The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-28
ALL ABOUT THE YANKEE.

Until within a very few years the
| citizen Of the United States was wont
! to consider himself as the american.
But recent political events have opened
his eyes to the fact that there are other
Americans, British Americans, Central
Americans and South Americans.
British America is as large as the
United States. Central America count
ing Mexico is equally as large, and
South America is as large as all North
America. yankee" is the national
designation given the citizen of the
United States very largely by the rest
of the world. A foreign writer in a
communication TO an American paper
only last week desires to call attention
to the fact that this is by no means a
peculiarly Spanish method of so calling
your countrymen. l believe it to be
common to the people Of all other
lands, and judging by its evident pOpu-
larity as a self-chOsen term throughout
the United States, las witness your IA
vorite national air, Yankee Doodle,
many articles of common, everyday
use, Yankee notions,' and multitude
Of other instances which might be
mentioned,) / certainly fail to see in
its alleged use by Spanish speakers or
writer's any very serious addition to
the grievances-rea or imaginary-at
present felt by the United States
against the land of Americas discov-
erers." He adds that the term "Amer-
leans is generally used by Europeans
Gin speaking of the republic of South
America at large, or, it may be, of the
nations and colonies in general of the
entire continent, but most commonly
in the former sense, so far, at least, as
it refers to the people of the Iberian
peninsula" In the opinion of this
writer no single country has the right
to assume a designation of continental
proportions to the exclusion of its sister
nations" Citizens OF Brazil, he points
out, are called BraZilianS, Of Mexico
MeXicans, and he thinks that leach
American country should for conyen-
fence sake. if for no other conSidera-
ton, adopt a specific nomenclature for
its territory and its people, in conform
ity with the practice of the nations OF
each of the other continents. Now,
if Yankee-a name of native origin,
and not an epithet of the foreigner
be Objectionable to the citizens of the
United States. shall 1 say United
Statesers0 is it not incumbent upon
them to decide upon some designation
by which. without intruding upon the
natural and incontestable rights of
their Observation-Disclosures, South
and Central-they may henceforth be
known among the nations, both of the
Old and New World?"
Everyone IS aware that the word
yankee is applied abroad indiscrim-
inately to all citizens of the United
States, but it is used generally as a
nickname" aud not always in a com
plimentary spirit. Our Spanish friends
just at present are doubtless inclined
10 employ it in a sneering and deroSa-
tory sense, but however it may be used
by them or other Europeans. it has
long since ceased TO carry with ii the
slightest sting or latent satire. From
q term of reproach or ridicule it has
become TO the citizen of the United
States q verbal badge of honor. and is
now synonymous the world over with
shrewdness, enterprise, pluck and
achievement. The writer is probably
mistaken, however, in calling il self
chosen term" Its origin is uncertain
According 10 one authority, Yankees
is variation of ~ enkees," or Yen
gees" or ''Yaunghees.r "a name said
TO have been given by the Massachu-
sets Indians TO the English colOniStS,
being, ii is supposed, an Indian corrup-
ton of the word English or of the
French AnglaiS." Washington Irving
in his history Of New York explains
the derivation somewhat differently.
The first settlers OF New England, he
says, came 10 America Ito enjoy I'M
moleSIed, the ineStimable right Of talk
ing. And. in fact, no sooner did they
land upon the shore OF this free-spoken
country than they all lifted up their
voices and made such a clamor OF
tongues that we are told they frighten-
ed every bird and beast out OF the
neighborhood. and struck such mute
terror into certain fish that they have
been called dumb-fiSh ever since. The
simple aboTIgines Of the land for a
while contemplated these strange folks
in utter ast0Rishment but discovering
that they welded harmless. though
noisy. weapons. and were lively. in
geniouS. sOod-hunlored race OF men.
they became very friendly and Soc
liable. and gave them the name OF Yam
okieS, which in the MAST chusaeg Tor !
language signifies silent
men-a ws-sish appellation. since !
shortened into the familiar epithet Of |
Yankees. 1t had gained great cur
relcy As descriptive OF the eoloniSJs in |
IIo5. when Dr.. Sehuckburgh. the Brit |