The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-02

are as a race using less ceremony in their
social intercourse now than they nave
in the past: but that their manners are
degenerating admits OF doubt. Cere-
mopial is almost altogether matter of To-
cality, differing In different places. That
which would be considered the proper.
thing in one place would be conspicuous
In another. The innate good manners
which denote perfect gentleman are
found everywhere. The farther away We
get in our social development from
monarchical court and its customs the less
ceremonial We find: in its place are to he
found simplicity and absence OF form.
through which true politeness shines as
brightly as ever.
However. this abandonment of cere-
monial has in great measure made II
very difficult to apply any fixed standard
of manners, or to say that the omission
or commission OF any particular act
proves person to have been il!-bred.
We are now far more apt to 20 to the
other extreme and condemn as bad
form" that which was once considered
essential in wcll-bred man or woman.
This .disuse of ceremonial comes from
the American theory that all men are
created equal; for in the European ooun-
tries. which are governed by a very re-
strictive society. the Difference to titular
sup.eriors is the vary foundation of the
social code-and this code permits an ar
reogance to supposed interiors which
would never be tolerated in this country.
In our pronounced democracy such show
of respect would be considered as "toady-
ing"
Another cause of the decline OF the lit
tie courtesies is the advent of the type
known as the "New Woman" who. glory
ing in her newly found Independence.
scorns the helping hand of her escort as
being childish and weak. After having
been snubbed several times a man natur-
ally does not offer that which Is SO evil
IDENTIFY not wanted.
The advent Of women into business life
would naturally have a tendency to do
away with much of the Journalism o:
olden times: but II a poll could be taken
of all the .stenographers and Office clerks
it might be easily shown that they are
treated with the same politeNess which 1t
is the custom Of every American man to
show toward "a woman, whether in his
employ or not The truest poiiteness and
chivalry are not always clothed in the
most polished exterior. 1t does not nj
ways take fine clothes and a mind filled
with the small things of life to make
true gentleman.
AS the control of society has passed
out of the hands of the few who had tho
leisure to devote to the cultivation of
ceremonial, and as in this country there
is no stigma on being ..'in trade" man
ners are not a necessary adjunct to
been neglected.: In certain way they
are more important now than they have
ever been In the past, because those who
have sprung from the ranks and achieved
wealth quickly. without having either
birth or breeding at the start, are anxious
to acquire a seeming familiarity with the
customs and usages of polite society. and
to be recognized as being on an equality
with those possessing them. Thus upon
careful investigation one comes to the
conclusion that rs a race the American
people are just as careful of their man.
ners as they have ever been, but that as
we have grown older as nation and
farther from the customs which our an
ccstors brought from monarchal coun-
tries the ceremonial fashioned after court
practices has fallen into disuse.