The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-24

Inspection Of the Former Strengthens
Belief in the Latter.

Henry Watterson's Paris Letter
The tourist. coming to Europe for a sum-
mer's holiday. is Likely to be misled by the
superficial aspect OF things.
AS rule he has so much money to spend.
He has left care behind him. He means to
have good time. and the way to good
time Is straight and open before him. There
are no obstacles or frictions of a serious
kind to be encountered. The pleasure-mak-
ing machine Is in excellent repair and thor
oughiy creased. The under-currents Of So
ciety are for the most part invisible. He
does not concern himself about the philos-
oPhy Of government. 1t looks all right.
with us. There is an air Of repose in the
established order. and his sensibnities are
not Jared by the. constant and boisterous
ebulliuons or political activity, which mar
the, serenity Of the rich mans existence in
America.
To those who have the leisure and the
whether the state be called a monarchy or
a democracy. But no man can look deeper,
can take account of that which relates to
out having his belief in republicanism
strengthened and his love of liberty re-
freshed by all that he finds in the theories
the Atlantic. and, though In less degree,
even here in France, which has emerged
from feudal dogma and practice. and is on
the high road to ell that can truly benefit
q people and ennoble a nation.
have sometimes thought that, as France
advances upon this highway. we. in the
q
ward retrogression The aristocracy of
wealth-the plutocracy-which seems newt
able to our ever-expanding resources, is a
a sturdy, independent. enlightened character
among the masses Of the people. In France
the Individual 10 all he should be. or could,
self-reiiant, Intelligent. He loves his coun-
try He knows his rights and dares those
rights maintain. He has overcome immense
has swum r1vers of blood, handicapped by
centuries Of oppression. We. as our own
part, know not what freedom Is, what free
to US In our natal air. We are too often
victims Of Illusion. We see dangers where
there are no dangers. and glide over thin
ice ob1ivtous OF the turbid depths below.
We are still O very young. very emotional,
for all our boosted smartness. very ig-
norant people. HEROES and hero worship still
Ideal, invest Il with imaginary virtues, set
1t on pedestal, call 1T by some name or
other, and proceed to apotheosize it. Only
examneLto Inspect and idoI cf
pasteboard and sawdust- Hence we are per-
petually running after false gods, when we
the winds and the waves, finds lodgrhent
In all our minds and all our hearts If We
would but look within
The experience of history, not less than the
cynicism OF modern life, has considerably
abated the spirit of hero worship in Europe
Even In France every candidate for the pres
lQcucy - not uctdiucu a Jupiter 1OHdnc Dy
his partisans. Boulanger's day was but a
short and q sorry one. OF course, in coun-
tries like England and Germany, the few
who eddy about the inspired circle worship
at the shrine of the divine right and the
Lords anointed. Every Englishman loves
lord, Of course. Every German at least pre-
tends an affection for the Kaiser. But in
these countries force is the handspring of ac-
ton, and where men universally must they
are not likely In general to do much else.
One thing is quite certain, there is not a
America. Sometimes the hate is restrained
BY prudence. But IL is there all the same
and one way to meet IL Is to hold II I'm con-
slant reminder that we, too, are great and
strong, that We. too, believe in Something
that We. too, have rights which they must
respect Soft words butter no parsnips. The
ambassador from the United States to one of
these monarchies should be interdicted from
instructed 10 maintain at all times and under
ali circumstances an attitude of armed COM
placency. 1t Is true that after exercising a
world or patience and using his private infiu-
ence to coax the powers tina: be. Eustice sue
ceeded In liberating a perfectly worthless
negro, who had violated the law and earned
all he got. But France is neither England
nor Germany.
We gain nothing by tCadying TO court favor
He who does so merely ingratiates himself
in the rather dsdainful tolerance with which
the man with title looks down upon the
commoner.
Sire" replied John Adams when George
III reminded him that. having been born an
Englishman. he should love England. Sire"
said the brave old republican, Il love no
CIV MY Nxrr3f