The National tribune., 1898-03-24

of its early history is an inevitable symp
tom of public decay. That such indiffer-
ence exists in this country cannot be
doubted; though exceptional conditions
exist here which render il less alarming
soling explanation of it than could be the
case in an older Nation having more
homogeneous population.
The waves and pillows of immigration
which have Surged upon our shores since
1648-for half century-have thrown to-
gether heterogeneous mass OF all races,
coIors and creeds until the original Ameri-
can as known prior TO 1913 has been rele-
gated to the background, ard with him the
memories, traditions and watchwords OF
the patriotic past which he cherished.
This alien Eruption was almost wholly
made up OF the peaSantry OF monarchical
lands. StalWart, industrious and honest
they were, indeed, and the best kind of
bedrock on which TO found d new race;
but quick as they were &c perceive and
adopt the benefits and methods of our free
institutions, they were from breeding and
education-or lack of them-utterly in
capable OF comprehendlng the motives,
understanding the characters or appreci-
ating the sacrifices Of The Fathers who had
made such institutions possible.
Many Of them did not know the names Of
our heroes; few OF them even tried TO learn
tUey IOtUC the nee tuStfluAiCilS mere, ana
they believed in vague way that some
body principally George Washington
had created those institutions.
The moment they landed, every one of
them-Irish, German, Swcde, Scot or what
not-was ready to fight 10 the death for
those institutions if any King or Emperor
should assail them. But they never took
the time or trouble-if they possessed the
capacity-to go back TO the fountain head
OF American liberty and learn even so
much as the names of the demigods en-
thrOned in our Pantheon Of Freedom;
much less 10 study their lives or learn the
story Of their deeds.
This was no wonder, because these alien
immigrants were not only too ignorant for
successful study, but too poor for the lei
sure that study exacts. To-day's dinner
or morrow breakfast was oil more in
slant and vital importance to them than
the most thrilling event in the history OF
this Repubhc's primary struggle for exist
ence.
just as some faint signs of assimilation
OF this tumbling and indigestibe mass be
gan TO appear, a vast civil war suddenly
severed US INTO two camps, in which all
patriotism was tTampled into the mud OF
SectlonallSm. Americans, native and
adopted alike, dealt 10 Americans blows
well-nlgh unbearable, making wounds
almost unbeatable.
CRAZE FOR MILLIONS.
No sooner had this billow OF fratricidal
blood spent ITS force and rolled away than
the craze Tor millions set in. A generation
came on the scene whose coat-of- arms WAS
the and whose watchword was Money!
a generation that respected nothing but
bank accounts, and conferred its apotheo-
Sis only on the biggest thief in sight a
generation that found its Olympus in Wall
street, made gods Of its chief robbers
selected its heroes from its most success
lui iinanclers, and bartered its goddesses
for decayed Dukedomsi
In view OF all these facts the wonder is
not that there should be so little real
patriotism left in America, but that there
should be any left at all! We are oniy a
hundred and thirty years from the date of
our Pantheon; and yet we are almost at
The point which ii took Rome 500 wears 10
reach-the point at which il was said that
when she forgot her heroes freedom for
sock her"
However, there is still some real patriot
ism left here. Within the last few wears
there has been perceptible disposition to
resurrect the long buried memories of our
early National heroes This is a symptom
oil National e-quickening-a kind of patri-
QUO Easter, after the crucifixion OF the
Sdvlors Of Liberty.
My humble purpose in what is TO follow
is TO be the apostle, so TO speak, Of one
and by no means the least-of those
Savlors. Having some special and doubt
less unique equipment in this particular
direction, / propose now to exhaust il in
the grateful task of recording anew the
oeeds, portraying anew the character, and
Dlazonng anew the fame of one who in our
struggle Tor independence by his career "a