The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-26

is the center of American club life,
of American fashion, of American So
cial movements, l think it fit to re-
peat what he teaches on a UNIVERSAL
ly acknowledged duty, the duty of
patriotism. Emerson says ''if a tenn
perate wise man should look over our
American society, the first danger
that would excite his alarm would be
the European influences upon this
country"
Yet when Emerson said this, Amer
lean young women were not eXpatri-
ating themselves by dozens as now,
in order to clutch foreign titles. re-
gardless of what it may cost, wheth-
er in money, in sneers against the
fathers and mothers who earned the
money, or in self-respect. Nor had
any New York landlord then dis
owned his birthright in America while
still holding fast to his inherited in
crement of American real estate.
Emerson, like prophet, cries out
Let the passion for America cast out
the passion for Europe Let the
good citizen perform the duties put
on him here and now Let us realize
that this country the last found, is
the great Charity of God to the hui
man race
Col. Watterson said, in part, in re-
Spouse to the toast, THE Ideal in Pub
lie Life"
"The nearest approach to the ideal
statesman this country has evolved
lived and died here in this metropolis.
If ever man pursued an ideal life, he
did. From youth to age he dwelt amid
his fancies. He was truly a man of the
world among men of letters and man
of letters among men of the world. A
philosopher pure and simple-a lover of
books. of pictures, of all things beau
tiful and elevating-he yet attained
great riches, and, being a dOctrinaire
and having a passion for affairs, he
was able to crafty the aspiration to
eminence and the yearning to be of
service to the state which had filled
his heart Without any of the articles
usual to the practical politician he
gradually rose to be a power in his
party; thence, to become the leader of
Il vast following; his name a shibbo-
leth to millions of his countrymen,
who enthusiastically supported him,
and who believed that he was elected
chief magistrate of the United States.
He was indeed an idealist; he lost
the White House because he was so:
though represented whilst he lived by
his enemies as a scheming spider
weaving his web amid the coil of mys-
tification in which he hid himself For
this man was personally known to but
few in the city where he had made
his career; great lawyer and jurist
who rarely appeared in court: great
political leader to whom the hustinss
were mainly stranger: a thinker. and
yet a dreamer, who lived his own life
little apart, as poet might: uncor-
rupting and incorruptible; least of all
his political comparisons moved by the
loss of the presidency which had seem
ed in his grasp And finally. he died
though master of legal lore-to have
his last will and testament success
full- assailed.
The ideal in public life is first of
all and over all a public opinion. com
pelllng the same moral obligation in
public as in private affairs; of a public
opinion able to distinguish between
the spurious and the real; in short. of
trained intelligence sufficiently diffused
among the people to protect them at
least against the grosser forms of de-
cepton. Earnum discovered not alone
the virtues of humbug, but the willing
subsection of its victims. There will
be, l suppose, always persons who en-
terrain a natural prejudice in favor Of
quack nostrums. Cagliostro has ever
been one OF the most interesting among
the figures of an age crowded with
prodigies. We pique ourselves upon
our mother wit-Yankee wit we cali il
but from how many shams has 4
rescued us2 We alternately Blame and
praise the newspapers; they are pre-
cisely what we make them They win
either grow wiser and better as lead
ers. or. ceasing to lead. will become
mere vehicles Of intercommunication
the editor only a few hours in advance
OF his readers IN the knowledge Of cur
rent events. Meanwhile let as not mis-
interpret. but carry In mind and heart
these pregnant words Of Emerson. we
I'VE ln very low state Of the world
and pay unwilling tribute 10 govern
ments founded on force but