New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-02
AMERICAN OPTIMISM.
1t Enables the People to Put Up
zcith Many annoying Restrictions.


Herr Ludwig Fulda, some OF whose Amer
lean Impressions have already appeared in these
columns, deals In his latest contribution TO the
"Staats-Zeitung" with American optimism. Herr
Fulda writes:
THE story is told Of famous aurst who so
long shouted into the of the patients under
his treatment the statement that they were
cured that they finally came TO believe him.
About in the same way American democracy. by
empha sizing the rights Of man. has succeeded in
inoculating all the citizens of the Union with the
conviction that they free. AS a result. this
fortunate country knows OF no revolutionary
party, properly so-caled.
1t cannot, Of course. be denied that politically
Americans are the freest people in the world
The Will OF the people is sovereign-that is to
say. the minority obey the majority and the
latter their party leaders. who. In their turn do
not so much push they are being pushed
Thus that wonderful balance OF forces is OBJ
tanned by which every one does of his own
accord what others want him to do. The heads
OF government and the subordinate functioraries
are all chosen the result Of direct or indirect
popular elections. No caste privileges prevent
the lowest from becoming the highest The peo-
pie are at liberty to reve and abuse with inn
pupity the most prominent personages, as we'll
as the state itself. liberty, by the way Of which
they rarely avail themselves. Religion. too, Is
private affair, every one is allowed to efTect
MS salvation in the way he likes best
But because of this undisputed and indis-
putable liberty the American citizen endures III
his everyday life. without protest and without
any apparent discomfort a variety of restrictions
that even in our sta OF well proved subordna-
uon could not be imposed by rulers upon their
subjects without provoking violent remonstrance.
This endurance is more astonishing IN
view Of the fact that all far reaching provisions
and prohibitions do not apply to the whole fed
r,cff1 i
ton Is reserved for the individual states SO that
one state interdicts what its nsishbor considers
permissible Properly speaking. therefore. per-
son travelling much about the country must
carry in his head the riegated pattern card of
forty-siX different state codes II he wants 10
be quite come nowhere into conflict with
the existing law. This is especially true in re-
gard TO the provisions 10y the observance Of
sunday and the consumption Of liquors; and
there is nothing TO which the European who
ct home had certainly enough things forbidden
can get accustomed with difficulty than
the draconic rigor with which these provisions
are enforced in many states
But we meet with stranger things
Thus, for instance. the sta te OF Indiana put
cigarette smoking under the ban. end person
coming from an adjoining state where 1t Is per-
mitted who enters Indiana with a lighted Gig
arctic in oversteppng the state line AT the same
time oversteps the line OF what is lawful.
The American. however. remedies such d.
Versities, not by Comba ding them. but by evud-
ing them. Indeed. evasion OF the Law, he has
developed into veritable arr For example in
instead Of with nine. Why? Because the game
of ninepins had been prohibited I'm the State 81
Illinois In a Western city saloons must be
closed on Sunday. Accordingly the front door OF
the largest and most elegant cafe ! wanted TO
visit with some friends was strongly harrcaded,
but when we entered through a hack door
could only with difficulty find an unoccupied
table. In the first hotel of Washington You
cannot get on Sundays anything 10 drink II you
do not eat the same time. and. mind what
you must be hot dish. A cold dish WIFI not
do. What must you then do II. after the prln-
cipal meal, you feel sinful appetite for glass
OF beer? very simple thing: Order a hot
sandwich and you can drink TO your hearts
content.
1.-The observance OF Sunday not only forbids
the sale OF spirits but, unfortunately, also Rs
thetic and intellectual enjoyments 1t conpe!s
the closing of the theatres unless TO the public is
in New York by q sacred concert?
Church music, you imagine? Or classical ora
torios and symphonies? You are entirely mis-
taken IL merely means that the curtain must
not be raised and lowered the stage scenery
must not be changed during the performance. II
these hot sandwich conditions are strictly fui-
filled the manager can serve his audience with
anything he pleases. any buricsque, any Vaude-
Vile. any operetta. and he may even announce
publicly such performances like any other.
1--WE would misjudge the American character
were TO trace such absurdities back to mere
hypocrisy I think they are rather due 10 the
large tolerance that animates both the state and
its citizens. True. the laws are made to bs
obeyed. but they are not taken literally: they
are winked at. They think that ultimately
lowed to run their course; and In this belief
they are not so wrong after all.
ION all kinds Of occasions I learned to know
the Americans q remarkably patient people
All their endurance of and forbearance with
and lasting evils can be traced ul'
mately TO fundamental quality OF the Anerl-
cam his great optimism. Unquestionably, the
climate the light and air Of the country CON
tribute much TO the creation OF that cheerful.
sanguine theory Of life that out OF its own IN
ner resources OF sunshine throws a golden re-
fiection upon the shadows OF life. To this must
be added his strong faith in the rapid progress
Of his people. faith that has been confirmed
not 10 say surpassed, by the achievements In the
past.
I'm order to keep up his buoyant spirits he
likes to put colored eyeglasses 10 look
upon everything in his country as good ana per-
feet. For this very reason he - also 80 easlly
offended when foreigners see something TO ma
fault with. His insusceptibility to evils becomes
the susceptibility OF the critic. He feels himself,
as IL We're. in paradise, and in paradlse-no mat
ter whether ii be real or imaginary,no guest is
so inconvenient, so troublesome and above all,
superfiuous the critic.
Such optimism might In the long run become
dangerous to a people. For self-complacency
in its last consequences must necessarily lea
TO standstn But for all that the Americans
are still far from such danger. However good
they consider the institutions OF their country.
they quicker than others in giving up what
IS good for the sake of what is better No
where IS to be found much pleasure and
courage in experimenting.
Another sympathetic feature born from this
happy theory OF life is the general mutual con-
fdence. A pledged word is considered good
as a written contract. and IN business well
as In private life person is assumed to be hon
est until the contrary has been proved 1t al
most seems If this confidence would itself
10 the increase of honesty. / do not
know IL they could risk in Germany, they do
I'm America putting prepaid mail matter for
which there IS room within the letterboX on
the top OF the same, even, they do in the
country, into unlocked boxes. And yet nothing
is stolen. And this is the same America to which
we still continue to export considerable part