40 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-IX 



and, indeed, of the predatory class, who have left Eu 

 rope just long enough to obtain it, and then left America 

 in order to escape the duties both of their native and their 

 adopted country, and to avail themselves of the privileges 

 of both citizenships without one thought of the duties of 

 either, using them often in careers of scoundrelism, one 

 feels that Russia is nearer the true ideal in this respect 

 than we are. 



As a matter of fact, there is with us no petty joint-stock 

 company in which an interest is not virtually held to be 

 superior to this citizenship of ours for which such sacri 

 fices have been made, and for which so many of our best 

 men have laid down their lives. No stockholder in the 

 pettiest manufacturing company dreams of admitting men 

 to share in it unless they show their real fitness to be thus 

 admitted; but admission to American citizenship is sur 

 rounded by no such safeguards : it has been cheapened and 

 prostituted until many who formerly revered it have come 

 to scoff at it. From this evil, at least, Eussia is free. 



