The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
The Influence OF English and Ameri-
can Ideas in Europe.

The belief is very general in England that
the people of the Continent Of Europe are
moulding themselves after the English
model, that they are following English
lines OF thought, and that in everything
they are destined sooner or later to be An
gliciZed In the full meaning Of the term. It
is true, however, to a limited extent only.
1t goes no further than to those of the So
called upper classes, who have spent much
time in England, perhaps been educated
there. There Is nothing more remark.
able than the way in which individ-
uals or families hat have become thor
oughly AngliciZed are more or less isolated
when they return TO their own land. This
is noticeably so IL they live in the country ;
in town they are more likely to meet others
who have been transformed like themselves,
with whom they can associate and form a
coterie Of their own. With the country
people they are no longer in sympathy.
There Is an unseen barrier that prevents
the spreading of the influence of their
foreign manners, new ideas and ways of
doing things.
Hrhe countries that nave furnished the
largest number Of Anglophiles have been
Hungary and Austria, the former by far
the greater number. In both, however,
they are diminishing, partly owing to the
increasing poverty of these countries. In
Germany the Anglicizing process has made
no progress. The English language Is
taught widely, but it is not for the
purpose of promoting English ideas, but
to supplant English commerce In its
nyn mnrEata Tn Franco nf lata
English political ideas have made con.
siderable progress, but there has been nc
advance in other respects. The genius OF
the two peoples is too dissimilar for any,
thing like social assimilation.
Among the people of Europe, the com,
mon people, as they are called, it Is
the American idea that is steadily work,
ing It's way noiselessly, but surely, and It ia
the American idea that mainly Is respons,,
BILE for the political upheaval in Europe
that some OF the Continental Governments
find such difficulty in REFRESHING. The
European who returns from his country
after a few years, whether a student or q
laborer, goes back carrying with him
the germs of new ideas. His whole being
has expanded, sometimes to the point OF
w. ~ WV az LII tIo
OF personal freedom. When lie returns tc
the prefect.governed, police-ridden district
OF his W country, his presence is at once
felt, and II several with the same spirit re,
turn together, they become objects of sus
picion, IL they belong to the laboring classes,
and are carefully watched. They do not
contaminate the morals of their fellow vii.
layers who have never left home, but In the
eyes of the petty officials they do worse
they bring political infection with them.
They have no longer the same awe of the
police and they do not stand like sheep In
the presence of every Government official,
as they stood In the days before they
crossed the ocean.
This naturally Is more noticeable In those
countries In which the liberty of the people
Is the least developed. In Germany, until
recent years, the returning emigrant found
less social difference to incommode hin
and not much interference with liberty
of speech; yet he brought back new
Ideas of some kind to the old soil. The
other Continental countries of Europe, ex
cept the Scandinavian, until quite recently
had sent too few emigrants over here tc
have much OF a back flow, but even somt
of these have begun to be Influenced
SensiBly by the American idea In q Quiet