Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-11
ARE. WE AMERICANS?
Or Must We Be Distinguished as Citi.
zens Of the United States?

Secretary Hay contends for the word
american" to denote a resident of the
United States. When he was Ambas-
sador to Great Britain he placed over
the dopr of his residence the words
American Embassy This caused
some complaint among the representa-
tives of the governments to. the south
of us, and even Canadians entered IL
protest at the. British foreign office,
but it made no difference to Mr.. Hay.
He could put up any sign he pleased.
The Canadians had no embassy, and
even If, they had no one WehIdGhave
known them as Americans.s5 rhe eHane
is true of the South American Ssrapnh-
| licI AS hpr Mexicans, theys tiearfy tall
prefer fhat title to. Americass sISeogs-
tarS Hay tried to persua az 1bsrs ,aEn-
| bassies and lega tons to ADOPT Hf. s;afrte
designation. Some otherse aim W. stiOhe
so, but whether 1T is now thGsdesigna-
ton generally used no one can say, but
some of those who attempted it aban-
doned the ideF When they heard pro-
test had been made. General Porter
| would have adopted the name, hut in
| all France there has been a designa-
| tlOIl lOT Tie Ollllei NiiiNi ii't''
become SO we'll known that any other
| designation would not do. To the
| French we are the "Etats Unis," and
have been for more than century.
| Secretary Hay contends that we are
entitled to the designation, for the
United States really created America.
1t was this country that cut loose
from the Old World with an indie
pendent government. 1t was our peO-
pie that made the growth of America
possible, and it was especially the
| United States that made it possible for
other portions of the continent to be-
come Independent and self-governing.
| BY it's position, it's population, its pow
| er, and it's domination of the western
world the United States is entitled to
the name American If it chooses to use
it.
Another reason why Secretary Hay
thinks it would be Il good thing to
adopt, Or confiScate, and use the Word
American is because in the alphabeti-
cal list of the nations America would
| precede all others. Austria now heads
the list, while our countrysis- down near
the foot This advantage would be es-
pecially valuable at The Hague tribu-
nal. where the countries are called IN
alphabetical order, and where. conse-
uuently, in presenting a case most
other countries would have the FIRST
show. Just how in a legal tribunal
like The Hague court we could come in
as America is little doubtful, but
perhaps, if law should be passed de-
ciaring that in all international affairs
rho no 1pSipnItpd
America" foreign countries would
recognize the title. But what howl
would go up from other countries on
this continent if this should be done!
OF course, they cannot prevent all
countries, as they do now, using
America" when they mean the United
States and calling our citizens Ameri-
cans In all foreign countries we are
known as Americans and only few
complaints are made. To the north are
the Canadians, and such they will re-
main until they are annexed to the
United States, and even then the title
will stick To the south are the Next
cans. the Cubans, the VeneZuelans. the
, Bolivians, the BraiZians, the Argen-
tines, the Chilians, the Peruvians and
others. To call any one of then
Americans would be q misnomer. We
occasionally hear of a South American
but that is indefinite. Your "Ameri-
cam Is a citizen of the United States
the Stars and Stripes are the "Ameri-
can" flag, the big vessels of our hcet
are american" warships. Our troops
. in China and the Philippines belong tt
| the american" army. The time WI
| were in Cuba was the "American occu
PATTON" So, as the world goes, the
, | United States is America and her citi
l zens are Americans.