THE DAY WE CELEBRATE,

          Addressat the fourth-of-July dinner of the American society,
          London, 1899.

I noticed in Ambassador Choate’s speech that he said:  “You may be Americans or Englishmen, but you cannot be both at the same time.”  You responded by applause.

Consider the effect of a short residence here.  I find the Ambassador rises first to speak to a toast, followed by a Senator, and I come third.  What a subtle tribute that to monarchial influence of the country when you place rank above respectability!

I was born modest, and if I had not been things like this would force it upon me.  I understand it quite well.  I am here to see that between them they do justice to the day we celebrate, and in case they do not I must do it myself.  But I notice they have considered this day merely from one side—­its sentimental, patriotic, poetic side.  But it has another side.  It has a commercial, a business side that needs reforming.  It has a historical side.

I do not say “an” historical side, because I am speaking the American language.  I do not see why our cousins should continue to say “an” hospital, “an” historical fact, “an” horse.  It seems to me the Congress of Women, now in session, should look to it.  I think “an” is having a little too much to do with it.  It comes of habit, which accounts for many things.

Yesterday, for example, I was at a luncheon party.  At the end of the party a great dignitary of the English Established Church went away half an hour before anybody else and carried off my hat.  Now, that was an innocent act on his part.  He went out first, and of course had the choice of hats.  As a rule I try to get out first myself.  But I hold that it was an innocent, unconscious act, due, perhaps, to heredity.  He was thinking about ecclesiastical matters, and when a man is in that condition of mind he will take anybody’s hat.  The result was that the whole afternoon I was under the influence of his clerical hat and could not tell a lie.  Of course, he was hard at it.

It is a compliment to both of us.  His hat fitted me exactly; my hat fitted him exactly.  So I judge I was born to rise to high dignity in the Church some how or other, but I do not know what he was born for.  That is an illustration of the influence of habit, and it is perceptible here when they say “an” hospital, “an” European, “an” historical.

The business aspects of the Fourth of July is not perfect as it stands.  See what it costs us every year with loss of life, the crippling of thousands with its fireworks, and the burning down of property.  It is not only sacred to patriotism sand universal freedom, but to the surgeon, the undertaker, the insurance offices—­and they are working, it for all it is worth.