Arizona republican., 1903-07-11
ARE WE AMERICANS?
Or Must We Be Distinguished as Citi-
 gems of the United States.

Secretary Hay contends for the word American" to denote a resident of the United States. When he was ann bassador to Great Britain he placed over the door of his residence the words American Embassy This caused some complaint among the rep resentatives of the government to the south of us, and even Canadians en- tered a protest at the British foreign office, but 1t made no difference to MT. Hay. He could put up any sign he pleased. The Canadians had no em- bassy. and even if they had no one would have known them as Americans. The same is true of the South Ameri- can republics. As for Mexicans, they nearly all prefer that title to Ameri- cans. Secretary Hay tried to persuade other embassies and legations to adopt the same designation. Some others have done so,. but whether it is now the designation generally used no one can say, but some of those who at tempted it abandoned the idea when they heard a protest had been made
 General Porter would have adopted the name. but in all France there has been designation for the United States which has become so well known that any other designation would not do. To the French We are the "Etats Unis.' and have been for more than a century
 Secretary Hay contends that we are entitled to the designation. for the
 United States really created America
 It was this country that cut loose from
 the old world with an independent government. 1t was our people that made the growth of America possible. and it was especially the United States that made it possible for other DOT
 tions of the continent to become inde- pendent and self-governing. By it's position its population. its power. and
 its domination of the western world
 the United States is entitled to the
 name American if 1t chooses to use it. Another reason why Secretary Hay thinks it would be a good thing to ! adopt. or confiscate, and use the word American is because in the alohabeti- | cal nations America would precede all | others Austria now heads the list while our country is down near the | foot. This advantage would be esDe- | cially valuable at The Hague tribunal | where the countries are called in alph- abetical order. and where. consequent
 ly. 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 a little doubtful, but per baps if a law should be passed declar- | ing that in all international affairs our | country should be designated Amer | tca, V, foreign countries would recognize the title. But what a howl would go
 up from other countries on the 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 Americans. Tn all foreign | countries we are known as Americans
 and only a few complaints are made. | To the north are the Canadians. and
 such they will remain until they are | annexed to the United States. and even
 then the title will stick. To the south
 are the Mexicans. the Cubans. the Ven l ezuelans. the Bolivians, the Brazili ans the Argentines. the Chilians. the Peru
 vians and others. To call any one of
 them Americans would be a misno- mer. We occasionally hear of a South
 / merican. but that is iHie.iri:e Your | American" is a citizen Of the United States the stars and stripes are the
 American" flag, the big vessels of cur | fleet are American" warships. our 1 troops in China and the Philippines
 belong to the American" army. The | time We were in Cuba was the Amer | ican occupation" So. as the world
 goes. the United States is America and her citizens are Americans.-Was | ton Post.