Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1888-05-03

lCharlcs Dudley Warner In Amerteal
There seems to be good deal of doubt
as to what an American IN. The native
Indian does not exactly fill the bill, even
when he il improved. In fact, when he is
much improved he disappears. used to
think that TO be an American one had to
he horn in New England, or to have come
there at very early day, with the serious
intention of having every body who was jnst
right born there after the date Of 1921.
But the Dutch Of New York and the Ger
mans Of Pennsylvania. and the French of
Louisiana seem to have had different iteas
about it. There used to he a kind Of test |
such as we applied to ascertain the resi-
tlcnce OF voters, that everybody who had |
his washing done here was an American;
but since a lot Of people have arrived who |
call themselves more American than the
| oldest settlers, hut who do not have any
| washing done anywhere, that test ortaks
down. As, sometimes, it seems to BE- an
easy way to settle the question by de,lar-
| lug that no one not born in Ireland IL an
American, ut this would justly offend the
Germans, and irritate n considerable por-
ton of our rural population who do not
enjoy city government.
Ability to read the Constitution Of the
United States, coupled with short esi-
tlence, seemed to answer until We dis'ov-
cred that ability to understand it did not
go with the accomplishment Of reading, and
still less the intention of obeying it,Or Of
- ts,cp epsir
number Of people, America is a sort 'f go
as-you- please place, where every mar is II
law unto himself and every woman also,
and that il is very un-American tointer-
iere with the indulgence Of amy sert oi
vagary. IL il u sort Of no-man's land,
from which nobody can he excluded. acom-
mon sand-lot for the occupation Of tromps,
and where IL man, by the mere fact Il his
landing, is entitled to set up any SOFT ol
government or no-government, as h,
pleases, and to pull down anything ing
that does not suit him. In short, il is a
leftover region that belongs To ever. body
and he il the most American who exercises
the utmost license in speech and conduct
. Consequently it is Il surprise to many wh'
tHitt ehSs nav 'io"~"
with them some rights that they suppose,
they had ran away from, namely, the rgh
to be imprisoned or to be hung foi'lisobey
ing the laws.
sl 1t may not be possible to defin exactl.
what an American is, still less to describ
the American spirit about whicl we hea
50 much and which is so varioIsly con
ceived. But it is time that one thing wcr
very clearly understood by all the new
comers who purpose to favor us With thci
society, and that is, that the country
- already made and is not waiting 'or ther
to make it. That it is just as murh a ma
ton, with as well-dencd and as distinct
political life and purpose, as Germany, q
England, or France. This fact clearly uI
II derstood will save the newcomers grea
deal Of trouble. Wehave had n rea, thou.
not long, historic growth rs II nation; "
were not made by stroke Of thcpcn. b,
evolved out Of many peoples ind loi
colonial and revolutionary and :onstit
tional struggles, into true national Ill
under conditions Of government absolute
new in the world, but which for a centu
have given greater advantages ans chanc
for ordinary humanity than any 'thcr go
ernment that has preceded il. In our &c
eral system and our local self-go'crnme
y we find the American idea, and tits just
different from the license and the socialis
which some conceive to be the Americ
idea as can he. IL is useless fer forei
newcomers to butt their heads aginst II