The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-09
IMPRESSIONS or AMERICA.
Couan.DoyIe Gives His Views Upon the
National snIrit Of Onr f-itIr.ns


a. Conan Doyle, recently returned 10
England after a lecturing tour in the
United States, writes to the London
Times as follows:
An Englishman who travels in the
United States comes back according to
my experience, with two impressions,
which are so strong that they over
shadow all others. One is of the eX-
cessive kindness which is shown to
individual Englishmen. The other is of
the bitter feeling which appears to eX-
list both In the press and among the
public against his own country. The
present ebulition is only one of those
recurrent crises which have marked
the whole history of the two nations.
The feeling is always smoldering. and
the least breath of discussion sets it in
blaze. l believe. and have long be-
lieved, that the greatest danger which
can threaten our empire is the exist
ence of this spirit of hostility in a ma
ton which is already great and pow
erful, but which is defined to be far
more so in the future. our statesmen
have stood too long with their faces
toward the East. To discern our best
hopes as well az our gravest dangers
they must turn the other way.
As to the cause of this feeling. II is
not SO unreasonable as Englishmen
usually contend. IL is the fashion
among us TO apportion the blame be-
tween the Irish-Americau and the poll
tician who is in search of his vote. But
no such superficial explanation as this
can cover the fact that the governors
OF so American states should unhesi-
tatingly indorse a presidential message
which obviously leads straight TO war.
A dislike so widely spread and so
fierce in Its expression cannot be eX-
planned by the imported animosity of
the Celtic Irishman.
Few Englishmen could be found now
to contend that we were justified in
those views of taxation which brought
on the first American war. or in the
question of searching neutral vessels
which was the main cause of the sec
ond. This war of 1872 would possibly
only occupy two pages out of 500 in an
English history, but it bullls very large
in an American one, and has left many
bitter memories behind It. Then there
was the surly attitude which England
adopted toward the states after they
had won their independence, the re
peated frictions during the Napoleonic
epoch, and the attack upon an Amer
lean frigate by a British 50-gun ship in
time of peace. After the war there was
the Florida dispute In the time of An
drew jackson, the question Of the ore
gon line, the settlement of the Maino
and New Brunswick line, and. finally.
the hostile attitude of most of our press
at the time of the civil war. Since
then we have had two burning ques-
lions. that of the Alabama claims and
that of the Boring sea fisheries, culml-
mating I'm this of Venezuela. The his
tory of his country, then, as II pre-
sents itself to an American is simply
a long succession Of quarrels with our
selves, and how can 1t be wondered at
if he has now reached that chronic
Of
which we have not outgrown ourselves
in the case of the French?
If We are to blame as a community
for some at least of these unfortunate
historical incidents. we are even more
TO blame as individuals for the wide
spread bitterness which is felt against
us. We have never had warm, I'M
grudging word of heartfelt praise for
the great things which our kinsmen
have done, for their unwearying indus
try, their virtues in peace, their dog
redness in war. their unparalleled
clemency when war was over. We have
always fastened upon the small rude
details and overlooked the great facts
behind. In our shocked contemplation
'i an eXpcctoration upon the floor we
have lost sight Of universal suffrage
and equal education.
Our travellers, from Mrs. Trollope
and Dickens onward. have been sur
prised that the versatile Woodworking
men who often combine 10 trades in
one to adapt themselves 10 the varying
needs of 4 raw-Crowing community
had not the manners of oxford or the |
repose Of Sussex. They could not I'M
1erstand that this rough vitality and |
)VerbeaTing energy which carried them !
through their task implied those COM |
defects which must go with |
universal virtues. OF all English tray !
'lers to the states there was hardly /
me who did not make mischief with /
MS "reminiscences until, in our days,
Mr. Bryce did something to rectify the |
balance. And our want Of charity and |
rue insight are the most inexCusabl bic,
since no one has written more charm
nCly of England than Washington /
irving, Emerson and Holmes. our |
journals and public men are in the |
IA bit now, as n rule. OF abiding 70 |
america and Americans in the most |
friendly way, and that must in time |
nave it's effect, If recent unhappy /
vents do not change il. We should in /
NY opinion. lose no opportunity OF do |
ng those little graceful acts Of kind
less which are the practical sign Of a /
hould like 10 see an Anglo-American
ociety started in London. with /
ranches all over the empire. for the
purpose OF promoting good feeling.
moothing over friction laying litera-
ure before the public which win show
hem how strong are the arguments in
avur of an Anglo-Amr-icar alliance.
ma supplying the English press with
b. American side OF the question and +.
fee versa. such am organization would.
am sure. he easily founded. and
would De useful Hurl, toward that /.
-reatsst OF ali ends. the cousolida ton
4 the EugliSn-svsa races.
ur u 10 =.