Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-20
America Leads In
Morals This
Country c Q n.
ira sted With Re.
maindcr of the
World.
|, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

lhs y" ,rch was addressed by the hev.
no'p' y clark, Father Endeavor,'
f's" ",rae,4ca's Place Among Nations IN
On .,,nsrs and Morals" says the Bos'
.an Herald. He sald'
w. ,.,sh 10 compare the manners ana
a,s a, European nations, SAID me-
NV, 90 recently seen them, with the
10 aars and morals OF our own land
"nS especially desire to consider the
""s o,s for the tremendous magnetic
iea'Y a,most like the attraction Of gray
,at,ou on the planets in their courses
w. o,,ica has upon the rest OF the
world .n.,o .ooos oo.
in. , s,,rnoss the Anglo-Saxons In 1T
la""s t,ers OF politeness. one notices
" 'r,,,vhero in public places. The
anctor of the railway trains does
eoa' ,hrow open the door Ike cy-
n.y. ana shout al the top OF his voice,
eeT VnI, 80 but in mild and deferential
49,. No apprOaches each passenger,
na His hat, begs you to please
band him your ticket, punches u as
gently as he can, and hands PACK 10
Son often with little flourish, ana
;srbank you honorable sir. 30 you
,sg mat YOU have conferred quite
ssyor upon him by giving UP your DIT
Of pasteD0ar1 .o ,,.o,ooring
,hromsh the train, slapping down cheap
,naeagines or cheaper trashy novels In
evapv passengers lap. or perhaps shy
,ng packages Of candy right and left
NM, ne ,,iii afterwards cali for II not
wanted but he approaches you modest
~ with his sheaf Of papers or maya
gInes, or waits for you TO call him to
your side. a.. ..
seem to regard those who aiterward
enter as their special guests, and every
man in the same compartment VIII
touch his hat to each one who enters
and. II the newcomer is q lady, VIII
often rise and bow before her, as II
she were an honored visitor At a
restaurant or hotel table the same po-
lite customs often prevail, especially in
purely German establishments.
In Sweden they have q still more
pleasant custom in private homes for
each guest shakes hands with his host
and hostess after the meal, and says,
'Thank you for this good NEAL" or, II
A IL only cold bite and a cup OF cof-
fee they say, Thanks for cof-
Fee" The children OF the family often
kiss their father and mother,and say to
them IN their musical language. which
sounds Ike a song, Thanks for the
good meal" The Slays too. as a race
are wonderfully polite. The peasants
with whom we travelled in the unspeak-
able Siberian railroad trains on the far
side Of Lake Balkal would spring to lit
our heavy baggage when we were
,ha ging cars and would share With US
their curds and whey and their black
bread when the restaurant stations
were few and far between.
The Latin races have always boosted
Of their politeness. and polite as a
Frenchman' has passed into a pro-
verb. But In my experience the pro-
verb Is not altogether justified. To be
sure, there Is yivacious and punctll-
ious etiquet about a well-bred French
man which Is captivating to the unini-
tlated, and there is certain stately
poteness TO the Spanish don that is
Impressive, but. as for me. give me the
more genuine thing which / find In
northern climes.
In Italy there Is scarcely pretense Of
poteness among the lower classes.
The supercllious hotel clerk Is a pc.
cullar unmannerly product Of America
and England, and | am sorry 10 say
mat he IS most often met with In Amer
lea lie Is seldom found upon the con-
llnent or Europe. On the continent, and
frequently in England he Is a young
lady. with melodious voice and
pleasant demeanor, who makes you feel
,nat you are comforting and not receiv-
lery
| must say that, while the agreeable
Ehglifhman Is the most courteous OF
men the dlsagreeable Englishman is
huperlauyely unpleasant. But, on the
U'her hand, / have seen In many Eng
ilsn homes such specimens of fine
stunned courteous manhood, and such
tlaclous winsOme womanhood, so
thoughtful considerate and kind, so
o.nsearled In seeking the comfort of
.usr guests, 30 generous IN providing
ivr every want, that ! have thanked
yod that ! spoke the same tongue with
"yll and had common lineage.
10 speak OF American manners for a
monent' In public places there is still
mueh TO be desired. AT railway sta.
, ,"ss ana on streetcars, in hotels and
.uOne halls in the restaurant and on
s ~y street, and even In the church IT.
,n, lhe independent spirit OF free
snerlea Is often more evident than its
.nement And yet believe the
81 1l pollteness of our people is as gen.
e,Vus and genuine as will be found in
""4 and beneath the sun.
"nether or not America can take the
Try hrst rank In manners. she certain
I neeu tahe no second place In morals.
n say there Is no country where
Shnperahce sentiment Is so strong.
r hhsie Womanhood is so reverenced,
ne,e OUTSIDE OF the stock exchanges.
ss,hmolhs is so frowned upon; no land
nele country towns and small COM
,a as' at least. In which the old
lIfs meet meeting prevails. have a political
Ce,,a,.at Is purer or more unselfsh.
nnos lly N the strength Of its temper
No. NO.. sentiment America leads the
IN -. una When | speak OF America
m p ~ matters, use the word in
,,r,i, se sense as embracing all the
Cranaa' irom the north pole TO the Rio
Aneri 'est refreshing change that an
lana VA, s.1 finds on returning to his own
rsrc,. ileih a foreign soiourn Is the alb
IAN. " women behind and before the
prl,st. oars. suppose that In Great
Is ,e s.n ,ine-tenths Of the strong LIQUOR
.ls ssr,ed by bar maids. and n very con-
Women. ''V" oi u Is drunk by
Man. :, must be acknowledged that the
osS problem Is a much less serious
Fns,,s., 'ne continent OF Europe than in
the sNn sneakinR lands on both sides az
lirb,sr me drinks are as a rule much
,lSa.-en Russia, which used 10 be con.
Inc INC e most drunken country in
toiaL,o ~, has recently reformed in n
bar h. {. aE and drinking nj an omen
large ~ Petersburg and many other
bis pVes Us almost unknown. The
Tor ~ vodka. the Russian substitute
M. "n,sky, Is a government monon.
usknos',e oaietul habi, OF ireatIrg is
hess =. ana The amount OF drunken
dln,,i..n told, has been very largely
Thn ' w by the new regulations
h,t. norwegian system OF state regu-