The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-23
SHAKESPEARE AND GROVER.


That old coot in the White House
Grover Cleveland, has again disting
uiShed himself. This time il was no
in the enunciation of some yapid plaI
or the denunciation Of some just meas
ure. He takes Shakespeare's birthday
as an occasion to write a letter to an
American consul in England in an at
tempted Iaudation of Shakespeare
which evidences very clearly that he
knows very little about Shakespeare
and appreciates but slightly what be
knows.
Nothing more than this could be ex-
pected of Cleveland, but it was moi
expected that he would go TO the length
of indulging in fawning at EngIand's
feet.
He wrote:
Everything that tends to keep alive
the memory Of Shakespeare and pre-
serve a proper appreciation Of MS
work challenge my earnest interest and
approval, and though I cannot be with
you upon the occasion you contemplate
am glad TO know that our American
people are preeminently represented al
the celebration.
There is much said and written in
these days concerning the relations
which should exist, bound close by the
strongest ties, between the English
speaking peoples and concerning the
high destiny which awaits them in con-
ceTted effort. 1 hope we may never
know the time when these ennobling
sentiments Will be less oten expressed
or will in the least lose their potency
and influence. Surely, if the English
speech supplies a token for united ef-
fort for the good of mankind and the
impulse of an exalted mission, We do
well 20 honor fittingly the name and
memory of William Shakespeare.
If it is true that our ties with Eng
and are ''the strongest" Americans
md English come from one common
stock. We rebelled against our blood
'elation and became Independent. We
Icquired, then, a certain hatred for
England. But that might have been
wiped out in time or might have been
absorbed by the stronger element of
similar language and blood and racial
But England further
this nation in 1872. This
wrong, too, might have been forgotten
~ America, but on every occasion
ince, England has taken occasion TO
how her enmity TO US.
Still the friendship of the two cOun-
ries might be markedly strong, but
or the obstinate condition that the
United States is the strongest republic
# the world as it is the largest, and
hat a republic is a standing protest
nd a permanent enemy and foe of
We are certainly the
nemy of the greatest monarchy on
arth and the mere trivial circum-
tanceS that we use the same language
nd come from the same blood as the
English cannot offset our mission as
IatiOn.
The assumption Of all true Ameri-
ans is that the monarchical form Of
government is a form of government
nacted by providence for the control
nd rule of people incapable of gov
rning themselves through popularity
elected and periodically changing
Among the intense Amer
cans it is a humiliating thought al
ways that so many English-speaking
eople as inhabit the tight little isle
hould suffer the leadership of rulers
Who are born to high estate and sup
orted there by the common but in
alligent and liberty-loving English peo-
lie. In the American mind the idea
( born ruler is repulsive. He re-
Dices in the exercise Of his ballot and
he choice of men TO Eli the public
laces which his toll or brain helps
reate and support.
Talk of any united effort on the part
f the United States and England is
Furious. Fundamentally such a thing
) impossible, and that original impos-
Utility is heightened by prejudices
rhich cannot be effaced.
So far as Shakespeare is concerned,
is was a mind for all the people for
Il time and of all nations. The lang
age he used was merely a circum-
lance. For his greatest works are
hose which deal with passions and
'aits of the whole human race. Men
we and hate and aspire and reflect
luch the same. regardless of the lang
age they speak and write.
Shakespeare wrote better of Romans
ian any Roman wrote; better of
reekS than any Greek wrote; better
Italians than any Italian wrote; bet
n of English thany any other Eng
shman wrote.
1t viii naturally be always a source
pride to the English that so great
mind appeared in England and used
he language of his native village and
his nation. but TO regard a celebra-
on Of his birthday as a reminder that
lie language he used is a token of any
or united feeling between
NO countries as basically opposed as
lie United States and England is a
lily whim, thought out without effort
al written down without reflection,
hich Is certainly unprecedented in
lie slow-moving numbering Cleveland. |
PEFFER'S RESOLUTION.