The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-27

mas aroused in people OF other nation
alIbles much conjecture regarding the
aims anil purposes of this annual
gathering for friendly contest in lit
erature md music. The name by
which this festival is known in the
native tngue, 'sEisteddfod, has no
complement in the English language,
either ofword or phrase, but the idea
cOnveyedis an emulatary contest per
medium If which the spirit Of verse
and sOngas originally existing during
the earLycenturies when the poetic
spirit prdominated, is enthused and
promulgated, both in Wales, and
in communities Of WelshmeR in
other countries. When the full i'm
port OF this purpose is cOmprehended,
the mindcannOt restrain the impulse
TO express profound c0mmendation of
the objects sought, and keen admira-
tiOn for the persistency with which
these people pursue the determine
tiOn 10 constantly renew their love of
that which is prominently beautiful
and elevating in their native annals,
and TO pTsistently convey the senti-
ments thus handed down from genera
ton to generation, to their children,
who are no longer Welshmen, except in
the abstract ties of attachment Great
ed by sentiment born of their accum-
ulated literature, and oft sung verse.
The most praiseworthy characteristic
of our Welsh citizens is. that this de-
termination TO renew native love and
sentiment, and TO familiarize the
younger ones with historic verse and
literary characters, does not deter
them IN the least from their efforts TO
familiariZe themselves with Ameri-
can institutions, TO digest the true
genius OF our government, and Volum
inOus literary curriculum. What the
Welshmen endeavor to foster by these
annual contests is not native preju-
dices and foreign practices, entirely
alien TO american aims and ambi-
tions, but merely that pure, patriotic
sentiment contained in the verse and
song of their master minds-senti-
ments which are equally valuable in
the citizen under whatever flag he
may reside. When the W elshman takes
upon himself American citizenship.
everything that may be base, crude or
impractical IN the foreign system of
government is dismissed from his
mind. only this eleyating sentiment
being retained, and then he enters In
to the spirit of our Republican form
of government with a keen Zest.
which is embellished and purified by
the thoughts and impulses aroused by
the friendly emulation eXtant at the
'EisteddfOd . Contrast these thoughts
with facts. only too well known, con-
nected with the record in this cOun-
try of certain classes Of foreigners,
VINO are controlled and guided by BIZ
gotry, dense ignorance. and binding
prejudices. and you have clean cut
demonstration of what forms the diff
ference between pure patriotism, and
destructive, cOldblooded anarchism.
The security of our government is al
WAYS made stronger under those ele-
ments from any nation, whose
meditati0ns and practices are
of that sort which awakens
the nObler sentiments of the
soul. and such is the effect of all such
indulgences as are observed at this
venerable Welsh festival The relig-
iOus inclination. and the tendency TO
educate, prosper and progress, SO well
known in our Welsh citizens. is fully
explained when their al absorbing de-
sire TO practice and perpetuate the
purity OF verse and music is brought
to our attention, as it has been in
Mankat0 within the last two days.
Would that all natiOnalities were so
inclined. Compare pure minded
Welsh maiden, or a noble spirited
young Welshman, with the pur1ties Of
native verse and song expanding and
directing the heart, with the half
drunken, MISUNDERSTANDING, Italian
or Spanish belle in the besmeared pOr-
tions Of our larger cities, and the blear-
eyed, bawling knight Of the same ma
tiOnality, each with a stiletto or but
cher knife laid close 10 the recesses of
the heart. and you have very strik-
ing example of what builds up and ell
evabes our civilization as over against
that which eats away its foundations.
1t is merely the difference between
the effect Of song. warbling from the
throat of pure minded maid. and the
effect Of blood letting stiletto in the
hands of one of an opposite character.
Let US. then, encourage the 'Eistedd-
fod' and all similar institutions in
whatever nationality they may be
found, and welcome those who parti-
cipate in them TO our shores, but, at
the same time, let us be dill
gent in denOuncing and stamping out
the aims and purposes of the cunning
plotter. whose whole life impulse is