The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-30
PATRIOTISM

Is patriotism a less powerful factor II
che makeup OF the American youth o.
today than It was one hundred year:
xgD. We say with confidence, No
mere always comes q time to a country
which has no standing army. when thi:
query arises
There is no proof like the conflict Of
ISL necessary to show that the love for
our country is not Dormant The social
conditions Of the American boy Of today
are so wholly different from those of
colonial times that it may be hard TO
compare the depth Of feeling OF the two.
The boy Of 20 lived a narrower life than
him Of today. Our forefathers had been
ghe subjects Of endless oppression for
years For generations this proud re-
sistance to English aggression became
the great inspiration Of the life Of the
eolonist. His one hope was to view the
time when he could face the world as a
free man. 1t was this incentive that
made him concentrate his every effort
TO gain his freedom. The English by
persisung in their e-xtravagant demands
did much the same service for US as
Napolien did for Germany. Before the
var of the revolution we were merely q
enneetion Of colonies independent OF
sach other. governed by different char
tiers, and having few common interests.
England's injustice was the one bond
thai held US in sympathy. 1t is due to
this that we owe our position before the
world today. The tremendous wave Of
patriotism. awakened for the first time.
which swept down the Atlantic coast,
was a novel experience 10 America, and
It soon became a passion.
This is where the American youth OF
ancestors. The patriotism which started
In a flame has become one OF the sober
virtues. The war Of the rebellion shows
to what extent we can rely upon our
young men. But there are those who
say this patriotism has diminished. even,
since the civil war. II is true that We
have no one great absorbing interest to
draw the younger men Of today into an
acquaintance with ZACH other. but we
affirm that each has, none the less, his
own ideas concerning his duty to his
country. He may differ in the manner
Of applying his ideas. They may be
purely political. or purely moral, or both.
but our young men think. and that is
the point.
The ambassadors who visit this coun-
try from abroad return after having
thoroughly imbibed. so they think, the
national spirit. They see what diverse
business interests we have and wonder
Gt the secret that guards Americas
peace. We aver that it is just this mys-
terry that proves the patriotism Of the
United States citizen. How could any
man build so largely on credit II he did
not have the supremest confidence in
the unwayering loyalty Of his fellow citi-
zen II We were a nation OF individuals,
as the e%x-spanish minister. Valera, ap-
pears TO think, how long would Spain
Gave kept her hands of US? II she is
willing to ruin her resources to retain
a speck Of land that would be practi-
cally invisible On the surface Of the
United States, what would she do to
command the wealth of the West? We
do not need the tribute of foreign courts
TO convince us OF our strength OF ma
tional character. We stand alone among
the powers Of the world as the one
great nation hat needs no standing
army. Why do we not need 1t? Be
couse we have an immense field Of patri-
otic young men who are willing to spring
forward at the lightest whisper and
grasp the flag which is the symbol of
orr national power and unity