The Detroit times., 1908-06-24
YANKEE MANNERS
BOTH POLITE
AND RUOE:
WILLIAM ARCHER. LONDON CRIT
&c, TELLS or HIS EXPERIENCES
IN THE UNITED sTATEs-oTHER
STANDARDS HERE.

ism, has been writing 10 the Lohoon
Morning Leader on the subject OF
American Manners" In his latest
article he says:
Are the Americans the politest
people on the face OF the earth? Or
the rudest? There are times when
would reply TO the former question
with a cheerful Affirmative; but other
times when my whole smarting soul
goes over with vehemence TO the
other opinion. The truth is. OF course,
that in America, as IN other countries,
different classes OF people have diff
ferent standards OF manners; so that
any all-embracing generalization is
absurd.
but first for the other and more
essential side OF the case. There Is
certainly no living creature that
stands higher In the scale OF true
humanity than your cultivated, kindly
American gentleman. His manner Is
delightful. and he is unwearied. not
only In hospitality, but in the still
higher quality OF considerate helpful
ness.
Courtesy TO Strangers.
1.-The most remarkable feature OF
American politeness is the way In
which II faces ungrudgingly the ex
penditure OF that commodity which
we In England hold more precious
than money! mean time. That peo-
pie do sometimes work In America Is
evident from the results; but never
knew an American OF this particular
class who did not seem able to let
his work 90 hang at any moment
when he could give stranger pleas
ure or do him a service.
Nov for the less agreeable side OF
the picture. l am constrained to own
that, on the whole. find the Ameri'
can young man whom one meets In
the way OF business painfully lacking
in the ordinary amenities OF human
intercourse. He Is apt TO be curt.
careless, supercilious determined not
to move a hairs breadth out OF his al
loted track In order to be serviceable
to you. The hotel clerk is perhaps the
type Of this class Of young men; but
there are, In his case, extenuating cir
cumstances. He Is doubtless apt to
be very much worried and pestered,
20 that the only way to keep his
nerves from becoming uncontrollably
1umpy il to get into a mechanical
routine and act as though hypnotized
Something In the press.
Besides. there Is doubtless some
thing unsuitable in my British form
Of dress. Probably he understands
the American traveller better, and Is
more willing to unbend to him. In the
words OF the poet. dare say. he's all
get to know him fust. I have much
less patience with the hotel bookstall
clerk, whether male or female. This
functionary Is not overworked. and
has plenty Of time to be civil but
have never yet encountered member
Of the species with bearable man.
nsrs. One has to buy. not only papers
and magazines. but postage stamps at
these news stands: and this Is apt to
be q specially painful process.
II could almost suppose that the
clerks resent having this branch of
business thrust upon them and are
determined you shall know It.; but
this must remain a matter Of conjec
turs, for could never muster up cour-
ere to enter into conversation with one
Of these superior beings.
so. too. with ticket clerks. and
shopmen. and shopgirls at the small.
or stores--for the large department
stores I cannot answer. But II Miss
Beatrice Herford's sketch OF the Bos-
ton shipgirl be as accurate as II Is
delightful. this class is evidently no
exception to the general rule.
Manners In the Banks.
Zone Of the most elementary and
obvious principles OF manners, take
Il. Is that, when you have TO refuse a
request you should soften the refusal
NJ much as possible by decent
show Of regretfulness at your inabil-
ity TO comply. Twice recently IL has
happened 10 me to present a check at
m American bank and to be refused
payment. II appears that the rules
here are very strict In demanding per-
sonal Identification, and I dare say
the refusal was In each case strictly
justified.
But nothing could justify the man
ner Of the two officials-in cities.
may mention, thousand miles apart
n had been begging for charity In
stead Of approaching them on the or.
binary business footing their refusal
could not have been more curt and
repellent
"Tn one of the cases. the drawer
Of the check, himself, the manager
Of q wellknown bank. had been al
the pains OF providing me with q
second document vouching for my
signature; but the cashier to whom
presented the check almost violently
refused to look at my credentials. and
left the building with all the sensa
tions of bafied begging letter
writer"
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