The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-05
SEATTLE. SUNDAY. AUGUST 8.
An American Trait.

We have discovered and boast OF
many American characteristics more or
less subtle and advanced IN the scale
AZ evolution; but probably the most
comprehensive definition Of the typical
American r. that he is the man who
loves fair play. II IN not strictly ma
tionai, but rather . racial trait. found
in full flower wherever there Il the
strain Of blood that We CALI for
want OF a better name. Anglo
Saxon; but We do not assume too
much to ourselves In saying that
nowhere DOES II % thoroughly DOM
mate = people and determine the
nature ana validity Of their institu-
tions ~ m the United states.
The eternal demand for justice,
native TO the human heart, - the alb
saract principle which rises from pre-
cept into practice In the love for fair
play The one Is too philosophical. too
elusive. too subject TO the wiles Of
-casuistry to shine clearly always in the
rough and tumble OF life. The bulk Of
mankind arr not PHILOSOPHERS. but hui
man beings rising slowly through insin-
lite struggle into the image Of the divine.
Defeats more than victories have
taught them that there IL an eternal
balance or thinxs. that abstract prin-
cipAes mean often too little 10 the man
not yet many centuries removed from
the ideal Of brute force M the only
eognisable world power: that when
the melee comes. the strong arm IN
paramount ISSUE but that out Of the
fsxht VIII come the right event for the
moment. and the step forward for all
moments and all centuries II only there
u fair field and no favor.
IT Ia natures way She provides her
forces and that environment which 10
only another name for tangent ana In
terdependent forces. Thus she sets
the physical battle In array and her
forcea 40 forward. The strongest. the
nost persistent. those that make to
highest ends. win In the open Held.
Orders and species and types and In
dividuals emerge from what we call
the struggle fer existence. Each has
tn chance. and what wc cail the sur
vivai vt this fstsst In the wheat that
fails from natures wianowing fan.
whore each has ITS unImpedea chance
to live or die according to tie Inherent
value. Never Is there continued inter-
fer~nce with natures provision OF fair
play without either weakness or dis
tortion.
On the theater OF the srsnder devel-
onmsnt that starts With man as an In
tvlieetuai and moral force. the scope
of the principle h immensely widened
The methods of the lower order. os
physical contest for brute supremacy
remain. but they are modified hy the
new element Of moral obligation that
must eventually superseae them And
the first OF them is the assertion Of the
right Of each individual 60 an empty
space ahoat him safsscssnt FOR the ex.
srcixe 81 his poweFs. dive mina ana
nedy. heart and conscience. free play.
and see whs, comes Of H. Thss il the
Individual hlrthrixht TAat Is the
solvent % philosophers and systems, os
governments and civilizations. Hands
or, and lcs us ace what haepens II
this ee an upward moving world. east
OK the ropes from hamsnity's airshsp.
IL Il be speeding down a ssift decline.
why put feeble blocks Of wooa upon
the ways where the great sAlp is al
reaiy moving irresls,iely toward
fashomisss ocean,
The mos, highly Developed races and
nations are those thar have come most
fally within the acknowledged opera
sion Of the law a. anlmpedeti action. "a
Is the fundamental perhaps the s,reng-
est claim az our people 20 a mission
aud a destiny, For II Is national
trait. 50 deeply ingraiaed in character
that il constitutes distinguishing
mark. The American scorns fayors as
he Aces tips. group Of boys. barely