The Portland daily press., 1888-11-10

The eli ction of Nj. Harrison has created
small stir in England compared with Mr..
Joseph Chamberlain's selection of an Amer
lean girl for wife. The ponderous JOUR
mails of London have actually devoted lead
ers to the approaching matrimonial event;
and have passed from discussion of this
particular match to general and even philo-
sophie dissertation on the American girl and
the best methods of guarding against her.
No one has yet suggested prayers in the
churches, the method by which the terrified
people of the ancient Roman world used to
endeavor to ward off the Huns, the Goths
and the Vandals; but it seems to be gener-
ally believed in Brittania that the American
grill a menace to the British folm of ciyili-
zation. The Pail Mall Gazette playfully but
despondently voices the general alarm; In
its leader on the Observation-Disclosures en-
gagement:
The advent of an American girl in English soci-
ETY. at first aroused a curiosity; 1t soon became
potent; 1t is now assuming the dimensions of a
menace, aud before long it will be recognized
calamity. OF all forms of competition there is
none deadly as this. We can stand our farm
ELS being ruined by American corn; we can listen
unmoved TO the walls of our gTaZers made bank
rupt by the influx of American beef but an Amer
lean girl is too much. Already we hear a murInur
Vi tnC tl9 vi tiT uidNiuSTOOm SfOWl OF the de-
spairing Belgravian mother, who Sees season
after season, the American girls swoop down
ap9l s our most eeoe parts and cut our native
eats. That cry is growing and before long will
rival the lamen Of the Pacific coast over the
ruined, not by Chinese cheap labor, but by the
bounty led competition of the American girl
Are we to impose prohibition tariff on tins de-
scription OF American produce? The Prince Of
Wales Is OF course the most to blame IN this mat
nf afIn lTC Afoaa
influx # American beauty, as was the bounden
duty Of every good Britain, this uneonsolable
prince takes the fair intruder under his special
patronage An ingenious correspondent recently
sent us sugges ion that the true way in which 10
give Americans tit for their recent tat in regard
TO Lord Sackyil.e was for his royal highness to
boycott the American element IN London We
fear the prince is too much of free trader TO
listen for moment TO any suggestions of repris-
ais, and we must look elsewhere for remedies,
II remedies there may be- for this intolerable COM
petition. The advantages Of the American girl
In the marriage market are briefly these: She
has more intelligence and more money; she is
not kept in a bandbox, but has had practical
experience in such affairs her education, as a
rule, is better, aud, though her complexion is not
always so good she makes up iorit by her for
tune.
The Standard, sturdy old organ of the
British Conservative classes, thinks the
crisis grave enough to call for cool and dis
passionate reasoning by which it strives to
bring its deluded countrymen back to their
Senses and to proper appreciation of the
maidens Of Britain. AS a serious disserta-
ton on beauty, in its successful and unsuc-
cessful phases. the editorial of the Standard
deserves study:
That there are number of American girls who
are most attractive and charming will be readily
aomltted, but without posing as outrageous
patriots III this respect we are disposed 10 think
the English girls can hold their Own against even
their fair American cousins in the matter of 90 d
lOOs s, and decidedly OufStriD the N n
winch most Engllshmen regard as engaging aud
Irresistible. American grls as rule, are more
self possessed, more self-c0ntrolled and more
mistress II themselves than girls in this country
and they are accustomed ffom childhood to 4
greater freedom than is accorded to young people
OF the same sex In this country. They acquire
self reliance which shows Itself Enthusiastically in
their outward and social manner Is ii, however,
a cnarm III young girl 10 pcs less this character
1stic 10 notable degree? 1t may be the result
of ancient and traditional prejudice, but, some
now or other, most Englishmen are disposed to
admire certain timidity and hesitation in
girl, rather than fearless demeanor which seems
TO argue perfect familiarity with life, its dan
gers, its chances advantages and drawback The
Ideal III the States Is VIGOROUSLY not quite the
same as that which, for the most part, prevails in
a searching and impartial Investigation that the
American standard has less fwaat is meant f,r
The ideal than the English SC "a I'd. In other
words 1T is like the Americans tlltInselvs s-more
practical: English girls are VIII j. called roman
nc and american girls, If roman &; are so to a
race, they are educated to understand
ana be In harmony with the hard
and somewhat cynical 60 ditions of
their life, and they have less nonsense about
them than Fl glish girls IL is often remarked
that American women push their way where Eng
fish women, possessed of no greater personal aS-
vantages, would fail. The reason is that the
former understand The conditions Of success bet
ter and accommodate Themselves 10 then. They
are not women that stir the passions or inspire
the song OF poets, nor will they GO down to pos
terity as ber0ines or chalmers; but they have
their y to succeed in London drawing rooms as
their brothers succeeded in dry goods stores in
New York, and for much the same reason. They
make excellent wives TO the men who live in the
full glare OF society, and prefer clever ca pable
aSsoclai TO tender don este c0mpa,ion But
all the countrymen of Chamberlain whether prl-
yate friends, political al les. political enemies,
Will wish him and his American bride all the hap,
plness that ought TO flow from a union based on a
mature and deliberate choice.
1t may never have occurred to the Stand
ard that arguments generally are worse than
useless in cases of this kind; and that its
well meant effort will probably be effective
only in sending single Englshmen in large
numbers over to America The fact is, the
matter has passed beyond control, and it
wont improve the situation to call cut the