Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-10
TO YOUNG CITIZENS.
The First of a Series of Letters Writ
ten by Prominent Men.
INFLUENCE OF AMERICAN IDEAS
And Institutions Upon the Other Nation;
of the World.
OUR GOVERNMENT A POTENT AGENCY
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH,

WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.i
The young citizen of the Republic should
study carefully the reflex influence of our
institutions on other nations and peoples.
Though the United States are separated by
broad oceans from other countries, the fact
of distance over sea tends rather to make
our social and civil forms more conspicuous
in the eyes of the peoples abroad. Men
become interested in the things seen afar,
especially when the vision includes such
marvel as is presented in the history o: the
American Republic.
First of all, our Government itself-our
form of government-has been potent
agency in influencing the political society
OF foreign countries. Our democratic Re-
public was, from the first, contagious. The
achievement of independence gave an ex-
ample to Europe and the world of civil
liberty. II was in the nature of successful
precedent Here was proof, living in
stance, of the truth of what the French
philosophers had already been saying in the
Encyclopedia Franchise" Frenchmen of
100 years ago reasoned thus: Freedom in
America Is not a delusion and snare. The
Americans have demonstrated the truth of
the rights of man as declared by our favor;te
author. Therefore France may do the
same.
Popularity of franklin in France.
This reasoning, half-silent and half
avowed, was the secret of the popularity of
Franklin at the French Court. Tao Able
Raynal, speaking of tine Americans in 1871,
cries out: ''Their honored names shall be
transmitted to posterity by happier pen
than mine. Brass and marble shall show
them to the remotest ages. In beholding
them the friend of freedom shall feel his
heart palpitate-feels his eyes float in de-
licious tearsp' Mirabeau, standing in the
tribune of the National Assembly, ex-
claims: 81 ask if the nations have dared
to read the American Declaration, or to in
terrogate their consciences after the perusal.
ask whether there be at this day one gov
ernment in Europe-the Aelvetic and
Batavian considerations and the British
Isles excepted-which, judged after the
principles of the Declaration OF Congress on
the 4th of July, 1776, is not divested OF its
rights"
1t is impossible to determine with pre-
cision how much the success of our Republi-
can experiment contributed as an exciting
cause of the great revolution in France; but
it was certainly one Of the potent influences
which combined to upheave French society,
to overthrow the Bourbon throne, and to
give a new political direction to modern
Europe. The pens Of Jefferson and Paine,
the oratory of the Adamses, the sword of
Washington, and the constructive genius of
Hamilton prevailed not only in America,
but to a certain extent in every civilized
country of the Old World.
The Progress of fRepublicanism.
I Still more strongly has the same influence
spread among the other governments of the
American continents. Even the tyro in
history is able to note the rapid progress of
Republicanism In all the countries of our
three Americas. The conservatism of the
Spanish race. Its strong monarchical proclivi-
ties and general subserviency to the priest
hood, have not been able to Withstand the
example and impact of American democ-
racy. True. the Republic of Mexico is not
shining example of political excellence;
but it may we'll be cited as glorious in
stance of a revolution which was lighted
with torches brought from the North.
In the South American States the same
effects are referable to the same cause. Our
republic has been to all these peoples,
whether Spanish or Portuguese, what Lord
Bacon would call "forthshowing instance"
of emancipation and progress. All the an
archistic wars and seemingly chaotic strug-
giles of the South American nations, have
tended strongly and constantly to the re-
production of new forms of liberal govern
ment, of which our own has been the pro-
totype.
like manner diffused themselves as seed
sown on distant shores. The American idea
OF public education by the State foreran by
a long period the similar movement In
Great Britain. The young citizen must be
surprised to note the fact that William E.
Forster, leader of all the recent educational
reforms in England, has in no instance gone
beyond the well-established precedents and
methods of our American public schools.
While America has copied her institutions
of higher learning from the Old World, and
perhaps not improved them, the nations
abroad have been constrained to accept the
American public school system and the
principles upon which it is based as the best
and truest which the experience of mankind
has yet been able to devise.
Charitable Policy of America.
The same thing may be said respecting
the use which other nations have made of
American philanthropic and charitable in
stitutions, such as those for the protection
and education of the blind and the deaf and
ID,
Europe nearly all Institutions for the bene-
fit of these unfortunate classes, and even in
stitutioDs for the poor, have been the pro-
duct either of religious devotion or of pri-
vate philanthropy. In scarcely any civil
lized country other than our own has the
public policy been Systematically adopted
of providing for the welfare and iu-
struction Of the unfortunate classes
at the expense and under the
direction of the State. 1t is in America
that the most praiseworthy and marvellous
things in this direction have been achieved.
In no other country have the blind been
taught as in the asyiums OF the United
States; and in no other has the tongue of the
dumb found such utterance, or the wild cry
of the insane been hushed with such humane
and rational treatment. Every young citi-
zen should read with tearfnl sympathy the
story of Laura Bridgeman as told by
Dickens in his American Notes." or as
recorded in the fourth volume OF the ''Smith-
sonian Contributions to knowledge.
Many of the minor institutions and
usages of American society and citizenship
have in like manner caught the sympathy
of foreign nations and been adopted by
them as the best existing results OF modern
civilization. These influences have been
shed abroad by our country as far as the
Oriental nations. The student of history
has within the past year beheld the pleas
ing spectacle cf the adoption of an eniight
ened Constitution by the Japanese Empire.
In studying that instrument he shall be
astonished to note that in every part except
so much as relates to the Emperor and his
household-the Constitution of the Ameri-
can Republic was used as the model aud
pattern of the whole.
JOHN CLARK RIDPATH.