The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-10
~ AMERICAN IN ENGLAND.
.t comments From "a New Point
of View.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.

an American. 1 have already told
p,ritsn. revolutionary and Husue-
.,oestrv. | have also mentioned my
80 and fostered hatred of Great Bril-
nav love of France and the events
,ost France my regard and brought
-, Britain into my good books. I
,o, seen the British at home, and
-, idea l would find them TO my lik-
nAI IN account of their services to us in
,,t4 spanish war had decided to for
49,. though I might not forget, the harsh
lament Of my ancestors. And l really
-,,,r,ed myself on my graciousness. 1 had
go. tNinges of conscience, and was
.-..d 10 self-cross- ex animation to see If
Anericanism was lS-carat fine, and
NJ, 90 any sudden call. | wanted to be
80 wanted to be fair and l did not
-, 10 h. foolish. The day I crossed the
~E.,ne and landed in England Admiral
D.uAv paid a fresh tribute to British
tr,.,dsbjp. He said, and was in a posi-
-, - know whereof he spoke, that Ad-
.aJrai SEYMOUR r. N, aided him in pre-
..1rjng foreign Interference during a tick
81 time in Manila bay. decided could
sgo,d 10 be as liberal as the Admiral.
81 | came among the enemies of my
.a,l,, ancestors in a judicial frame of
r1ind ! was ready to like or dislike the
British according to personal experience,
and nattered myself my prejudice was
,1ine of the past My first impressions
we're moderately disappointing. The way
~ the people confused me. Business and
social methods were different from what
had known in the states. American
friends in responsible positions invariably
oordiality had new and Earring dignity.
one near and dear friend hustled me out
Of his office and into a nearby hat shop,
ard in a twinkng had me in a silk Tat
He said my American hat was not cor
rect for London. And then he told me
story of distinctions in dress that grated
barshly on my democratic sensibilities He
said my tall hat and frock coat would
pass me anywhere. I soon proved him
wrong I called on an English business
man WITH a letter OF introduction, and was
invited 10 call again on Wednesday of
the following week The man was in his
Office, bur having had no notice of my In
tended cali. and having no engagement
with me. was not bound by commercial
etiquette to save me the trouble of m
other trip. lie presumably thought that
in naming day and hour when he would
see me he was doing all that courtesy de
manded. / soon learned that in this coun-
try you notify person you have letter
10 present. The person notifies you when
II may be presented and you notify the
pFson YOU will arrive at the proper time.
This apparent indrection offended me, and
l mentally resented it, In America Ole
calls with his letter, is re
moment and what should he
done is done at once. This letter incident
should not have disturbed me. There was
no reason why the British should not have
their individual way Of meeting strangers,
even though my ancestors had suffered
from British tyranny in 1776. You will
renen her that the British were on suffer-
ance with me. What is born in the flesh is
bred in the bone l still suspected Her
MaJestys subjects Smile if you like. for
YOU smile with me Inside of two weeks
| saw uat in a city of several millions,
IN, plan of meeting people according so
previous written enga cement was desira-
bic. If not absolutely necessary. So |
sought another flaw.
There came a drawing room. The Queen
was to receive. The function was in
part public People on the street could
see the presented before and after the
CEREMONY. The popular parctice was to
90 to the Mall, look on the favored ladies,
and hear others talk them over 1t re-
VOTED me, but fell in line. The scene
was brilliant and beautiful, and seemed
appropriation England. 1t was a rev.
elaton to me-not the gay equipages, the
men In livery. and, last, though not least,
the ladies in decollete gowns. but the re-
spectful admiration of the spectators and
the absence of envious comment. The
thousands, mainly women and children,
who pressed 10 the road and scanned the
line made no invdiouS remarks, but act
ually showed pride in the display. I went
10 the Mall to frown on this DESTINATIONS
show of wealth and station. found no
cause fer frewning, and came back think
ing.
I aimed to treat the British with equal
and exact justice. AS a good American
from a land of majority rule, I naturally
sought majority views. What was in
the hearts of the people? What did the
brsad-winners think? That was what 1
wanted to know, in justice 20 my revolu-
donsry ancestors and TO my countrymen
Of to-day. Were the millions forming the
great bulk of the British nation fairly
well satisfied with their social and poiti
cal lot? Did they favor their present
form Of government from choice, force of
habit, or necessity? All my questions
were easily and promptly answered.
saw the Queen happily welcomed by the
people, all of one mind saw the Brit
ish victories celebrated by the people, all
Of one mind; and I saw had almost
said as never before, the cohesive
strength of united community I saw
that as to form of government the Brit
i'h people were one. and as to- policy the
diference of opinion was more apparent
than real.
Let me describe as I saw il the genesis
and evolution of patriotic demonstration.
u was Pretoria Day shortly after p. m.
| CHANGED to be passing the Bank of Eng
iand when noticed men tying white ban
ners with red lettering to the pillars of the
Mension House One banner read. The
British Flag Floats at Pretoria the 9TH
eF God Save the Queen" There were
only few hundred people at this focal
point as the banners came in view, but
quicker than l write IL crowds of people
poured in from the convergng streets vol
iey after volley Of cheers rent the air
hate came OF God Save the Queenv'
vas syen with mighty roar, the flag
mat mad gone up the staff es a ball burst
iottn IN proud glory, and there was hur-
an and JOY enough to quicken even any
american blood, l was interested in the
rE'ltement among men and lads who wav-
~ Hass, cheered, sang, shouted, and
tnrew their hats on high but what most
impressed me was the wide range of this
pHtriotic display. I saw feeble and totte =
ns old folks. as we'll as people In middle
~. wave umbrellas and canes to God
cav the Queen" and heard toddling
Shiaren contribute their lisping mite TO
WIS Iervont wish; while from around cor
nsIS came companies of little boys, play