The record-union., 1895-06-22

next ninety years.
The two nations might come to stand
in this relation to one another as to mum
bers, If there were no means of inter-
course between them. But, for good or
for evil, the barrier between them has
been thrown down, and can never be set
up again: and the rates of growth indi-
Gated will be more or less modified by
migration from the northern to the south
ern country.
This may not diminish materially the
indicated result as it regards the United
States, but the practical result as to
Mexico will probably be a population
much larger than that suggested. There
are many reasons for affirming that the
coming decades will witness such mi
grafton. One of the most important is
drawn from the character and social his
tory of the people OF the United States,
large numbers of whom have been for
generations frontier people, and as such
have always been ready to move for
ward whenever the pressure OF popula-
ton has become inconvenient. In fact,
the most prominent characteristics of the
ROCBAo VI hA4O y u1bOo CtdtSS axe LHOS0 0ll-
gendered by the frontier Our national
virtues are the virtues Of frontiersmen,
and our national vices are the vices of
frontiersmen recently come to town.
Our acceptance of political equality, and,
IN some measure, Of social equality
has come chiefly from the equality of
conditions in which we have found our
selves, whether on the frontier of New
England or Indiana or Nebraska. And
a large part OF our country has as COM
pletely the characteristics of the frontier
to-day as of any other period.
AS a people of the frontier, we are
moved by a strong desire for change of
place. The passage of years, bringing
more convenient means for transporta-
ton, appears to have strengthened
rather than to have weakened this desire.
Running rapidly across the continent, as
we have done. has not satisfied. but only
stimulated our desire to move on to some
other place, where, we are sure, life will
be easier and the good things of the world
more abundant, and it is not to be sup
posed that, having reached the Pacific,
the force which has carried on this great
westward movement is suddenly to cease
to be.
With the continuance of the disposition
TO migrate the return towards the east
will 90 unimportant, and the stream that
might flow toward the north will be
checked by the streams of western
migration on either side of our northern
border. There will remain, however, an
outlet toward the south; and the oppor-
tunity here offered Will be embraced.
partly because Of the attractiveness of the
climate of the Mexican tableland, where
the extremes Of temperature which mark
the seasons in the United States may be-
avoided. and where one may have ready
at hand the products of all the zones.
But more powerful reason for this
southwark movement may be found in
the fact that the commercial sagacity and
daring Of the northern people may find
here a comparatively easy victory. This
is more important than any consideration
of climate or accessibility to the luxuries
of living, for the dominant motive by
which the great masses III a migration
are moved is the desire for easier gain,
Already the belief is widely entertained
that in the industrial and commercial
contest the Mexican is destined to 90
down before his northern competitor. and
this confidence spurs the American citi-
zen TO enterprises here which would not
be undertaken in q land inhabited by
Englishmen or Germans. If this as
sumed commercial and industrial superb
ority exists, it does not necessarily imply
that the Mexican stands on lower stage
of civilization than the American; it indi-
Gates only that his cultivation is of an
other sort. We do not accord to the
Chinaman a superior place in the grades
OF human society because, if left un-
hampered. he might win in an industrial
competition with the white man in most
Of work. And yet we are
in danger of concluding that because the
Mexican would go to the wall in an in
dustrial and commercial contest with
Americans, he, therefore represents a
lower degree OF civilization. The quail
ties Of a successful salesman, or of a dar-
ing organizer OF business enterprises, are
not the highest human qualities OF which
we have knowledge although they do
much to advance the material interests of
society, and, by that indirectly, to pro-
mote its spiritual interests.
The Spanish people had once an oppor-
tunity to acquire those qualities which
win IN the commercial contest. For a
thousand years they had lived in closer
Intimacy with the Jews than had any
other nation. The two peoples had be-
gun TO intermarry with one another. and
there seemed to be nothing IN the way of
q complete amalgamaiion, when the Jews
were overwhelmed by the edict of exile.
and by this their hopes were blasted.
And by this also the Spanish threw away
their opportunity of becoming able to en-
gage with success in the industrial and
commercial competition OF the world
By incorporating the Jew and making
him part OF the nation. they might have
become endowed with his marvellous
ability. by sending him into exile they
rejected their only opportunity OF be-
coming able to take conspicuous rank as
an industrial and commercial people
With more extensive resources than any
other nation, with the better part OF a
continent OF untold wealth in their
power, they have constantly played
losing game. and the heritage of their pe-
culiar incompetency has descended upon
their children and their children's
children even to the present generation.
The history OF the Spanish people, both
in Spain and in America, is the history
of economic incompelency. The great
of Spain are to-day in the
hands OF foreigners. 1t is foreign
capital and foreign force and sagacity
that are rousing Mexico from her slum-
Der of centuries.
Given this superior efficiency of the for