The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-03-30
AMERICAN CRUDITY.

Give the American an inch, II you
would see him begin at once the con-
quest Of the yardstick. Weare an en-
terprising people, a successful people.
enormously acquisitive and rutllessly
sincere; but it is not accurate to call
us ungcnerous; nor are we crude.
To he sure, a certain class tf Ameri.
cans. taking the cue from alien critics,
keep themselves busy telling US how
refined Europe is, and how hoorish
America is; but what criterion do
they apply in making up their esti-
mate of our standing? Measured by
the European standard, we may be
lacking. it would be strange were our
civilization OF the same structure,
substance and dimensions as that OF
the Old World. 1t docs not follow,
however, that because society in New
York or KalamazoO Is different from
society in Paris or Florence. 1t is nec-
essarily crude Why not measure Eu-
rope by the American tape line? by
doing this we could at least preserve
our self-respect. Europe has age and
experience on it's side Of the line; but
age and experience do not always CON
serve grace, symmetry, strength. the
three elements of excellence in form;
does it, as a rule, happen that years
and the wear and tear Of exertion
leave in the spiritual countenance the
fine debonair expression Of a triumph
ant and intelligent youth. Montaigne
observed that age "tixed more burrows
in the soul than in the face"
by what standard Of excellence Is
France, for example, found superior
to America? We need not be lll-ten.
pered and suggest the Dreyfus Incl
dent AS prohibiting comparisons; but
certainly those who are constantly de-
crying our social and political status
out of one corner Of their mouths,
while out Of the other they blow end.
less praise nf foreign culture, refine.
ment and ''savoir fairc," will acknowl-
eye the impossibility OF a Dreyfus
horror in an American court. A rope
is no stranger than It's weakest point,
and the administration Of justice
ought not to be the weak point In q
high civilization.
We have our lynchings; hut it would
be Il weak Judge OF American life who
could conclude that the unlawful
hanging Of a'felon by rural mob Is
as significant here as Is the fact IN
France Of a citizens terrifying his
house, and for weeks defying tht
whole government. The meaning lie'
much deeper than mere political or
ganization can reach. II belongs tt
breeding, to generations OF men anf
women educated by unsound example
by jnsincere moral. domestic, religious
and political teaching, and informed
by influences generated IN decayin,
public honor and private virtue.
What the phase "high culture
ought to mean exists In America NOR
generally and evenly distributed thar
Ia any other cOuntry 10 the world
Some OF us may not pay due attention
to the silk tile; we may sometime
even wear q swallow tailed coat l
broad daylight, but p0lygamist can
not sit with us In Congress. and "
. know the difference between lying an
} diplomacy. Moreover, we are NIT WI
carly revengeful. The Paris Expos
: ti0n will not suffer on account of I'll
bitter things said Of US by Frcnchme
3 and French journals during our WI
with Spain. "Noblesse oblige;" v
wish our friends Of the Old Worl
' great success; especially do we wis
long life and great reforms to the ~
: public OF France.
High culture is sound culture an
may exist without much knowieog
81. a. particular respect for, mere con
vent tIonal superacIaItles. The cultur
! which has counted for most 10 Ames'
! can life i the practical education q
! the masses ln nenl government. 1
bcgins IN tho sslhc' where domest'