The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1906-05-23
NOW LET US BLUSH.
PRAISE FOR AMERICA FROM
ENGLISH SOURCE.
Our Buildings, Cur Books and Our
Dinners Declared by Sir Cy-
prian Bridge the Real
Thing.

New YOrk.-Bouquets continue to be |
thrown at the American people. Some |
are odorous; some the reverse. Wheth- |
er it is praise or blame, it always |
comes to us pretty strong.
This time it is praise. An English |
admiral, Sir Cyprian Bridge, hands it
to us as follows:
"Of the physical greatness and ma
terial development of the United |
States the whole world is aware. II
would be a serious error to suppose
that the Americans have developed
only along material lines. There has
been a moral, spiritual. intellectual
development quite as striking. In no
country in the world is mental cul-
ture more highly valued or more dill
gently sought"
In architecture they stand in the
foremost rank. Not even the insight
ly outlines of a group of Is or 20
storied skyscrapers can be cited as
evidence of want of architectural
good taste. Such evidence would be
refuted by look at hundreds of state
ly and beautiful public buildings and
sumptuous private houses.
Large numbers of Americans visit,
and are right in visiting, the old cities
of Europe with their historic monu-
ments, but nowhere are they likely to
see anything of modern date superior
to that which they have proved them
selves capable of producing. The pal
aces of Genoa and Venice might be
searched in vain for higher taste In
3esign or greater splendor of treat
ment.
Not in library buildings only do
the Americans show their respect for
books. The tables in book sellers
| shops are piled-the word is exact
with books that are really beautiful
specimens of printing. 1t is a treat
to glance at the pages of some of the
| dainty volumes scattered in rich pro-
fusion over a shop counter. The beauty
of some of the bindings is almost daz-
cling, and the multitude of fine de-
signs is extraordinary.
ct is surely worth while to make
J inquiry as to the racial characteristics
of the people who are playing so great
a part, and who are obviously des-
tined to play a still greater part, in
the affairs of the world. Has It ever
struck the reader that, over the i'm
mense area of the United States sin
gle language is spoken, and that Ian
| guage is English? Conceive what it
would be S, from London to Con-
stantinople, from Stockholm to MPssi-
ma. only one form of speech prevailed.
THE social lite of America is at
tractive to the English visitor because
of its similarity to that of his own. He
does not feel a stranger Special in
tercourse there is charmingly vivaci-
Gus, and is made intensely interesting
by the remarkable conversational pow
ers of Americans of both sexes. 1t is
perhaps safe to assert that a dinner
party in London can possibly be dull:
a dull dinner party in Washington is
unthinkable
"It is not surprising-the conditions
being as they are-that much friendli-
ness should be shown by Americans
to the English people generally, as
well as to individual Englishmen. Elk
pressions of satisfaction with the pres
ent amicable relations between the old
country and the new come from all
classes; in fact, Americans are as
proud of their English origin as we
ought to be of the exalted position
which they are taking in the world"