The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-14
No Sunset on This Country.

& 81 AlpNls tstOot-DeiIOCfal.
Like the empire Of Charles V, the
United States is now land on which
the sun never sets. Going westward
the difference in longitude between
Eastport, Me-, and Manila is about I75
degrees. To the dwellers on the Attain
tic coast of the United States Manila is
very near the antipodes. Travelling
westward from the eastern verge of the
country to its western boundary in the
far Pacific circuit Of almost half the
globe is made. Except in midwinter
the sun rises in EEstport before it sets
In Manila. In summer, autumn and
spring it is daylight along the eastern
coast of the United States before it is
night on the western boundary. Eng
land, France and Germany also have
territory so widely diffused that the sun
shines on some part of it every hour of
the twenty-four, but, of course, in con-
tiguous territory the United States is
far ahead of all of these.
Ia area, exclusive of colonies, the
United States is the largest nation in
the world except China. 1t far exceeds
In superficial extent the empire Of Al
exander the Great or the Rome of Cie-
sar and Trsjan. 1t surpasses the do
main Of Charlemagne or the territory
Of Charles V, exclusive Of his colonial
possessions in America. which were of
indefinite extent, and which only tech
nically belonged to Spain, for no Span
lard in Charies's time had ever seen
any more than a small fragment of the
region that Spain claimed in the days
of Charles and Of his son Philip III. 1t
exceeds the empire of Russia in Europe.
In population the United States ex-
ceeds every Christian nation of the
glote If colonial possessions are omit
ted. In the case of the United States
the area and population of the colonies
are comparatively trifling, but in that
of the other great Christian countries
which have been mentioned the area of
the colonies largely surpasses that of
the mother country, and in the case of
all of them except Germany they are
exceeded by their colonies in popula-
tion. In wealth aud material strength
the United States is far better equipped
than any other country for getting de-
tached territory if it should ever engage
in that task TO any important extent
Imperial America, which comprises
more than half of the inhabited por-
ton of one continent, stretches its arms
across to another hemisphere. It's pos
sessions dot the worlds greatest ocean
aud extend from the arctic circle down
to a point close TO the equator. It's col
onies, from the Alaskan islands of the
north to Hawaii, the Carolines aud the
Philippines on the southern tier, are
distributed within easy sailing distance
of each other. They cover all climates,
from the frigid 70 thu torrid. When
our new conquests are occupied the
Stars and Stripes will be as familiar
sight on the islands of the Pacific as is
the union jack OF England. Unlike
many of the colonies Of England and
other nations, the United States new
possessions will all be productive. They
will add largely to the eountry's wealth
aud general resources. Settlers and cap
ital from all parts of the world will flow
into them Immediately after the United
States gets them into its hands
Through them the country acquires a
new credit and potency, and the ad-
vantages Of American civilization viii
be extended halfway around the globe