The sun., 1903-06-28


their part to introduce or propagate the
political habits OF thought or the institu-
tions OF their mother country. They are
not only content with the liberty and po-
! tical conditions which prevail, but they
become the most ardent supporters ana
advocates OF our democracy
! ~
BY nothing are British subjects ana
! American citizens drawn together ~ ire
sistiby as by their possession of common
language The effect OF this tie Is most
strongly felt, of course, by those who have
inherited the English tongue; but, even
| in the case of non-Eng glish-speaking emf
grants, the inheritance will belong to their
| children or their grandchildren. Our au-
thor well says that "the range, influence
and effect of the native tongue is that OF
| the air. We cannot zee II or touch It,
| We cannot transcribe or limit it's scope or
power We only know that 1t was born
with us; that 1t Is our constant. ever-present
companion. II Is with us in our sleep, IN
our dreams. 1t Is q heritage that no time'
| influence or condition can take away from
[ us. He who would describe the influence
| and importance of language upon those
VINO are Dorm WHu ~ Hluri Dc ooiS w >S'''
pass the air which we breathe and nay
what are its limits and effects upon human
| life" Again: "The intercommunication OF
| ideas between people who use the same
! native tongue IL source OF pleasure ana
| joy, Of pain and sorrow, OF love and hatred
| II brings to the surface from the inner1host
! depths of the soul. from the hidden recesses
| of the mind. the sensations OF nome aho,
| country. 1t draws from the perennial ana
| inc xhaustible fountains OF memory genius
| ar, inspiration the mysterious aocumula-
tluns of thought harbored there and senos
! them floating through the world 10 o's-
| tinguish men from beasts,
II il tr,,e. as Mr. Dos Passos says, that an
| Enelishman and a Frenchman, meeting
| for the first time, although capable OF eA-
| Dressinp themselves in one or both IAN
, o,,a pes have no common ideas or sympa-
! thes on questions of law. religion. politics.
| history or literature. One word. whlch
would open a fountain Of sympathy bet ween
| Enplishmen and Americans. when speaking
| IN each other. might, if uttered in the pres
ence of Frenchman. German or Russian
require long and intricate explanations
even where more than average intelllge nee
| and knowledge existed on both sides. Inc
| indeGnable and untranslatable perception
| of English manners, customs and tastes
| can never be thoroughly conveyed except
| by the native English tongue to native
| Englishman or American 1t Is in word,
! pronounced impossible to aNaggerate the
| Importance of the uniformity OF language
! in holding the English speaking peoples
together, and in rendering the genius OF
! their most favored individuals available
=. for the civiliato ion OF all. We are reminded
that De Tocqueviile regarded the tie of
: language as the strongest that can unite
mankad, and that. according to Prof.
Freeman, mankind instinctively takes
language as the badge Of nationality.
All advocates of Anglo Saxon co6pera-
ton aluce to the unfying influence OF
,, common literature. but Mr.. Dos Posses
, doubts whether the importance of this
! link is always appreciated. Touching this
point. he saws. Words perish as soon IA
they are spoken Literature has more
F! or less tenacious hold on life. and Is trans
+; mitted from generation to generation. The
! literature OF a country ia the expression.
/: not only Of its actual knowledge. but also
; Of its genius and national character this
! il djfT,ise<l through all channels Of pubca-
! ton. by means of books, magazines and
, newspapers. Whenever this manifestation
Of the national genius finds lodgm mt
| in the minds OF English or American readers
it ia again transmitted by spoken language.
Literature thus becomes prolific course
of instruction and education, and, as Eng
lishmen and Americans drink from the same
fountain OF knowledge and inspiration.
| their tastes habits and modes Of thought
| tr ut
! An individual reads for pleasure or instruc-
ton, and what he receives of either, or
both combined. he again readily imparts
! by speech or pen to whomsoever he meets
Hence, literature acts directly upon some
! and indirectly upon ALL Through the
! medium Of their common literature, the
Anglo Saxon peoples are continually en-
rapport with each other. Everything
published in the English language becomes
common property to the whole English
speaking world. giving rise, acco riding to
it's degree of merit. to the same Impressions
calling into exercise the same faculties
and sensibilities. The influence Of litera-
ture may be considered in direct connection
with language. Of which it is the outgrowth.
and which. in it's turn. it amplifes, strength
ems and embellishes."
Still another bond OF eynpathy between
the English-s speaking peoples is found in
their possession of political institutions
which are essentially the same. II would
be superAuous to point out the resemblance
between the political systems Of the Do
mirion of Canada and the Aust ralian Com
monweath on the one hand and the British
Constitution on the other 1t cannot, in
deed be denied that the Constitution Of the
United States contains new matter, es-
pecially as regards the delicate relation Of
the States to each other and to the newly
constituted Federal Government, not to be
found in Magma Charta. or in the Petition
of Right, or In the Bill Of Rights. gro wing, a.
that Constitution did, out OF the necessity
of providing for new condition of affairs.
Nevertheless, In everything fundamental
and substantial relating to the Legislative
judicial and executive branches Of the
Federal Government, the organic Law
framed at Philadelphia in i7s7 has faithfully
followed the principles Of the English Con-
stitution.
A link no less powerful than the simi-
larity OF political institutions among Eng
ish speaking peoples is the community OF
laws, customs and general modes Of legal
procedure 1t Ia true that, in some par.
t;culars the laws which obtain in ENGLAND