This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908. Excerpt: ... THE GERMAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE GERMAN AMERICAN ANNALS. At the Whitsuntide Festival at Washington Park, Philadelphia, on June 8, 1908, Mr. Theodore Sutro, of New York, in his most excellent address, divided mankind into three classes: Pessimists, Conservatives and Optimists. He declared the Conservatives the most tiresome class, as they always wish to leave everything as it was and is; the Pessimists are the worst class, because they always find everything wrong; whatever is done, is not enough--they only talk and criticise, but never do anything themselves. They always say what ought to have been done and what ought to be done; they put up visionary ideals, but never do anything to bring about those things desired. Much better is the third class, the Optimists, who do things and act, and bring forth things as the conditions demand and wait till they bring about other things when new times and conditions demand. Mr. Sutro spoke of these three classes in reference to the German endeavors in America. I can readily endorse Mr. Sutro's words in reference to the German American Historical Society and the German American Annals. Of course, things could be better; this German American Historical Society which tries in its Annals to bring before the whole of the American world all those matters in which Germans and German influence have worked upon the political and social status of America, ought to have ten thousand members, instead, of less than one thousand; and if the Pessimists wish to have matters made better, let them become members of the German American Historical Society--of which our great President, Theodore Roosevelt, is an honorary member, who in a letter addressed to the president of the German American Historical (180) Society expr...