The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-28

laughing stocks.
 t.Dewsy's victory over the spaniards at Manila. fbe ofegon's wonderful trip around the Horn and our subsequent destruction of the Spanish fleet at Santiago. the Important part played in European finance by our big business mon during the last few years. and the influence upon their lives by our American women--these are the three reasons why We are no longer sneer- cd at, regarded as boorish and dis paraged by foreigners
 s'Today Americans, whether at home or abroad. are more highly respected by Europeans than the people of any other nation on earth"
 F. Hopkinson Smith. the distinguish ed author. painter and engineer. said these things to the Sunday New York World the other day. He had been in The Post Building, where he is writing many hours each day on new American novel, his first since Peter, which is still listed among the best sellers. As a rule MT. Smith won't talk to newspapers. but on this occasion he was 70 taken by surprise, on being caught by an interviewer, that he dropped his pencil and made no objection to answering few ques- tions. as well as volunteering much information.
 F. Hopkinson Smith is typical American of the Southern type. court ly. we'll bred, aristocratic. soft-voiced. He adds to these charms. however. bustling. energetic manner and q keen interest in things of today which he has acquired through a life of great activity in various fields. Adopting the profession of engineer. he achieved fame and fortune, but de- serted his calling entirely a dozen years ago to devote all his attention to writing and painting. It is hard to say in which of these two depart rlents of art he has made the highest reputation: his "Col. Carter of Car tersvills," gives him as high rank lures of Venice give him among artists.
 For twenty-sfx consecutive years Mir. Smith has spent his summers abroad. In the winter he works hard in New York. He chooses New York as his workroom because he Is a thorough American, and to him Venice, with all her charm: Paris and Lon don. alluring as they may be. bear no comparison to Americas metropo- lis Knowing Europe as intimately as he does. then. but remaining thor oughly American, he is qualified to speak authoritatively on the subject of his countrymen.
 "Yes. sir" he said, e'the status of Americans abroad has entirely changed. and 1t is our reputation as fighters. the power of our money---but in vulgar display. but in It's employ ment In great affairs---and our women to which We can look for the change. Perhaps the manner In which our women have entered into the social life of Europe has had as much to do with the situation as anything else. Europeans have yielded entire- ly to the charm of our women In society, and have been willing to admit that they--well, that they scom- pare most favorably with the, women of Europe. Being Southerner. and therefore possessing an inborn spirit of chivalry, must limit my state-' ment to saying that our women have compared most favorably with Euro pean women I must say nothing dis- paraging of the women of any coun- try. FgIs
 Europeans have found fault with us. in the past because they thought we were because we talk ed "a and Laughed too loud. They Athoueht usrt66p fboIstsfous. We are stiii q trtf1e Doistero0s. We stiil talk a trifIe too loud and we laugh too loud. That's because we are { happy people and don't care, We have as spirit of don't care in our makeup. StiH, we have toned down a great deal Our travellers can no longer be found fault with on that score. And since Americans are respected every whore and by every one. our travellers are welcomed everywhere and by every one throughout Europe.
 .And within a few months Ameri- cans are going to be even more re- spected and popular than they are at present. Europe is going to see Theo- dore Roosevelt, our greatest citizen ana the highest product of our civili- zation. I predict that his reception In Berlin, Paris and London will be the greatest triumphal welcome ever ac- corded to any one in the history of the world Roosevelt wflf show Europeans lust how great we are and what our civilization stshdse for In Berlin he will address vartoas bodies and de- liver lectures in German. In Paris he will speak in French. He will show Europe that culture is not lacking in America. In short. he will do more to make Europe appreciate us than any one man who has ever lived.
 There are many reasons for this. Roosevelt is military man--that is q very important qualification in conti- mental Europe. He Is a statesman. he has held the highest office in our country. he comes from a fine old aristocratic family. though. personal iy, don't consider this very impor- tant A man doesn't have to have a long line of distinguished ancestors 40 ha alfhnnOh fa important in Europe. He is a sports man. an author. and fs distinguished in score of other lines. So he will be the most popular American who has ever set foot on their soil."v
 since you don't consider distin- guishei ancestors necessary to the making of a gentleman. what do you consider necessary" interrupted the interviewer.
 Courage. humility and considera- ton for the under dog" he answer hasn't consideration for the under dog Is not gentleman. And there Is no one who has more consideration for the under dog than Theodore Roose- welt That Is why he Is the most popular man in America today. Every workIngman knows that Roosevelt is his friend. Every one knows that Roosevelt knows no class distinction That is why he Is so typically Ameri- can and. in my opinion. the greatest living American today"
 What is the outlook for American literature7''
 ''The outlook is becoming brighter every day. We are rapidly developing an American literature. We have no Rudyard Kipling. but we have a num- Der of great writers.
 ...Do you. as Professor Brander Mat