ladies
are more charming. l have never met
such takingness. The young ladies are
most engaging. While many of the gentle
men have the tone of feeling and the
speech of English gentlemen, the ladies
are much more engaging than English
ladies-are better informed and more
capable in conversation. 1t is this taking
ness or engagingness in all American
ladies that really quite fascinated me
the young ladies are so well posted and
converse so pleasinglY.