Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1898-07-09
WHAT OF THE FUrURE2

arose in the old FaEueil hall in Ph1la-
delphia and moved .'that these united
colonies are, and of right ought to be,
free and independent states"
The growth of our nation from 1Il6
until now is a thrilling story and one
of which neither writer, orator nor
poet ever weary to tell. But the old
America is past and the new America
is here. Heretofore those in authority
have chung with almost superstitIous
tenacity to the precepts and teachings
of the fathers, carefully avoiding any
new thing. No doubt much evil has
been avoided in SO doing and very
probably some good However this
may be, new heaven and new
earth has dawned upon America. The
''big fat republic" as Rudyard Kip
ling says, stands on the threshold of
the new century with new purposes
and new destiny. Founded one
hundred years ago to establish and
promote human liberty, its people
have to-day but a vague idea of the
meaning of the word tyranny, in fact,
we have scarcely that respect for
rightful authority without which no
body polite is safe.
Our very babes are FESTIVE under
the judicious dominion of their par
ents and pedagogues. Yet when JEFF
ferson said that all men were entitled
to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
| pineSs, the average man believed that
such statement was too good to be
| true.
The fathers of the republic hoped
to found Il great nation. Their fond
est hopes have been surpassed. The
new America steps forward to the
front rank among the powers of the
earth. By the seizure of territory not
contiguous to our confines, but re-
moved by thousands of miles of salt
water, we enter the arena of interna-
tional politics with all the infatuation
and excitement, together with the
dangers and conflicts which such ac-
tion will bring This may be-nay-
will be blessing.
The Mason and Dixon line will dis
appear from America politics, and the
talk of an alliance of the South and
West against the East will die away
in thin air, nor will any except the
CLEANER and treasurer of historic
curioS remember that such detesta-
bic doctrine was ever supported on
the American rostrum or by the
American press.
! There will be no Anglo-American
alliance written with pen and ink but
the present war has scattered ancient
animosities forever and the reunited
Anglo-Saxon race will, by mutual good
will and understanding, constitute d
moral and civilizing force whose
beneficent results will reach to the
ends of the earth.
| The war has also demonstrated that
the spirit of 1776 is still alive. Every
rank of life responds with electric
alertneSs to the calls of patriotism.
Young lawyers, doctors, teachers,
bankers. farmers, fill the ranks, and
even the hated millionaire's sons rush
on to their death at their country's
command.
The presidents nephews are pri-
Yates in the army, and Harvard grad
yates are clamoriDg for positions
s'frOm the stoke hole upwards"
The government wishes to borrow
money and the people-not the bank
ers-but the people, take up its prom
ises to pay with amazing eagerness.
Congress has come down more liber-
ally for naval expenditure than ever,
the army will be increased, aud hun
dreds, perhaps thousands of our vol
unteers to the Philippines will never
come home. When the war is over.
their Yankee instincts viii lead them
into business in the far East and they
will grow rich and prosper and the
opportunity to spread out from there
again will occasionally lead US into
trouble on their account.
The United States will then be
called a mother country and may be
relied upon to stand by her colonial
children though the heavens fall. In
fact the widest dreams of to-day will
be the most commonplace realities of
tomorrow, and. if Uncle Sam takes a
notion to claim the earth, it may be
confidently expected that in half a
century the stars and stripes will be
fiuttering on his corner fence posts
from Cape Horn to Nova Zembla and
and from Manila TO the Bermudas
AMONG OUR EXCHANGES.