The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1897-09-04
Our Place i'm the World OfToday
From Florida Cltizen.]

II
The century now well-ngh behind III
has been one of development and growth
Mans greatest achievements for two gen
crations have been the conquests OF thu
forces Of nature-he has made OF then
his industrial agents, the slaves OF MS
pleasure, and the tools Of his convenience
But those cOnQuests have forced change
In the relations OF the nations one to an
other-New York and London are now
closer to each other than Boston and
PHILADELPHIA were when our fathers de-
clared they would have friendship with
all and entangling alliances with none
China is closer to us than were the At
lantic and Pacific coasts when states
man declared that California was too re-
mote from the centre of our population to
become valuable TO the nation or in sym
pathy with our people.
The unrest OF the world today is large
ly due TO precipitation Of changed con-
ditions. aud is an instructive movement
to accom- modate itself to the new relation
that will become necessary early in the
next century. Except Russia, all the
States of Europe have manifested the
greatest desire to preserve the status quo
and the sympathy between the United
States and the depotsm OF the North-so
often the theme of wondering comment,
is but an evidence that the instructive
yearnlngs of great peoples are wiser than
the views of all but the real statesmen in
the truest sense. Against those tenden-
ccs Of the times armies set themselves in
vain, and thrones caught in the rush are
food.
In the great drama that Is now to be
played with the world for theatre and
all the races for dramatis personae, we
cannot remain an idle spectator II we
would. Onr interests are as wide and
complex in London and Liverpool as in
New York and San Francisco; territorial
limitations no longer restrict the dealings
ar circumscribe the concerns o. people
as once they did. A CONFUSION In China
calls our warships to the antipodes to
protect our citizens, and the currency of
a nation cannot serve its purpose except
1t be good for its face value alike at home
and abroad. and be received to balance
trade exchanges as confdentially in CAL
cutter as in San Francisco.
Our crop and manufactures float on ev-
cry sea. and our stamps pay for postal
service amid the SHOWS of Russia, as well
as under the suns of Florida. In one
sense, all the civilized world is now one
nation, with greater truth than our States
were before our Constitution was adopted
and the lands which yet remain outside
are being rapidly conquered, absorbed or
reconstructed. There is no exception to
the rule, and. struggle as we may, we
must enter into the broad current of hui
manity and swim or sink in the stream as
we may deserve to live or die. Whittier
does that current carry us? No mortal
eye eau see the end-it is toward the In
finite and into tho Beyond.
ih' aiHhits vi EuiODt VIII DtcOUlP lac
tors in the final result, but not as props
for dynasties when thrones crumble and
boundaries disappear-they are no longer
the servants of kings, but nations in arms
-obedient to general laws, but not the
caprices of individuals. Russia is the po-
1itlcal arbter Of Europe today, because,
alone among the Kings. her Car recog-
Mics the inevitable, and has prepared for
it-Germany abdicated the judgment seat
when Bismark retired and England is too
self-absorbed to heed, while France is too
weak to act.
How far will the "kinship of the races"
become factor In these movements?
What part will America play? But what
ever the character reserved for us. we
must be prepared to act as BELTS our pres
ent and our passive are no longer isola-
ted, and 1t is our duty to make ready for
the developments OF the new time.
---