San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-17
THE AMERICAN CHARACTER
UGTIC


Friday, by Nellie O'COnnor.l
The pre-eminent American charac-
teristic is haste and proves the sub
ject Of much jest as well as criticism.
In this age of progress America is
anxious not only to keep pace with
the times but desires to be in advance.
Each individual wants fortune ana
wants it in short time. Life is at
best but few years, so he ustneeds
be alert and active, tOiling, striving
necessarily, scarcely giving himself
time for needed rest. AS it is with
the individual so it is with the masses
grinding, pushing and elbOwing their
way. The weak succumb 10 the
strong, while those who have the
right of might in their favor rise
above their fellows.
The American has no time to spare.
An assigned task or business trans
| action is always performed with the
greatest possible haste. He has more
work in prospect than he can we'll do
in the allotted time. Even his meals
are swallowed in such haste as to
prevent enjoyment, he eats mechan-
ically and because he must. With
breathless speed he PUSHES from one
thing to another, all his undertakings
governed by the same rule which
controls his eating each day critic
rion of the last, until he drops eX-
hausted into an early grave. 1t is
we'll known fact that American peo-
pie are not remarkable for their long
evity and this is chiefly owing to the
strain put upon them by their never
ceasing eXertions. And what is
the cause of this unnecessary
haste? Is it due to an amount
of surplus force inherent III the Am
erlcan which must De expended at
any cost? 1t would seem that he
is endowed with an unusual
amount of energy, of some
amount of energy of some description,
to which he must perfOrce give vent.
Can it be that he is by nature more
active than his transatlantic neig b.
Dor. IL this surplus energy motive
power really exists, the solution of
the problem is easily attainable.
Again, haste might arise from ner-
vousness. A nervous person is i'm
questionable, impulsive and such a
one is apt to regard things seriously;
life soon becomes a constant worry.
First one object and then another is
attacked with equal earnestness
and ardOr, consequent upon this ply
steal condition and thus may arise
the haste peculiar to Americans.
A newspaper article of recent date
asserted that nervousness is largely
due to climatic conditions and that
the climate of America is specially
conducive to nervousness. This is an
argument worthy our consideration as
one can readily understand how haste
would arise from such a condition.
The author of the article in
proof Of his statement, illustrates in
this wise. An American in England
is surprised to find that he can in
dulge more freely in malt and spirit
IONS liquor than he could at home
and an Euglishman in America soon
discovers that he cannot consume as
great an amount of the same bevera-
ges, as he did in Merrie England and
continues the writer, The Englishmen
Is less nervous than his American
cousin, not because he is less abstem-
ious in his eating and drinking, but
be cause excuses are less hurtful in
certain directions in his climate than
ours. The author concludes, the inn
vhe relative dryness of our atmos-
phere as well as in extremes of heat
and cold. Evidences of the drynesss
of this climate are observed in the
dryer hair and sitter hair grown by
Americans and IN their leanness COM
pared with the English and the Ger
man. This affords another and per-
haps more convincing proof of the
OF
acteristic.
The foregoing may be cited as pos
sible causes of this distinctive trait
of ours. Actual results are more
easily found; probably the first of
this is the continual fret and worry
to which we are subjected. We al
low ourselves to be troubled about
this tritle and about that, until every
thing chafes us Our troubles ac-
cumulate with years, we undertake
more labor than we can reasonably
perform, our efforts are redOu bled and
possibly by great strain We accom-
Dlish our task, more frequently leave
1t to posterity to finish, for what
American ever died without regret
over an unfinished scheme. Enula-
ton is also an important factor in
our lives. We are spurred to greater
effort Oftentime because we fear the
leadership of others. Even should
we reach the desired goal, it is at
the sacrifice of almost everything
else, health comfort, happiness. In
devoting his life to the attainment
of the priced object, a man becomes
prematurely aged. The harvest is
ready, the grain is ripened, the
sheaves are garnered but the work.