Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-08
We ARE OPTIMISTS
Lord Northcliffe Pays High
Compliment to Tempera-
ment of Americans.
LIKE A BIG BOY, HE SAYS
English Publisher Says We Are a
Nation Of DrcameFs, But Have
a Great Future.

Il have observed that the difference
between the Americans and the Eng
fish l.; that the former are all Optimists
and the latter are all pessimiSts.' said
Lord NOrthcliffe. who controls the Lon
don Times and sixty or more other for.
eign publications.. on his recent visit
to Chicago. Everything Lord North
cliffe saw was target for his com
ment. For America he sees q great
future.
Your whole nation. the members of
which have been described to me as
frenZied money grabbers," he said. Il
find to be dreamers-a whole nation of
dreamerS.
do you know. it is ludicrOus>tO me
to look at some of your papers and see
how old fashioned they are. Look ut
the American papers today, all discuss
ing whether there should be an income
tax or not. what wages women should
receive and all these old labor prob
lens that we buried years ago. You
are whole decade behind Europe. Do
you people realize that?
America Like Big Boy.
"Why. l look on America as l would
look on some young boy just off for
college or as l would on young couple
newly married. The country delights
me. l am enthusiastic over ii. You
have a great future but your troubles
are all ahead.
You have one tremendous figure
here. l mean your late and future
President Theodore Roosevelt. He is
Il splendid man. One nation does not
produce more than two or three men
like that"
do you believe that he will again
be president of the United States?'
why can | doubt it? Everywhere /
have been the people have talked
Roosevelt to me. You worship him.
There is nothing like it in Europe.
such hero worship. And he deserves
it too. He is tremendous figure
DO you believe he will be ranked
the great statesmen of the
wOrld?"
''Assurcdly 1 do. We are still close
to him. however. and it is hard to
tell. Certainly we have no one like
him in Europe today"
Speaking of the difference between |
the English and the American temper |
he said:
'The EnGiishman is n born peSsi- |
mist. He is never content with sur !
face indications; he is always looking |
beneath to find something rotten, |
warping. something wrong; !
he is never sure that he is prosperous, |
no matter how rich he is.
You Americans. on the other hand.
are radical optimists. a glance at the
surface satisfies you. Every one of
you believes that America is the great
est country in the world and that
are the greatest people.
You are taken up with dreams of
great future.
Should Produce Great Composer.
"And 1 believe that the future o.
America is great. You should pro
luce the next great musical composer |
here. l do not know that you will,
out You should, for you have all the
,lements-a Teutonic strain, Slavonic
strain and fine enthusiasm every
where. The two greatest artists of re-
.ent years were Americans, Whistler
md Sargent. And your standards in
he higher fields of culture are grow
ng yearly"
After visiting the University of Chi
ago Lord Northcliffc said: John ID.
could make no better use
# his vast wealth than the founding
# your wonderful university. You
should appreciate your rich mentor
he wise U.;e Of their Millions
He was asked his opinion of ]. Pier
)ont Morgan.
j. PierpOnt MOrgIn?" he replied.
Why. if he had lived in the middle
ges he would have been another Lo-
EMO de- Medici-another Lorenzo the
Magnificent"