s in some more convenient form。 With the eye of necessity ever upon a chance to earn an honest penny； I went to a newspaper office； cut out from its files the two platforms； had them printed in a small pocket edition； sold one edition to the American News Company and another to the News Company controlling the Elevated Railroad bookstands in New York City； where they sold at ten cents each。 So great was the demand which I had only partially guessed； that within three weeks I had sold such huge editions of the little books that I had cleared over a thousand dollars。
But it seemed to me strange that it should depend on a foreign…born American to supply an eager public with what should have been supplied through the agency of the political parties or through some educational source。
I now tried to find out what a vote actually meant。 It must be recalled that I was only twenty…one years old； with scant education； and with no civic agency offering me the information I was seeking。 I went to the headquarters of each of the political parties and put my query。 I was regarded with puzzled looks。
〃What does it mean to vote？〃 asked one chairman。
〃Why； on Election Day you go up to the ballot…box and put your ballot in； and that's all there is to it。〃
But I knew very well that that was not all there was to it； and was determined to find out the significance of the franchise。 I met with dense ignorance on every hand。 I went to the Brooklyn Library； and was frankly told by the librarian that he did not know of a book that would tell me what I wanted to know。 This was in 1884。
As the campaign increased in intensity； I found myself a desired person in the eyes of the local campaign managers； but not one of them could tell me the significance and meaning of the privilege I was for the first time to exercise。
Finally； I spent an evening with Seth Low； and； of course； got the desired information。
But fancy the quest I had been compelled to make to acquire the simple information that should have been placed in my hands or made readily accessible to me。 And how many foreign…born would take equal pains to ascertain what I was determined to find out？
Surely America fell short here at the moment most sacred to me： that of my first vote！
Is it any easier to…day for the foreign citizen to acquire this information when he approaches his first vote？ I wonder！ Not that I do not believe there are agencies for this purpose。 You know there are； and so do I。 But how about the foreign…born？ Does he know it？ Is it not perhaps like the owner of the bulldog who assured the friend calling on him that it never attacked friends of the family？ 〃Yes；〃 said the friend； 〃that's all right。 You know and I know that I am a friend of the family； but does the dog know？〃
Is it to…day made known to the foreign…born； about to exercise his privilege of suffrage for the first time； where he can be told what that privilege means： is the means to know made readily accessible to him： is it； in fact； as it should be； brought to him？
It was not to me； is it to him？
One fundamental trouble with the present desire for Americanization is that the American is anxious to Americanize two classesif he is a reformer； the foreign…born； if he is an employer； his employees。 It never occurs to him that he himself may be in need of Americanization。 He seems to take it for granted that because he is American…born； he is an American in spirit and has a right understanding of American ideals。 But that； by no means； always follows。 There are thousands of the American…born who need Americanization just as much as do the foreign…born。 There are hundreds of American employers who know far less of American ideals than do some of their employees。 In fact； there are those actually engaged to…day in the work of Americanization； men at the top of the movement； who sadly need a better conception of true Americanism。
An excellent illustration of this came to my knowledge when I attended a large Americanization Conference in Washington。 One of the principal speakers was an educator of high standing and considerable influence in one of the most important sections of the United States。 In a speech setting forth his ideas of Americanization； he dwelt with much emphasis and at considerable length upon instilling into the mind of the foreign…born the highest respect for American institutions。
After the Conference he asked me whether he could see me that afternoon at my hotel； he wanted to talk about contributing to the magazine。 When he came； before approaching the object of his talk； he launched out on a tirade against the President of the United States； the weakness of the Cabinet； the inefficiency of the Congress； and the stupidity of the Senate。 If words could have killed； there would have not remained a single living member of the Administration at Washington。
After fifteen minutes of this； I reminded him of his speech and the emphasis which he had placed upon the necessity of inculcating in the foreign…born respect for American institutions。
Yet this man was a power in his community； a strong influence upon others； he believed he could Americanize others； when he himself； according to his own statements； lacked the fundamental principle of Americanization。 What is true of this man is； in lesser or greater degree； true of hundreds of others。 Their Americanization consists of lip…service； the real spirit； the only factor which counts in the successful teaching of any doctrine； is absolutely missing。 We certainly cannot teach anything approaching a true Americanism until we ourselves feel and believe and practise in our own lives what we are teaching to others。 No law； no lip…service； no effort； however well…intentioned； will amount to anything worth while in inculcating the true American spirit in our foreign…born citizens until we are sure that the American spirit is understood by ourselves and is warp and woof of our own being。
To the American； part and parcel of his country； these particulars in which his country falls short with the foreign…born are； perhaps； not so evident； they may even seem not so very important。 But to the foreign…born they seem distinct lacks； they loom large； they form serious handicaps which； in many cases； are never surmounted； they are a menace to that Americanization which is； to…day； more than ever our fondest dream； and which we now realize more keenly than before is our most vital need。
It is for this reason that I have put them down here as a concrete instance of where and how America fell short in my own Americanization； and； what is far more serious to me； where she is falling short in her Americanization of thousands of other foreign…born。
〃Yet you succeeded；〃 it will be argued。
That may be； but you； on the other hand； must admit that I did not succeed by reason of these shortcomings： it was in spite of them； by overcoming thema result that all might not achieve。
XXXIX。 What I Owe to America
Whatever shortcomings I may have found during my fifty…year period of Americanization； however America may have failed to help my transition from a foreigner into an American； I owe to her the most priceless gift that any nation can offer； and that is opportunity。
As the world stands to…day； no nation offers opportunity in the degree that America does to the foreign…born。 Russia may； in the future； as I like to believe she will； prove a second United States of America in this respect。 She has the same limitless area； her people the same potentialities。 But； as things are to…day； the United States offers； as does no other nation； a limitless opportunity： here a man can go as far as his abilities will carry him。 It may be that the foreign…born； as in my own case； must hold on to some of the ideals and ideas of the land of his birth； it may be that he must develop and mould his character by overcoming the habits resulting from national shortcomings。 But into the best that the foreign…born can retain； America can graft such a wealth of inspiration； so high a national idealism； so great an opportunity for the highest endeavor； as to make him the fortunate man of the earth to…day。
He can go where he will： no traditions hamper him； no limitations are set except those within himself。 The larger the area he chooses in which to work； the larger the vision he demonstrates； the more eager the people are to give support to his undertakings if they are convinced that he has their best welfare as his goal。 There is no public confidence equal to that of the American public； once it is obtained。 It is fickle； of course； as are all publics； but fickle only toward the man who cannot maintain an achieved success。
A man in America cannot complacently lean back upon victories won； as he can in the older European countries； and depend upon the glamour of the past to sustain him or the momentum of success to carry him。 Probably the most alert public in the world； it requires of its leaders that they be alert。 Its appetite for variety is insatiable； but its appreciation； when given； is fullhanded and whole…hearted。 The American public never holds back from the man to whom it gives； it never bestows in a niggardly way； it gives all or nothing。
What is not generally understood of the American people is their wonderful idealism。 Nothing so completely surprises the foreign…born as the discovery of this trait in the American character。 The impression is current in European countries…perhaps less generally since the warthat America is given over solely to a worship of the American dollar。 While between nations as between individuals； comparisons are valueless； it may not be amiss to say； from personal knowledge； that the Dutch worship the gulden infinitely more than do the Americans the dollar。
I do not claim that the American is always conscious of this idealism； often he is not。 But let a great convulsion touching moral questions occur； and the result always shows how close to the surface is his idealism。 And the fact that so frequently he puts over it a thick veneer of materialism does not affect its quality。 The truest approach； the only approach in fact； to the American character is； as Viscount Bryce has so well said； through its idealism。