The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-22
The Making Of "rhese States


As we have already intimated, the clue to
the making of the United States is to be
sought not so much at New York, Pennsyl-
vania, or Chicago as In the little New Eng
land towns, with their Puritan chapels and
their elm-arched streets. They would go but
a little way toward solving the problem If
they were, as is popularity supposed, all Of
the self-same texture The miracle Of the
indefatiguable and inexhaustible elasticity
of the American character would then remain
still unexplained. An observer need but
travel up and down New England, and ex-
travelled and examined; he will discover
perfect magazine Of distinct powers, tenden-
cies, and ambitions, out Of which for genera
tions America has drawn the engines Tor ap-
propriating and realizing the mine OF wealth
reserved by nature for the enjoyment Oh the
Anglo-Saxon race. New England has con-
tributed its full share TO the profession OF
politics. This list contains many distinguish
ed names besides that OF Daniel webster,
whom our correspondent extols, perhaps
with some exaggeration. In other and less
tumultuous departments of intelligence New
England mas been ever In the Trent Oh
national progress. In literature, law, the
ol0gy, and science 1t represents America TO
the world. Yet the New Englanders who
have achieved acknowledged renownathe
crofts, Websters, Lowells, Prescotts. Mot
leys-have done less for their country than
the rank and file OF their eouptrymen, unre-
corded and unknown. The hungry soil 70
which the Mayflower brought its pilgrims Is
better mother of keen, brave men than ca
terer for their material wants. Massachu-
setts and the sister States have been a per-
petual nursery whence the continent has sup
piled itself with pioneers Of industry and ag-
riculture. Whatever diversity OF treatment
the infinite variety Of American circumstan,
ceS required, the exact instrument demanded
has always been found ready in the arsenal
of New England shrewdness, stubbornness
and mother wit.
America Is neither fragmentary nor Imono-
tonous. 1t Itcomprises within itself 9 root
turing in conformity with laws Of its own.
In some respects the hugeness Of its area,
and the rapidity with which population
is filling, it exposes it to q disadvantage In
the eyes of foreign spectators. They meas
ures It as the continent 1t is, by the side Of
the Old World. They seem to expect IT. 70
equal in century or two the fruits OF tenfold
the time. Judged by such standard 1t
wears a garish and sometimes a vulgar
look Tints are not properly subdued and
harmonized. The task of piling up riches
has outstripped the science Of spending them.
Society appears eager TO enjoy before II has
learned the art. But the amount done Is Tor
the time miraculous. 1t would be incon-
celVaDle Dut lot sucu tflueuCt do OuI COltc-
spondent has collected of the presence, rather
in the background and out of view, of much
more elaborate human mechanism Of brains,
gifts and aspirations, with multifariouS nat
tural and geographical resources TO minister
to them and be administered to, than Is COM
monty visible or understood. America,
though it has plenty still to learn OF Europe,
has something to teach Europeans, and es-
pecially about itself. Few foreigners as yet
comprehend the reason OF its growth. or the
nature of the future in store for 1t.