The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1869-02-17
Fifty Years Hence.

The London Spectator, in some
specnlations on the changes that
may possibly occur in the next
half century in consequence of
new discoveries, regards emigra-
ton as one Of the things which is
quite as likely to be affected as
any other. Should new impetus
be given to this the consequences
to Europe would be very serious.
The writer says: Pea s.y1f,rA .vtsas
"Suppose il true, as 90 many
men OF mark in science believe,
that the next great step may be
in sea.going steamers, that inter-
national communication may be
accelerated, as internal communi.
cation has been, that we may yet
see New York brought within two
days journey of liverpool, the
probability is that in ten years
every social condition now exist
ing in Europe would have ceased
to exist; thai the millions who toll
for others, and on whose toll mod
ern society is built, would choose
to oil for themselves, would pre-
cipitate themselves in rush TO
which all the movements of man.
kind have been trifles upon the
New World. Suppose the popu-
lation of Britain and Germany
reduced to 100000 each-a
change less in magnitude than that
which has occurred la many coun-
tries-and those 10000, 900 only
retained by advantages as great as
the New World coald offer, what
would all the changes of the past
half century be to that? This may
happen, even without any applica-
tion of Stephenson's great idea, the
one idea he never worked ont, that
it engineers, instead of trying to
increase the power applicable to
driving ships, were to reduce the
friction which retards ships, the
world would speedily be one great
parish. This writer, who has seen
many countries and lived among
many races, seriously believes that
OF all the dangers to which Europe
and European society are exposed
mono is 80 formidable as the pas
sion for emigration, seriously
doubt wheth her, If education
spreads in Europe, it will be pos
sible to retain it's population cooped
up in their narrow and half ex-
haus:ed corner of the world. We
tiink, We English, that we know
what emigration is ; but we know
nothing about it; have no idea of
the changes it would involve if
aided by the whole force Of the
masses then in possession of the
supreme political power. Sup
pose those five.sixths of English
men who now work for others
choose to 60 elsewhere and work
for themselves. The change be
tween Waterloo and Sadowa would
be very slight compared with the
change between 1868 and 1918,
and there is not a sensible man in
England who will declare TINT
alteration beyond the reach OF
thought. Why should not emigra.
ton In England and Germany at
tain the height it has reached in
Ireland, and the masses insist on
aiding it through tile national
fleets The Irish would, if they
had the power, and the British
have this year the power conferred
on them. We say nothing of a
discovery which, if it is ever made,
will remould all human society,
slowly pulverize all differences
among nations, fusing the world
into one people, and Immediately
destroy all existing political ar.
rangements--the discovery of q
means of maintaining and guiding
a raft ten feet or 90 in the air, for
we cannot resist totally unreason.
able impression that the discovery
will not be made, that progress
will not, in our time. make that
astounding lead. Apart altogether
from that, there are physical forces
now at work strong enough to
change the whole face Of the world
ey shifting its population"