The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-09
AN OBSERVING FOREIGNER.
He Finds Little Things to Crit.ciss but
Greater Ones to Commend il America.


A gentleman from across sae sea, who Ii here
temporarily. remarked to Q journal reporter
yesterday that he supposed everybody 10 privi-
legged to criticise America and Americans. To
that the reporter responded by asking. What
do you fnd Objectionable in the American char
actsr7'
IF you are impervious to criticism" the
gentleman replied, II shall not be backward 10
Offering what I have to saw. One thing that
strikes me as . trife Objectionable IL your too
great lack of formally. Now that seems little
strange coming from European, does it notl
We have been charged by you with having too
much formally in everything, but believe you
have swung to the opposite extreme. You neg
lect many of the little amenities of life, social
customs and obssrvances which obtain on the
continent. which really mean nothing at all,
but still add little TO the bright side OF life.
One illustration will show you what mean. In
America gentleman comes rudy elbowing his
way into crowd of friends without taking time
to salute any Of them perhaps, stands there q
moment until something attracts his attention
in another direction, and then as unceremonious-
in the spirit of pride OK Boosting, we never think
Of joining crowd of friends without salutipg
each individually, or at any rate saying some
thing TO the whole number when we come up.
and again politely bidding them adieu
when we leave. These things cost nothing but
a little time, mean nothing in themselves. per-
haps, and yet they contribute good deal to-
ward making life agreeable and pleasant. You
Americans move in such hurry and furry that
you have hardly time to be polite"
Are there any other drawbscksT
"Yes. / want to crlticise you on another
point, and this time have ample room-and
that is your national vice of chewing tobacco.
this continual chewing and splitting which you
why you are not nation Of
dyspeptics. and I think you will be in
time If you keep this up. Your ladies, too, in
order to have vice as bad ss the men. are roll
ing wax around in thsir mouths In a way almost
as offensive AS their male friends. It's disgust
ing, highly disgusting, and however much you
may De ahead of Europeans in some things, we
in Germany are certainly far ahead of you in
this respect. That man would not De regarded
a q gentleman In my native land who stands on
the corner and publicly munches tobacco. I
think now have scored two points against you,
have notg'
Have you not something to commend3'
"Oh, beyond question. A foreigner sees so
much in America to admire that he hardly
knows where to begin to speak Of it. The de-
lightful freedom Of intercourse that is every
where here. the equality which prevails. is
something no foreigner can appreciate until he
has seen 1t. In going through your public
bull dings. your parks and public grounds there
are 30 few of the curbs and restrictions that
you meet with in Europe You don't see on
every turn Stop here. as you do in monsrchical
ant change have spent my first Fourth Of
July in your country. I am surprised at the
display of p atriotism. In my own land such .
thing rs patriotism IL looked 1T in . matter-of-
fact sort of a way. We have 1t. but no great
manifestation OF it. dare say. you are the
most patriotic people in the world" 81
How do you account for thatp
II have but one reason for IT. and guess it's
the true one. Your government appeals moro
directly to the people. Every man feels that he
il real part and parcel of it, and thas the state
in a measure, rests his shoulders. Govern
ment. you may say, becomes q personal matter
in this country. as in no other nation in the
world, and for this reason. take il, you are so
much given to patriotic displays. In monarch
ical country. at least 10 some OF them, the gov
eminent 10 away off from the people; it's like
immense machine that they had no part In
starting. and after it is started. have compara-
lively little control over it. republic, on the
contrary touches a man at every corner; he
feels that his influence, in some measure, has
an immediate effect on its control and its des-
tiny. IL placing responsibility on q man edu-
Gates and elevates him, If it developes self-re-
straint. and self-control. and gradually raises
him to point where government is not neces-
sary. then sou Americans have made a great
step in advance"
''Do you not think that is truel'
ut certainly is There have been several
crises in your life where q wonderful amount of
self-control and self-restraint was manifested
Take the trouble over your presidential election
in 1876. dare say there is no country anywhere
that would have adjusted difficulty of such gu
preme consequence in amicable and satisfac-
tory a manner. France, for instance in such a
crisis would have toppled over in no time The
people have not that discipline and self
which you have here IN so eminent degree
That Is one reason why republic can not long
continue in that country. The foundations for
1t do not really exist. But returning to my
point. think the chief benefit OF your institu-
tions is that you are taught, as no other nation
is, TO govern yourselves"