Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-26
Another victim of Aneiomania.


DR.. Minot J. Savage read poem of
which he is the author at the dinner
given as a farewell by the Lotus club
| to Whitelaw Reid. recently appointed
to succeed William II. Choate as Uni
| ted States ambassador to the court of
St James. DIR. Savage" says the
New York Tribune, 'prefaced the reci-
tation with the modest statement that
he was going 10 try an experiment in
New York which he had essayed sew
eral times in Boston. escaping at least
with whole skin he added, laughing
| ly''
There are many companies. as will
be agreed after a reading of few of
| the stanZas. that would not permit
Or. Savage to escape with any part of
his skin One of his first mental va
porings is that very old and long ago
exploded allusiOn to our mother coun-
I try'-as though the bulk of our pOpu-
lation did not come from Germany, Ire
land, and other countries, and only
small part from the mother country"
DR. Savage starts with this mawkish
emulation:
The youngest OF the nations,
Grown stalwart in the west,
Yearns back to where each morning
CLOVIS DER the oceans crest
I And cries. 20. Mother Country
Ours is your ancient pride.
And, whate'er may befan you,
Our place is at your side"
DIR. Savage may, after a night of
dreams, and upon awakening, yell
across the waters the assurance that
we will be there to support her, and
he may indulge the fancy that as he
thinks, SO the nation thinks, but in this
he may be mistaken.
Proceeding, however, DR.. Savage said
later on in what may be described as
The Toady's Ode"
You fought the fight for freedom
And taught mankind the creed;
Long ere our declaration
There was a Runnymede.
We won at Appomattox,
But you had won before:
our Bunker Hill and Yorktown
Look back to Marston moor
Our Washington and Lincoln
Were of your sturdy stock
Cut out of MIltonS quarry,
One piece with CromwelTs rock.
Our Pilgrims learned the lesson
That English means the free,
And through the wintry weather
They brought it over sea
There is no quarrel with DR.. Savage
on the strength of what he may say
| laudatory of the English people or the
service of the nation so far as human
rights and liberties are concerned on
some occasions, Notwithstanding that
the policy of the government has been
to smother the flame of independence
wherever possible, as was the case
when this country sat idly by and saw
the Boer patriots dashed into submits
sion to the British lion.
II is the eulogy to the British gov
eminent in company with the sugges-
ton that the two government. the
! United States and Great Britain.
should stand together and when the
| peaceful heavens are darkened in
eclipse. may our two lightnings mingle
in one thunder from our ships" TO
which righteous objection is apt to be
taken. The British government, in
| SPAAAAs hnH hON olliNC INC NlduIt VI hD-
erty was first rocked been a friend of
| this country. There is no reason why
she should be Originally. and again in
the war of 1912, an open foe. she was
still further on treacherous and willing
10 strike what DR.. Savage pictures as
her offspring while the latter was in
the throes and suffering of civil dis
cord. The bullying power only be
came friendly when commercial rela-
lions dictated such a policy
British diplomacy is protective only
of British interests and England would
as quickly sacrifice the young nation
that calls her mother country as she
would an island of no value in the
bOundless Pacific.
Ii is pleasant TO be sociabIe and
friendly with England but there is no
occasion for fawning devotion or inter
national or commercial partnership.
Son Lost Mother