New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-28
THE AMERICAN VIEW.
AT HOME AND ABROAD: WITH ILLCSTRA
TONS FROM PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
AND MR. CARTER HARRISON,
OF CIIICAG;

stations to be taken TO apply to the stations III
great cities. These last often very hh"; ho'
arranged 70 our liking always, but then we nave
70 rcmember-I think We ana all o'h'r p'oP"'
when travelling sometimes forget it-tha' IL WI
no. for tho foreigner that tlc customs and ar
rangements Of any country WERE IN 'lle h'S' III
stance. designed. French deputy had thu cour
age 70 Tell his fellow deputies the other day III
the Chamber during the debate on regulating the
residence Of foreigners. that Paris lived on tho
foreigner lie put it strongly, but there is truth
in IT, and IL is true to some extent OF most Euro
moan countries Italy and Switzerland would he
bankrupt but for the traveller. Germany woul
not but the tide Of travel That flows through tins
ancient land is, nevertheless enormous. and III"
effort on the part of the Germans TO make mat
tiers easy for the tourist il not always very Great
Perhaps il is better il should not br. One rather
likes TO sec O country and people as God mao"
them and as they have made themselves: nor as
il on parade for a general and continual lhspec-
ton The sincere and simple ways of the German
ere admirable. and hope it may be long before
they are changed I do not believe they VIII or
changed; certainly not out of Difference to alien
opinion.
The passion for the admiration Of other nations
i not particularly German trait. We all know
70 whom il belongs prominently. Yet neither
do the French adjust themselves altogether TO the
outside standard To find ont what is best, or
rather what il most characteristic in each country
is the lesson Of travel: and, having II posslo"'
found this, then to consider the country ny H'
own standard So judged. Germany and German
ways will, in The first place. appear to us as to'y
are and in the second place. we shall no apt 'c
form rieht opinions and not wrong ones. frr.
haps after all it is not the chief object OF 'raVe
70 increase ones stock Of native born preluhlces
xl.,< ,irr ia hpft
and better done, at home than it is anywhere
else.
The Englishman makes tho meridian of Green
witch answer for the whole globe. lie is proud OF
a. and he has right 70 he proud. Bnt ASTRONOMY
Is not everything and if you apply ASTRONOMICAL
nrinciplos TO morals and society, the results VIII
be curious Few are the Enclishmcn who. as
travellers are open-eyed or opcn-mindcd ih'N
set out with prpconccived notions. and they nfihS
them all back Whereas il is now more than nun.
dred long full years since we Americans cease
20 he Englishmcn and became Americans we IN
hcritnA good many English traits We nave
had time TO get rid OF some OF them ihere i
one we have not lost. We have not lost conn
dencc In ourselves We still form and ass RI
our own opinions. and take 7 will not say narrow
hut patriotic views No doubt there was time'
very remote. and it may be quite beyond living
memory when the American, whether at lone or
abroad was not quite sure of himself or OF his
country We did not always stand so VOL win
the world as we do now. We owned slaves We
had not put down great rebellion. nor SHOWN
our ability 20 create debt Of sometime over two
thousanl mllions-the final proof OF public creif
and OF the worlds confidence. There might ia
some excuse for Dragging in those days There IL
none now, when everything We have don" pra9S
for us: and almost everybody here JOINS Ill
chorus Of praise TO what is American lhere are
aissonant notes occasionally, but them we neel
not mind.
II is sometimes mark not of confidence. but Of
want OF confidence 10 assert things too loudly or
too often IA il one had 10 convince not only Others
but ones self Of the superiority Of ones own IDEAS
and manners and customs II Is sometimes
mark Of what shall say have read Preti-
dent ClevelanIs speech at Chicdgo-the echo OF
his inaugural address at Washington lie pro-
claims 20 all the world, for the secon1 time since
he became President the "stupendons achieve
ments- Of the American people. They are stn-
pendous The world does admire them sns-
pect il would admire them just as much if our
Chief MAGISTRATE had not entered and left Chicago
in a whirl Of superlativcs. Tn" President IS the
President. let rs think Of him. if possible, a.
President, and not as a Buffalo attorney. and trent
him with the respect due to his office. and apply
and call him stnpcndous But hc on his side NAV
fairly be asked to treat his countrymen with r.
spect and not address them once a month a. If
they were spoiled children who had u be iattcrc1
and coayed and fed with rhetorical sugar plums
We are something quito different from that, II the
politicians could only be- got To believe IT,
liz might remember. also that he has au
dience in Europe as we'll as in America. What
he says is cabled over here and Is read by GER
tain number Of people. We may assume he does
not wish 10 he laughed at, or 70 make his country
ridculous Buc he is aughcr at when he pourS
ont al Washington and at Chicago this pompou.
laudation of his own country. He has mlsfcl-
laneous vocabulary, but he has 10 words at com
m,nd ADEQUATE 10 do justice to the real greatness
which be belitt1es by njudiciOus phrases. Why
can he not let il alone? He may say, or yoI
may say, you DO not care for European opinion.
lie does care, and SO do you, bat if you think yon
do not, wlr appeal TO il?
The appeal Is pretty constant. Chicago herself
makes il, though sometimes in an odd way. For
what other object than TO coEciliate European
opinion did she elect Mr.. Iarter Harrison Mayor
in her Exhibition year? lie must have been
voted for by every European Socialist ana Ahai-
cbist whom his own country has unsratefuly EN-
lied What could he better calculated TO inspire
confidence in those moneycd classes of the Old
World whose visit Chicago is anXiously expo citing
Or did she suppose she could ntrust the order and
peace Of her city to a reckless domasogne and
keep the secret from Europr' No secrets OF that
kind arc now kept Europe, which had, perhaps,
forgotten all about Mr. Carter Harrison, heard OF
him and Of his election with. no doubt, Ignorant
indifference at first. But the cable, which so
often shows anti-American sympathics, or is so
often used TO discredit America abroad, presently
revived the earlier memories Of this eminent
Mayor, and transmitted violent and foolish
speech or two Of his, and the mischief was done.
1t was very much as if Paris had summoned the
world to "a Worlds Fair AMI elected Cluseret |
Mayor. Ii is far more, for the functiOnaIy who
comes nearest TO Mayor in Paris, and the NUM- |
eipal Council and all the municipal authorities of
Paris together, are comparatively poweress for
evil The control Of the police and the keeping |