Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-03

Copyright. 1900. by Seumas MacManus.
Written for The Evening Star by seumas MacManus
a friend from the south asked me. Have
they tried to bunco you since you came to
New York;"
No"
cor sell you green goods?
mo"
Have you been sandbaggedTi
NO"
Nor any attempt made to rob you, swim
Gle you or take your life?'
No attempt whatever"
Then shake" said he, brother in mis-
fortune
What do you n1ean?' said I.
81 mean" said he. that 1 have had the
same unfiattering experience. Notwith-
standing that came north full of buoyant
expectation and equipped with all precau-
ticnary knowledge, the bunco steerer. the
gieen goods man, the sandbagger and the
homici6er have contemptuously passed me
by. They consider both of US not worth
while
1 confess that 1 had not looked upon my
escape in this pride wounding light before
AID though l have since sedulousiy sought
opportunities for re-establishing my self
esteem, 1 have miserably failed. and for the
sake of my self-respect would like to con-
clude that America in general and New
York in particular are not the gardens of
dishonesty and violence that perfervid pa
triots would fain make the awed outside
world believe.
man who spins his web in Hobokea and in
vites the unwary farmer to walk into it,
with his carpet bag, are as distinctly
American products as the American wo-
and the New York newspaper Yet.
far from proving the clever dishonesty of
Americans. these gentlemen only expose
the primitive simplicity-stupidity, l had
almost said of Americans Successful
bunco steerers have repeatedly gone over
TO push their fortune in the old world, and
have Invariably come back, broken and
beggared. "D-n the old worldn' said one
of these: they're no use over there-too
slow for anything If a millionaire at
twenty went over and baited a trap the
knaves are COMPOUNDED slow that he'd
bs a graybearded beggar when the first
farmer walked into it. America for me-
where all men are equal-the honest and
the dishonest.
Honesty and Democracy.
There is more honesty and more dishon-
esty in America than any other country the
sun shines today. Despite moral condi-
tions that are peculiarly favorable to the
multiplication of politicians and the thous-
and and one other species of pickpocket,
the average American. outside business
hours, is estmably honest person. Old
world conceptions of the Yankee" have
been formed from observations made upon
the clever class, which, though 1t is GER
tainly an American type, is far from repre-
senting the true average American. Har-
ing formed my ideas of Americans entirely
from books and travellers tales, was. on
coming here. most pleasantly disappointed
10 find my preconceived notions utterly fall
siied. While here are quite a number of
distinct types not to be found elsewhere. 1
discover that the great bulk Of people differ
from the commercial peoples on the other
side of the water only in being less for
NAL and ostentatious, kinder, franker, more
direct. more natural Both in social rela-
rions and generally in business relations.
The brotherhood of man, its rights and its
duties. are tacitly acknowledged to an ex-
tent that is striking and pleasing to for
eigner. As there is in the states a class of
brainess bodies who very dearly love a
lord there is a general impression abroad
in the far world that the American cry of
democratic equality and independence is
50 much rant. But. though those addle-
pated few who are apers and tuft hunters
somehow manage to loom large over the
horizon of the eastern hemisphere, no one
can remain long in America without being
impressed with the fact that in no old coun-
try is personality so signally unaffected by
purse or station American democracy Is
perhaps from necessity-pOssessed of an
aggressive soul. Though it has all the marks
and tokens Of true democracy, it is evident
10 a thinker that il is democracy in its
terthing. and is petulant and irritable just
Yet it has only got far as to proclaim to
the world. I'm good as my neighbour
imagining. childlike. that this is the per-
fected creed. By and by, when 1t will have
been weaned, il will have strength and a
philosophy to recast the creed. proclaiming.
My ncighbor is as good as l." Yet. even
today. il acknowledges this latter in sort
Of impulSiVe way. though il has not put it
into words 1t has given a genuine
pleasure to hear at night during election
and other times. street corner orators air
their views and denounce in no measured
terms his opponents. while the crowd en-
circling him, though holding directly oppo-
site opinions. listened deferentially or
gued with him respectfully and earnestly
and with-what seemed to me. almost
criminal negligence, never once king use
OF two old and effective arguments-brick-
bats and ridlcule- At first IL used to strike
me that this was carrying democratic ideas
to a dangerous extremity. but L soon came
TO see that it was the development of the
gentleman in the workingman of America,
which is the foundation of the man.
Are Usually Gentlemen
And in the American there is deal of the
gentleman the natural and only gentleman
] Of course mean-for he is lamentably de-
fcient in almost all the essentials Of say
an English gentleTnan-to wit. the sickIy
smile. the cane, the eyeglass, the haw.
haw, and the drawl. The American indeed
lacks most Of the artificial manners which
stamp the gentleman in Eng and. He mas
the il-marners to act and speak his
feelings prompt, provided there be nothing
hUrtful in the action the word: also,
whereas an Englishman will treat you with
cold formaiity until your worth forces it
self on him. the American will meet and
greet you as a friend until you have shown
unworthiness. Woman is the best touch
Stone with which to test a gentleman, and
Americans stand this test well. In such a
large, brusque, practical nation the defer
ence shown 10 women is remarka Dle--Still
more remarkable when We see this defer
ence granted regardless of station-to the
humblest and by the humblest. 1t was par
tCularly pleasing to me to see in a crowded
street car Il weary. poor 'abOrer. begrfIaed
beyond recognition with the soil of honest
hard work, tender his seat with the quiet
Difference Of a bred gentleman TO the wo-
man who had just entered. There is more
true gentlemaniness in the little finger Of
such poor fellow than in the whole frame
of many a fine man who is a perambulating
encyclopaedia of etiquette.
The American Girl.
The American girl has no parallel arncng
her sisters Of other countries. She is a fine
illustration of the disputed assertion that
woman may compete with man in the gen.
eral pursuits without losing her femininity
and womanIy charm Large liberty has been
granted the Ameican girl. and this liberYv
has not been abused She has been enamel.
pated. or. rather. has emancIpated ber