Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-31
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
Eloquent Address by Mr.. willis Fictcfer
johnson Mt tho Tome Institute.

Eiopuent Address by Mr.. willis Fictorer
johnson mt the Tome Institute.
Special Dispatch to Gazette md Journal.
Port Deposit, Md, May Gothic
pupils OF the Tome Institute observed
Memorial Day this afternoon, the chief
feature Of the exercises being an address
by Willis Fletcher Johnson Of New
York, who is well known as an editor
and writer.
In beginning Mr.. johnson, who was
introduced by Director James O. Mac
kenzie, paid tribute to the valor of the
soldiers Of the Civil War, but the chief
portion Of his address was devoted TO
urging higher ideal of American citi-
zenshiE.
"Of the qualifications that should be
required, no said, ian intelligent
knowledge Of what the American sys-
ten is; and unwhvering faith in 1t,
founded on that knowledge; and a fer
vent devotion to IL, founded on that
faith. / mean that to be fit for Ameri-
can citizenship q man must believe in
American and must resolve to do his
share, great or small, toward maintain
ing the American Constitution.
LET none but Americans be citizens
of America. l do not mean to bar ont
the nsturalized citizen, but the alien
coming hither should not only be
legally naturalized, but should also be
politically, and mentally and spiritually
acclimated He should not be an
American citizen unit he hus an
American mind and thinks American
thoughts and is in full sympathy with
American institutions. I'm"
sin SONS quarters 'Americanisu,' is
snrered at, and the notion that there
should be anything distinctive and
peculiar In American citizenship and
American patriotism is derided. But
they who do thus do not wisely. Every
great nation has had its own peculiar
and distinctive characteristics. Ameri-
On, too, is equally entitled to its indi.
vidulity and to the devotion Of its
citizens. Nor let us imagine that as
this 10 composite nation, civilization
must be o sort of crazy patch work Of
scraps and clippings from the uttermost
ends OF the earth nor that adventures
are to come hitler from every land to
graft their own notions aud practices
upon the body polite until at length
We shall have great trse, bearing
apples on this branch and plums on
that, thorns here and thistles yonder.
1.-THE man who comes to America to
live should become an American. II
America is worth coming to, ii is worth
paying for. Wien a man comes hither
to enjoy American freedom, and get
American gold, and weld the SOW
ereignty Of American citizenship, he
should he willing to give something in
return for IL. For the protection OF
American laws and the culture OF
American customs, he should abandon
the laws and the customs Of the old
country. For the powers and privileges
Of American citizenship he should re-
nounce allegiance to every other land.
And for the shelter of the American flag
he should forsake that other flag and
swear that for him henceforth, the all
beholding sun gilds with bis arms no
banner but the Stars and Stripes Then
there should be In American politics
no such factor as the Irish vote, or the
negro vote, or the German vote, but
every ballot, cast by white mon, or a
black, or a yellow, would be an Ameri.
can vote, and every voter, whether born
within the borders of the republic, or
out Of it, whether his parents dwelt by
the side of the Shannon, or the Rhine,
or tho Yangs-tse or the Congo, would
be an American citizen"
Mr.. johnson quoted Emorson's say
ing that "the truest test of civilization
is not the census nor the crops, but the
kind Of men the country turns out, "
Then he continued, 1--WE rank ourselves
too low. 1t is no light thing to be a
citizen of this republic, whore every
citizen is part ruler of the nation.
For the meanest of trades one must
serve an apprenticeship. For the prae-
tice of the learned professions ono must
prepare by long years of earnest study.
1t is not an anomaly that anyone and
everyone should be allowed, without a
serious preparation, to rush headlong
into the delicate, intricate. and unr
speakably important work Of guiding
the progress and deciding the destinies
Of mighty empireY And II with a
great price men were in old times eager
TO purchase the freedom of b Roman
citizen, 1t is too much to demand that
for the freedom and the rights and the
honor and the almost infinite poten-
tialities of American citizenship man
shall pay the rrice Of being virtuous,
intelligent and industrious. - "