The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-24
AMERICAN TOADYISH.

Some of the eastern papers are giving
vent to just indignation at what they call
''cringing American toadyism." By this
they mean the toadyism which prompts
Americans to demean themselves by a
senseless worship of inherited rank which
they very accurately describe as a species
of insanity I'm the east" it is claimed,
1.-The disease has developed to an alarming
| degree, and the number of pseudo-Amer-
| leans who tumble over each other in cring-
ing attempts to worship at the shrine of
some impecunious or profigate lordling is
assuming disgusting proportions" Again,
it is said: 'When we consider that there is
not royal family in all Europe which is
not polluted by vice; when we remember
that the vast majority of the so-called no
bility are dissolute and lazy, and that those
who are entitled to respect have won that
right because they are men of ability, and
not because they were born to greatness,
we may well ask why Americans get down
and grovel in the slime of humiliating ser
Witty to unearned rank"
This conduct on the part of Americans is
indeed deplorable, and totally unworthy of
those who profess any attachment to our
republican institutions; in fact, such con-
duct is a confession that they re not con-
yerted to American ideas, to American
principles on. which both our government
and society are based. But lamentable as
this species of toadyism is, it is not the only
species which flourishes in our land. Nor,
indeed, is it the most dangerous. however
disgusting it may be. The toadyism which
hunts for titles to wed its daughters to, will
necessarily be very limited; confined for
the most part to silly mothers-women who
still, as of yore, are ever caught by glare
and their soft-headed daughters who forget
to look for a man in their anxiety to find a
title. They forget that ian honest man is
the noblest work of God;'' and that
'sprinces and lords are but the breath of
kings" that such breath is but wind, and
of no more account than that which cools
the sweat-stained face of honest toll They
may forget a lordling's pomp is but cum
brous load
Disgusting oft the wretch of human kind
Studied in arts OF hell in wickedness refined /!
They may forget all this, but the number
who do this will be very limited, for COM
mon sense still lives in the great republic
and will for some centuries to come at least
But there is a toadyism in America which
is a lust cause for alarm, for it endangers
the very existence of American institu-
tons. 1t is that species of toadyism which
leads men to smother up their honest con-
yictions in order that they may float pleas
antlv on with the stream of-not popular
reason, but popular clamor.- 1t is.this
toadyism which leads politicians to cater to
the wild demands of an unthinking rabble
on the one hand, or to the domination of
financial combinations on the other, that is
the most dangerous. 1t is this toadyism
which leads political parties to refuse to
take sides honestly on question which IS
of critical urgency, and Immediately re-
lated to the perpetuation of free institu-
lions that threaten the progress OF our
nation. This is the species OF toadylsm
that should call down the thunderbolts OF
the press. The folly of insipid maidens
who are laying their snares, by spreading
abroad their charms to catch some fifth
rate nobleman need only provoke smile,
and for moment call forth our
contempt; but the other species of toady-