The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-15
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How the Social Rretandor from Abroad
Reveals HIimself.
no rHs Eprron ~ The sus-,Sir, 4 was In
terested IN your article to-day on foreigners
whose social pretentions should DO looked at
very susplcionsly. My own experience con-
firms its truth. and many instances whore dis-
regard OF your admonition Of caution has
brought modification TO careless entertainers
Of foreigners Of spurious social consequence
have been made public. II IL astonishing that,
with "Burke's Peerage" at command In every
public library. people should allow themselves
70 be taken In By buffers or what-not parading
in this country as the wearers Of the titles OF
the families In which they had served.
Your rule that q foreigner ls always open to
suspicion as q social pretender II he puts on airs
OF superiority, or any airs at all. Ia absolutely
sound. It "a the cad only who 1nds nothing in
this country except things to sheer at. and who
holds his nose up In the air. To all honest and
Intelligent foreigners the very differences be-
tween us and their own countries is provocative
OF interest and inquiry. and generally OF admi-
miration. Good breeding all over the world,
too, and especially in those who are not UNI
travelled provinoials. Is never supercilious
among strangers or offensive in rssenting or
ridiculing national characteristics different
from its own. At this time. moreover. there is
throughout Europe and everywhere in the
world q great growth OF respect for America.
The same rule that applies to visitors from
abroad applies to foreigners who como over
here to settle and become naturSliEed as citi-
Eens by adoption, An you say. IL is safe to
assume that whom such o man occupies him.
self In sneering at American poouliarities, our
public men, our manners. our society, and our
| politics and political usages.t there IL something
rotten In him. He IL o European castaway. and
n ron are able to search through his social
career before he was unloaded on us you viii
usually find IL to have been low and mean. and
that instead OF falling in the social scale when
he got among decent Americans ne was lifted
far above his deserts.
When q man makesa great point Of the super
fcial relnements Of society. taken as q mat
ter Of course by anybody accustomed to
them. set him down as q vulgar upstart,
whatever his pretensions may be. When he
claims superiority because he has happened to
get something moro OF an education than
schooling In The Alb Cs, make mp your mind
that he has not been brought up among edu-
Gated people and breathed such a social atmos-
phere a. usual and natural to him. II a man
comes from abroad. and after many years Of
living here pretends to discover nothing In our
society or our politics that is not low and vile.
Il is pretty safe to put him down as Q low and
vulgar and spurious character. ! have never
known tho inference to prove wrong.
There 10 another fact which I hope you will
allow me to state. for it Is o well-established
fact. It IL that the faculty for writing. the
literary faculty. IL often remarkable in persons
of q low order OF morals or Of moral inheritanco
and OF Unbalanced and morbid. practically In
sane minds. It is dangerous to put social re-
lance in q man simply because he writes fine
things. In his writings he may appear a high
type Of natural nobility. when in his intercourse
with men he Is q hopeless cad. I'll unfortunate
that the literary gift. like the jewel in the
toad'S head, should be bestowed on such a per-
son, but it happens that way oftener than I
wish I had not found out by uncomfortable
demonstration OF the scientific fact.
One OF the happiest results Of the wal has
been that it has increased the self-respect of
this country. We have seen what we could do
and We have heard the surprised applause Of the
world ct our ability. We did not go into the
war boastfully. but rather with much diadence
as to our ability TO defeat our enemy before
he had done US great damage. but we found out
that we were moro powerful than we imagined.
and that, though rushing into war without
adequate preparation. we were able to carry
It through in the most mastery fashion and
with no reverses. TWAS q maeni1centdemon-
stration Of the strength Of the American re.
public. and its reputation throughoutthe world
has been enhanced accordingly. The sneerers
and the slanderers. imported from low condi-
tions abroad. had been ~stigmatizing our Gov
eminent and our public men as coarse. vile. and
corrupt. yet when the time Of trial came we
bore the test in o way to win worldwide respect
and admiration. Instead Of being too boastful
many Of our people had been too self-crltical.
and too ready to listen to the reproaches OF
these insulters Of their country. All Americans
have walked up now to the consciousness that
they are great people. with a great Govern
ment. and that the extent Of their dominion
has only begun. An AMERICAN.
NEW York. Oct. IL.