The times., 1897-09-05
SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, 1897.
The Future of America.

The Future of America.
In narpG's Magazine for September
Capt. =. T. Nahan, q. S y. (retred), has
a paper entitled "A twentieth Century
Outlook, which for dignity of thought
and language. for national, race and Gus
lnolagical analysis, and for depth OF logic,
is only To be described by the word
splendid. Capt. Nahan is character
too well known by his fellow w-countryrnen
to need introduction or pancgyric. As
writer on naval subjects he stands pre-
His fame is worldwide and his works
are STANDARD in his profession in every
civilized language.
IN the essay under consideration Capt.
Mahan, among other things, calls atten-
ton TO the great revolution in the in
tcrests, rcsponsI Ibiliiies and dangers of
our republic due to the changing condi-
tions o: the worlds movements, activi-
ties, peoples and frontiers, the full mean
ing OF which is Just beginning to dawn
upon the advanced among statesmen and
economists; but to which, unhappily, the
majority OF American political leaders as
yet are blind.
Capt. Mahan tells US interestingly and
con1 incihgly Of the history of European
colonization in the New World. that great
outward movement" OF civilization which
was temporarily arrested by the Amen-
can and French revolutions and the Napo-
leunic wars. He cites US to the realrd of
the period immediately succeeding, when
human effort, here and everywhere, was
directed to the building up Of communities,
OF industries, and commerce in the vast
territories already wou from savagery and
the wilderness, and then dfscloses to us
the fact that we have reached the close
Of that epoch again, and once more are
confronted by new and irrepressible
outward NOV ement" Of all he nations
II is impossible to follow the argument
of capt. Nahsn's text without accepting
his Conclusion that a great nation like
the United States, exposed to and identi-
fled inevitably with the new conditions of
the world, whether II viii or not, must ac-
cept ats position, duties and responsi-
bilities, and free tself from the pro-
vlDoial and ostrich-Iike policy which has
been its pride, and which, If indefinitely
continued must become its bane Or POS
Eibly it's destruction.
The outward movement of our ina
mediate time, typical in advance Of the
special activity among the nations ahat
seeIcs destined peculiarly to characterize
the twentieth century, cannot be said to
be confined to other lands and peoples
II is representative of struggle for ex-
istence that VIII be as rife with and
among us as with any of the peoples of
Europe or the Orient. Already we have
invaded the countries OF the old world with
and far oUtgrown, the possibilities of our
domestic markets. We are knocking at
every door with our breadstuffs, our raw
materials and our manufactures. We not
only are seeking markets all over the round
world, but we are taking the bread out
OF the mouths OF millions in lands OF
similar production through our competition
This is war as actual and as terrible in
its ultimate effects upon whoever may be
defeated in the struggle as If 1t were
waged instead with armies, gunpowder and
ball. The necessities of Oyercrowded
Europe, the tardy awakening 10 activity
and TO the ideas and methods OF Western
all things visibIe-show us as plainly as
q mathematical demonstration that, as the
years TIL On, this struggle must grow more
and moro intense and bitter. Every new
facility OF device added 20 the worlds
means or methods OF production or distri-
button only viii supply new elements OF
competition and friction.
Bow does this nation stand In respect
OF it's preparation to meet the conditions
which Capt. Mahan places before US.
and which every unpreiudiced student Of
affairs must recognize as closely impend
ing and very grave? Measured by the
potsnuals OF our numbers, resources,
wealth and intelligence, the United States
ought to he able to take it's place in
the front rank of the nations and to defy
opposition to It's commercial or other
development. With the proper evolution
OF it's naval power, It could dominate
the North Pacific, control the Gulf Of