New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09

or AMERICA-wHy BOTH ARE WRONG AND
HOW THEY ARE PRODUCED.
"so very French" is expression which one
soars constantly used in this country IN oroer
., indicate utterances. behavior. literature ana
-, that are indicate and calculated to onend
tho sense Of propriety that prevails on TINS s'oe
=, the Atlantic. People who employ this FORM OF
sneeoh are probably ignorant or the TACT 'ha'
n.nt,cally the same meaning is applied IN france
On the words "bien American. which ma! NC
rendered as $50 very American. ana 10 those
who may feel disposed to doubt the truth OF TINS
assertion 1t may be pointed out that wi'h'h 'he
last fortnight popular sentiment AT fafis mas
forced the authorities there quietly 10 prevent the
onnoarance in living pictures a; the Theatre
sne Folies- Bergere OF an American GIRL VINO,
a,,or deserving her prncely husband and her
children. had been divorced under circumstances
sur,ctentIy sensational to render her an attrac-
,,on 10 resorts Of the music-hall order. No harsh
measures were employed by the Project Of Po-
,,ce But after having in vain appealed to the
ex-Prlncess for the sake Of her children to aban-
6on her projected debut on the stage. he sum-
moned the manager Of the theatre. and Informed
hin, that II the appearance of the lady gave rise
N even the smallest demonstration the part
NJ the audience he would instantly have the
Folies- Bergere cleared and closed grounds
OF public morality. True, she had previously
failed in her attempts to secure engagements
on this side OF the Atlantic. New-York impresa-
rios who have their foreflngers on the pulse OF
public taste and sentiment being Of the opinion
that she would not prove draw" But that
only goes to prove that in spite Of the WIDE
spread impression to the contrary, based upon
nlisconcepton, the national sense Of propriety is
much the same in both the United States and
France. and that 1t is immensely superior to
that which prevails in most Of the other civilized
countries of the world
AMERICAN GIRLS INDEPENDENCE.
With regard to the nisconception that exists
in France concerning the American standard OF
good taste and delicacy II is attributable in the
main TO the amount OF independence Of Ameri-
can women. and especially OF American young
girls. infinitely superior to that enjoyed by their
French sisters. The latter do not understand
this or make allowance for it, and when they
see married women from across the ocean ar
rayed in frocks that are considered as daring,
and young girls going about unescorted, flirting
and attending theatrical performances at the
Palais Royal, and the Athenee Conique. they
straightway take 1t for granted that the Ameri-
inferior to their own. They do not realize that
the flirting is of the most innocent character
that the independence is neither bodness nor
Grass" but merely the result Of the different
social conditions that prevail in this country.
and that IL American misses seen at
theatres to which no French mother, be she
"grande dame" petite bourgeoise." would
bring her unmarried daughter, ii is because they
are utterly incapable of fathomng the true
meaning OF the indicate bu: witty play upon
words which constitutes the chief and only OBJ
jectionable feature OF these entertainments.
Then too, 1t cannot be denied that Americans,
like their English cousins allow themselves
considerably larger amount OF latitude abroad
than at home, with regard to the convention
aitles of life They look upon the trip to Eu-
rope or the stay there in the light of holiday.
and their exuberance Of spirits sometimes gets
the better Of their discretion. English people,
for instance. will go to the races and even to
the theatre on Sunday when abroad, whereas
they would hold up their hands with piOus
horror at the notion of doing anything of the
kind at home SO 1t is with many Americans
on the Continent of the Old World. who cross
the Atlantic with the feeling that among stran-
gers away from the observant gaze OF their
fellow-citizens and, above all. free from the
prying eye Of the American press-whicn COR
stitutes so healthy restraint upon their be-
havIor-they can dOff for the nonce their strait
waistcoat Of ultra responsibility and enjoy them
selves Ike boys and girls out for a holiday and
FOR real good time" This, too. is not under
stood by the stay-at- home French. and all
serves to wrap their comprehension Of the COR
rect standard of American proprety.
With regard co the misconcepton that prevails
In the United States concerning Gallo morality
and delicacy It is the French themselves who are
greatly to blame, although some responsibility
doubtless attaches itself to scrbes OF the class
Of the brilliant young American author who. AFTER
a six weeks residence at Paris. spenr. according
TO his own admission in loungins on the boule-
wards and haunting resorts such as the Folies-
Bergere and the Moulin Rouge. wrote book
about the French metropolis in which he grave
ly asserted that the most degraded ana abar-
doned woman Of the American colony on the
banks Of the Seine could never descend to the
depths Of moral infamy Of the best and mos; re-
spected OF the French wives and mothers
THE MEN WHO GIVE FRANCE A BAD NAME.
But the people who chiefly responsible for
the reputation with which the French are unde.
servedly saddlad in this country are band Of
more or less distinguished Partisan novelists,
playwrights and Journalists. If the French have
one fault 1t is that they are wanting in hospital
ity in the American sense Of the word. They do
not throw open their house TO the stranger or
admit him to the intimacy Of their family circle.
even when warmly recommended by mutual
friends The consequence is that the real French
society-and by that is meant not only the fash
ionabe world. but also the bourgeoisie-remains
terra incognta TO the American. whose only
knowledge thereof is derived from Partisan nov
els. plays and newspapers Now. knavery Is al
ways more interesting than honesty, while vir-
tue and morality present less attraction to liter
airy p1ates accustomed to highly Reasoned