The American Character

What then is the American? He is either a European, or the descendant of a European. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was English, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons now have four wives from different nations.

He is an American, who has left behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and heritage will one day cause great changes in the world. Americans are the western pilgrims, who are carrying along with them a great mass of arts, sciences, vigor, and industry.

The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles. He must therefore entertain new ideas and form new opinions. From idleness, dependence, poverty, and useless labor, he has passed to toils for which he will be amply rewarded.

Americans are a peculiar people. They work like mad, then give away much of what they earn. They play until they are exhausted, and call this a vacation. They love to think of themselves as tough-minded businessmen, yet they are pushovers for any hard luck story. They have the biggest of nearly everything including government, motorcars and debts, yet they are afraid of bigness. They are always trying to chip away at big government, big business, big unions, big influence. They like to think of themselves as little people, average men, and they would like to cut everything down to their own size. Yet they boast of their tall buildings, high mountains, long rivers, the best heaven. They also have the most traffic deaths, the most waste, the most racketeering.