Good Word for Americans

1895

Credit Given Them as Being the Kindliest Race In the World.

Take them as a whole, the Americans are the kindliest race on the face of the earth. In spite of their eagerness, their push, their desire to be in the front rank at all times and all seasons, the true American seldom fails in kindness. He wants badly to prevent any one getting ahead of him mentally, physically and morally, but if his competitor falls in the struggle he will make untold sacrifices to help him up. The rule in American business is pure cutthroat competition carried to its logical conclusion. You are expected to press and push every point as far as it can possibly be pushed and pressed, and no one is expected to consider whether in making a commercial coup you will not ruin Brown, Jones and Robinson. The moment, however, that Brown, Jones or Robinson actually goes under he is treated with the utmost generosity and consideration.

The hand which struck him down is instantly stretched forth to help him, and as much care and trouble are used to put him on his feet once again as were originally employed to knock him off them. In social intercourse this kindness and sunniness is specially attractive. The American will take infinite pains to make the merest stranger happy. He is courteous and pleasant spoken, not, like the Frenchman, from convention, but from the sense of pleasure which his instinctive optimism teaches him to diffuse. His optimism has even proved strong enough to break down the shyness which naturally belongs to the English race. One sees no doubt survivals of it in the American, but in most cases the sense that all is for the best in the best possible of worlds has mastered it altogether. — London Spectator.