Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-01

citizens of Sydney been so loath to part
with the representatives of any nation
that have visited New South Wales. Prior
to their arrival there were perhaps specu-
lative doubts existing as to whether Aus
tralians and Americans would altogether
fraternize and take to- each other. All
such doubts have long since vanished.
Blood has once more proved stronger than
water; and the claims of a common an
cestryS have been triumphantly demon
strated. AS Admiral Sperry so eloquently
put it the other night, there is after all.
no overcoming the facts of the ties of
common blood, of common Christianity.
and of a thousand and one ties of inter-
marriage-those ties which are stronger
than steel, and more numerous than We
know of.
Impressed By Mems Behavior.
'Truer words than these were never
spoken; and as the days passed and the
two peoples began to know each other
more intimately their truth has been
abundantly made manifest: BY their in
variable courtesy. their modest and I'M
assuming bearingsand their splendid be-
havior generally, the men of the fleet
have endeared themselves to the people
of New South Wales in a very high de-
gree indeed. We gave them of our best,
and they have proved themselves in every
respect worthy of the very best we could
offer them. You've done us proud they
say; and our reply now is that with us
lies the pride, because they have borne
themselves in such. wise as to deserve
even more than We did for them. Other
visitors We have had. and received with
feasting and music and illuminations and
banners and every appropriate outward
ceremony. But, although honoring them
in such fashion, and displaying our es-
TEEN for them, the people of this state
never felt the same sentiment of friend
ship and the desire to improve upon ii
that has been the prevailing feature with
regard to our present guests.
And this is where the common tie
comes in. Just for a little while perhaps,
we were inclined to view these young en-
listed men-citiZenS of the great republic
the light of foreigners. Then, when we
found on closer approach that they were
to all intents and purposes replicaS of
OurSelveS-Anglo-Sa XonS of the best brand
we took them to our hearts, and greeted
them. not as strangers in strange land
but as distinguished portion of the fam
lily. portion. too, from which we had
been for overlong separated. And. to do
them justice. our newly discovered breth-
rem were not slow to reciprOcate: they
have shown themselves able to cheerfully
second any efforts made in their behalf;
they have revealed a mutual interest in
our sports and pursuits; they have in
every possible way received our advances
in the spirit in which they were offered
them. And TO this ready and adequate
on their side is due in great
measure the undoubted success, not only
of the national welcome, but of engender-
ing those deeper and more permanent
sentiments of racial sympathy and respect
and even of affection which We think
has Individually been the case.
All Felt at Home.
From the time that the battleships
entered the harbor and throughout the
long round of subsequent festivities it
has been increasingly apparent that our
visitors. from their admirals ard cap
Jains down TO tire smallest Boy on the
ships felt themselves at home. Not, of
course, in the sense of being among their
own folk. but still among people who
were akin 10 them who We're more than
pleased to see them. and about the
warmth and sincerity of whose feelings
toward them there could be no mis- axe.
And the fact of this being 50 IS crafty
ing in the extreme. australians are very
far from being denonstrative people:
they are, indeed, on the contrary, given
to aloofness. not TO say stolidity. But
1t must be confessed that on this occasion
they have come out OF their shell in a
most surprising manner. 1t was the com
mon tie that effected the transformation.
Had our friends stayed with us much
longer one of two things would have hap
pened. Either they would have Ameri-
ca niZed us or We should have Australian
lied them. We can pay neither them
nor ourselves any higher compliment. In
the southern city to which they are now
bound they may perhaps receive a more
imposing reception. Nevertheless. they
may rest content in the sincere assur-
ance that they carry with them from sgd
ney and the mother state a whole-heart-
ed amount of regard and appreciation
that can never Slrpa SSed elsewhere