The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12

is that the two nations are so much like
each other, and are constrained to respect
each other An American is so much like
Briton, and contrariwise, that small diff
ferenceS cropping out among the Slmllarltles
jar on us and irritate. We don't expect d
Spaniard to be like us; we don't resent MS
language and his ways, though at neart
most of us think him rather an INFERIOR
creature But when we find a man purport-
ing to speak English, we dislike his speak
ing it with accent not our own. 1t is I'M
reasonable, ridiculous; but it is true:
The United States are great nation, ana
we are a great nation and it is another un-
reasonable. truth that we are bound each TO
acknowledge the greatness of the other, ana
that we don't quite like to do so. 1t goes
against us to have to admit Americas su-
perior mechanical civilization; 1t goes
against Americans to recognize our superior
makes things better that neither people is
apt to hide it's glories under any sort of
veil. They swagger; we swagger; each re-
sents it.
But what a f1imsy foundation for animos-
ity between the two greatest nations IN the
world! If we look to the many similarities,,
the common enterprise, resolution, shrewd-
ness, personal independence on the one
side; the common defect in the more grace
full Celtic and Latin qualities on the other
we shall begin to perceive whittier our SYM
pathies should go. And it Is still true that
we are of common stock. Whether that Will
be true a. century hence is hard riddle, but
to deny it now is to mistake process-the
modification of the old English blood by ad-
mixture of CeltS ana IeutonS ana SlaVS-Aor
an accomplished fact.
I look down the columns of news and I
find that the men who are leadng the states
to-day-McKinley Long, Miles, sampson
Dewey-are all as plainly Of British stock
as were the Lincolns, Lees, Grants and
Shermans Of the last generatTo lon The 1 nd NOV
lation of the States: let US wait Till Poles
and Dagos sit in the White House and lead
American fleets and oegln TO caVll tnen'
NATURAL ATTRACTION.
For the most conclusive fact of all, ask
IHynd
abroad. Whom of all foreigners do they
most gladly meet in the worlds byways?
Whom do they expect to share their minds
attitude. whether it be on a question of con-
stitutionaI government or the use of soap?
Who will be the hardest and least selfish
| comrade? Whom would they choose as
hacker in a fight? OF course, the Amer
lean. And of Englishmen, the travelled
the really traveled-American will say pre-
cisely the same.
There is one more characteristic of the
American which to- the present purpose is
the most pertinent of all. No people has a
livelier historical memory-a better memory
both for kindness and unkindness. The
United States have snort history, ana Just
| the deeper down. They are very patriotic,
sometimes even to national self-conscious-
ness. and they delight in expressing their
patriotism in ceremony and outward show.
Festivals reunions, professions, annlver-
saries forbid them to forget their history,
if they. would. European nations forget
| dino and Moscow in Paris now? The United
States cherish theirs, and they mold their
feelings towards all other people on the
It happens that till now they have had
some friendliness to recall on behalf of
every nation but ourselves and against us a
/ long century of actions partly intended,
partly Interpreted, as very much the reverse
of friendliness Britain has similar offenses
scored up against the States. We have al
vTays protested--the saner of us in both ma
tions-that these incidents were not our
true form: that, to a great extent. they
were accidents. arguing no mutual ill-Will
either TO sentiment policy. This then is
the moment to, show that our protest was
rent of feeling towards US in the States We
| might await it a. generation in vain. All Eu-
rope is against them. We are for them at
| heart. why not show 1t and earn the graft
| tude which spain and Russia and France