New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-26
o .he Editor OF The Tribune.

o The EDITOR OF j ne lTlODncs
S~ It is a pastime worth indulglng n TO
Gnalyze what is called in French "Fetat
dame" literally translated "the state OF
soul" of an individual or OF a nation. The
present events in Europe as well as In Mexico
and the delicate position in which the United
States finds itself on account OF these events
form an interesting subject for study based
on comparison Of America Of to-day with
America OF a quarter of century ago
The immigrant who arrived in this country
some twenty-five or thirty years ago and VINO
to-day looks back at his greenhorn days must
feel as a man awakening from long sleep
a la Rip Van Wrinkle. Whether he be keen
observer of things or simply an Indifferent
looker-on whose egotsm constitutes his stock
in trade, he cannot fail to be staggered At
what he sees. am not referring to the Won
derful progress nor 10 the great inventions
which are the glory OF this age In this as
we'll as in other countries. The natural course
of things produces a progressing humanity
But there are things more interesting ina"
mechanical inventions TO the man or woman
who thinks. The psychological difference De-
tween Americans of to-day and Americans OF
former years battles description. My personal
experience in this respect must have been 'he
same as the experience OF thousands OF oth-
ers who emigrated to this country way oacS
in the sos. When / first set foot on Amer
an soil was prepared through nay education
n European universities to see and expert
ence things unknown to the Old World. Inc
we'll known and much heralded business ac-
tivity and inventive genius OF Americans had
reached us. We knew also that Americans,
above all things, were the defenders OF the
weak and always stood By the under dog, as
you say here, If not effectively, at least NOR
ally American prestige, based on justice,
coupled with its resources in agriculture and
it's industrial opportunities, created the In
centive that brought SO many millions to
these shores.
The emgrant in those days was not far
from believing that all one had to do on ar
irving in this country was TO pick up money
on the street. The reports, accompanied oc-
casionally by money orders that came to Us
on the other side Of the Atlantic from rela-
lives who had emigrated before us, made 1t
clear that life was easy in America. In snort
We knew from what We had been taught IN
schools, by what we had read, that America
vas industrially and economically the fore
most nation in the world, besides being
home for the oppressed.
Her love for fair play was demonstrated to
me the very first week of my stay IN TINS
country. in the fall of 1870. 1t was Presi-
Dental year. Tilden and Hayes were the
Democratic and Republican candidates. Both
Iarties claimed the election. The people be-
came excited as the days passed on, as no
one knew who would be inaugurated Presi-
dent of the United States Leading news
papers employed the best talent to promote
the cause of their faYorite candidate. nnu,
incidentally, may recall here that in that
campaign headlines constituted their most
important features? When The Chicago
lines" which supported Tilden, came out
he morning after election, when everybody