Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-07-08

their horses and ride from all the neigh
town of their region when Il new novel
by the author of 'Waverley' was ex-
pected. Through all the important
formative days of the republic Scott
was the favorite author of the Ameri-
cans. and. while his writings may not
be said 10 have had any special weight
in our material and political develop
ment, yet their influence was enor-
nous upon the taste and the senti-
ments of people peculiarly sensitive
to such influences from the very cir
cumstances of their environment"
What John Hay said in reference to
the influence of the pen of the Wizard
OF Abbotsford upon America can be
said to Il greater or less extent Of all
the leaders of English and Scottish and
Irish thought.
EngIand's Associations.
British thinking cannot be divorced
from American thinking. To the Amer
lean mind Il map of the British isles is
not mere collection Of city or town
names. Each spot has its sacred his
tory on account of the men who have
lived there and whose fields of infiu-
ence were transatlantic as well as els
atlantic. Some years ago rode through
Scotland and England on a bicycle.
From Glasgow l went to Ayr. There
found that my youthful idol. Burns,
once lived. From Ayr I went to Ban
nockburn and Stirling castle There
found that Bunker Hill was only an
echo of Stirling castle. Those old Scot
fish chiefs inspired Americas indie
pendence. From Bannockburn l went
to Edinburgh. There / stood at the
graves of Guthrie and Chalmers and
went into John Knox's old home and
recognized these men as my teachers.
From Edinburgh l went down to the
lake region and there found its poets,
my poets. There l reverently stood by
the roadside while a nurse led John
Ruskin past me-John Ruskin then
with his mind a Melrose abbey in ruins.
but John Ruskin still-who wrote the
books that are on my library shelves.
From there l went up to London. Al
most every place stopped could go
and find the grave of one Of Americas
benefactors.
England has conquered America by
the power of the tongue Because the
same linguistic doors are opened to
sympathy and one in life. There is an
old saying among the Spaniards, Co
lumbus set sail from Spain and dis
covered America. but not until Wash
ington Irving set sail for Spain was
the Alhambra discovered for the
Americans" That is true. From near
ly all foreign lands are we separated
by the great towers Of Babel. the
towers of unknown tongues" Around
these or over these but few of us have
the linguistic ability TO go or to climb.
But, though between Us and England
rolls the Atlantic ocean 1000 miles
wide, the bridge of common language
spans it, Over that bridge every day
walk the British statesmen. the Brit
ish refOrmers. the British authors, the
British preachers. the British leaders
of thought.
The British empire has conquered us
by the tongue. but not by that alone.
Every year she sends over a great in
vading army. This army OF invaders
are stout of muscle and clear Of eye
and brave of heart. They have the
bravery to cross the seas. Yes, but
theY are also brave enough to bring
along their wives and children. and
gold, and picks, and shovels. and ma
sons trowels. and plumb lines. They
plainly and bluntly declare that they
have come to capture our lands, and
sit upon our mercantile thrones, and
form their colonization settlements.
And as soon as they can get a foothold
here they say they will send over for
their fathers and mothers and brothers
and sisters to come and live with them
in their new homes which they have
built In the new land and which they
are already beginning to rule.
We find in America the English and
the Scotch AMI the Irish families every
where. Surprising l should ask all
those whom address to arise and say
who were born in the British isles and
who are sons and daughters and grand
children of ancestors who were born
there, how many do you suppose would
stand up? A twentieth! 4 tenth? A
fourth! Yes. think Il fourth or even a
third is not overstating the numbers.
When the original thirteen colonies
won their national independence we
had all told In this country between
three and four millions of people We
then mad n smaller population than has
the present city of New York. In lit
tie over hundred years we have near
ly S0.OO0.O00 inhabitants. Whence did
these people come? From the Ameri-
can cradle? Yes. The American stork
has builded her nests In the chimneys
of many homes. But the American
stork from 4.0OO.OOO parents could not
produce S0OC0.OOO living descendants
In little over a hundred years. The
vast numbers of the American inhabit-
ants today came over as emigrants
from EurODe or their fathers ar grand