The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-15
ENaL1sHMEN IN 1Hrs COUNTRY.


(J. CunliRs Owen In the Forum.)
Loyalty on the part OF Great BFitain's
sons In distant lands has played 50 re-
markabIs q role In the war now In pro-
gress In South Africa that 10 may not be
amiss to offsr few words OF explanation
Generating the position Of the very large
number Of English people, who make their
home in the United States. OF all the
foreign -torn Inhabitants OF this country
they furnish In proportion the smallest
number OF applications to the courts for
letters Of naturalization. The English
man, especially the Engllshman OF the
he;ter class, when he crosRes the Atlantic
AID settles in America, manifests an ex-
traordinary reluctance to abjure his
alleginnce to the British crown, and as @
general rule refrAins from taking any
steps to become q citizen Of the United
States. In fact, he lives and dies In this
country as o fuii-hsdgsd Engiishman;
and II Is only his children, born and edu-
GATED on American soil, who grow up as
citizens of the Unitsd States. and as
champions OF the stars and stripes
At first sight It may appear ungracious,
as we'll as ungrateful, that foreigner
should make his home In this country,
enjoying its advantages, without apply
Ing for naturalization and still an Eng
lishman myself, although resident for
some ten years In the United States.
have sometimes been called to account
about the matter in kindly and good
nstured frshion by my many friends here.
But have noticed that Americans who
take up their quaitsrs In England are
very chary about surrendering their
rights Of citizenship or the Unit-d States;
and there is NJ doubt that the few who
have done so have seriously lost rather
than gained thereby In tie eyss of the
Il n glish PEOPLE. Ire latter will always
prefer a true blue American to one who
tn rms nis hack, metaphoricaily speaking,
upon Old Glory, and who spurns the In
est Unable privileges and prerogatiyes
that are tie birthright Of every citlzen OF
the United States. I cannot help think
ing that people here must, on reflection,
entertain much the same ideas with re-
gard to those OF my oouBtrym men who are
fortunate enough to make their homes
In the United States, and that at heart
they do not thiuk the worse OF us for de-
Ginning to Abandon our loyalty to our
queen and our allegiance to the Union
Jack.
Abe majority OF Americans In England
are perfectly satisfied TO be governed by
Epglish laws, and by English authorities,
without any wish to interfere In their ed-
ministration. Il is the same with The
Eng iish here In the United States. II We
do not seek naturalization, II we remain
true to the old flag. it 10 beca use We feel
that we can do 80 without giving oifense
to our American friends, ana, above all,
without any conflict with the obligA-
lions which are imposed upon Us BY the
hospitality which we enjoy here. We are
not treate like Uistanders but with the
came degree OF cordially and friendship
that Americans Invariably meet with In
England.
There is SO much sympathy between
our two countries, so great an analogy
bet Ween their institutions, the System Ct
la W and Justice bsIng almost identical,
that 1t is possible for as Englishmen IN
America to remain loyal to our queen,
and to fulfil our duties of-well, let me
eau honorary citizens Of the United
S tRtes, at one and the sans time. IL We
d. not apply for naturalization, 1t is be-
cause We do not feel the nRed OF franchise,
IL 10 because we do not experience the
necessity of having any voice in the gov
eminent. The English In the 1ransVaal
only asked to be allowed to participate
in the administration OF the republic by
means Of a parli ameutary vote, because
they considered that they we're badly gov
erned. and we're consequently dissatisfied
both with their own condition and with
the authorities to whose rule they were
subject. We EnRlishmen In America are
perfectly satisfied with the system of'gov-
eminent that We ind In the United
States, and are contsnt to comply with
all the laws and usages Of the land, with
out desiring to modify them In any way.
In fact. there Is no reason why we should
wish for any change. We have not the
slightest objection TO being governed by
native-born American citizens; and as
for those eminent American state smen,
Legislators, judges and bosses In general
who ara of irish birth-weil, we English
have been accustomed TO he ruled by
the IIish.