II 



TRUE AMERICANISM * 



PATRIOTISM was once defined as "the last ref- 

 uge of a scoundrel" ; and somebody has recently 

 remarked that when Dr. Johnson gave this definition 

 he was ignorant of the infinite possibilities contained 

 in the word "reform." Of course both gibes were 

 quite justifiable, in so far as they were aimed at peo- 

 ple who use noble names to cloak base purposes. 

 Equally of course the man shows little wisdom and 

 a low sense of duty who fails to see that love of 

 country is one of the elemental virtues, even though 

 scoundrels play upon it for their own selfish ends; 

 and, inasmuch as abuses continually grow up in 

 civic life as in all other kinds of life, the statesman 

 is indeed a weakling who hesitates to reform these 

 abuses because the word "reform" is often on the 

 lips of men who are silly or dishonest. 



What is true of patriotism and reform is true also 

 of Americanism. There are plenty of scoundrels al- 

 ways ready to try to belittle reform movements or 

 to bolster up existing iniquities in the name of 

 Americanism ; but this does not alter the fact that the 

 man who can do most in this country is and must 



* The Forum, April, 1894. 



