The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-13
HOW THEY ARE TALKING.
The Tie Of Blood N an English Paper
Views 1.-THE Unpopular Nation.

London Morning.
In connection with this Anglo-American
crisis, one gets little tired of hearing or
blood or kinship between nations as
something that makes for the maintenance
OF peace. / cannot think that the present
outburst of American jingoism will bring
the two countries TO blows, but Of this 1
am certain. that IL pacific counsels prevail,
the blood theory will have nothing to do
bitter as the family quarrel. II kinship
disposed mems minds TO peace and good
viii. why should there ever be any obsti-
nate family litigation? Why should nations
engage in civil war, as both the English and
the Americans have done?
So much for blood 1t may be thicker
than water" when matters are proceeding
smoothly between the parties. 1t may tend
where IL exists to make the friendship just
a little more intimate. and perhaps a little
does not seem to be able to stand the
smallest strain produced through self-inter-
est, pique. pride or temper, and / suspect
the author OF the proverb quoted was more
intent upon making an epigram than re-
cording sociological truth
As for the Americans. are they so very
much our kith and kin, rhapsodical au-
thorities argue? For many generations
past there has been a greatly mixed stream
or immigrants flowing into the United
Germans, Scandinavians. Russians, Italians
and others. among whom the natives Of
Great Britain have been in a small minor
ity Ireland has done more than her share
in filing up this great hog-tub OF civilization,
labelled the u. s.. A, and the Irish contin-
gent. which is blood If you like, appears
to be the most hostile OF all the elements.
1 fancy that fruitful source of misconcep-
ton with regard TO the supposed inherent
friendliness OF America towards Great Brit
ain is the community OF language between
Sayce has wisely insisted, is no safe index
to the racial origin, though it used to be
considered a sufficient proof of kindred be-
tween the .Anglo-Saxon and the Bengalee.
English is making rapid Roadway in the
world, but let US not forget that even with
in our own borders it. is spoken, as their
mother tongue, by all but fraction of the
Celts of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. So
far from being blessing, community of
language between two disputants may serve
as a provocation OF violence by enabling
them the better to understand each others
gibes and sneers. The greatest cause of
war is temper and angry words. doubt
whether history could show a pretext for
war which, soberly and justly considered,
was worth fighting about.
"A war between England and the United
States would be the most destructive, al
least from the pecuniary point of view,
that the world has seen, and that is the
restraining consideration upon which the
friends OF peace, l believe. may count most
surely.
Undeniably we are not liked by the Amer
leans. There could not otherwise have been
such a flare up OF hostility as President
Cleveland's famboyant language has ex-
cited among all sorts and conditions OF
American citizens. Curiously enough, the
irish element seems TO nave very little part
in the pother,. which, frankly speaking, has
its origin in the sef-sufficiency and bounce
OF people who, never having had foreign
war on hand, stand in need of the Same
sort of cowhiding as the ill-mannered pri-
vate citizen SO often does. Previous to
1870 the French were in similar position.
They wanted licking badly for fifty years
or more. and at last they got it. / do not
apprehend that the present American
trouble will not blow over, but / can
Imagine nothing more likely to bring chas-
tisement upon the Americans soon or late
than this pretentious Monroe doctrine of
theirs. which, in it's brand new form, is a
standing challenge not only to England,
but to France, Spain and other European
powers who have territorial interests in
Americans like us? Why. for the matter
of that. don't the French or any other ma
ton like us? For. among the nations of the
earth. we can hardly consider ourselves. SO
TO speak, popular. But that is another
story.