The record-union., 1898-12-19

Benjamin Kidd, author of Social
Evolution" and other works, a talented
student Of history, profound thinker, a.
Keen observer and a travelled man. re-
Gently presented to the public a work
entitled Control of the Tropics" This
monograph has attracted wide atten-
zion and ELECTED a great amount of
criticism.
In that work Mr.. Kidd holds sub
Stantlally that no first-class world
power can remain Indifferent to the
tropics. Such a power must be the
more interested in them because Of the
industrial and productive competition
OF the day in the temperate zones He
contends that it is now established
that the resources of the tropics, the
richest parts Of the globe, cannot be
developed by the enforced energy of
the native inhabitants, nor can the peo-
pie of the temperate regions permanent
ly coloniZe tropic climes. Nor yet 90
the colored races, left to themselves,
develop the resources Of their countries
His conclusion is therefore, and it Is
elaborately presented and fortified, in
his little volume. that the tropics must
be controlled from bases in the temper
undertake such control must do so
"AS A TRUST FOR CIVILIZATION" +"
Recently the editor of the Atlantic
Monthly" of Boston, representing the
cultured thought and sentiment Of the
Atlantic Coast, addressed to Mr.. Kidd
three propositions involving questions
in fact, and certain statements which
may be thus condensed:
% The opinion of those opposing
expansion holds that our traditions for
bid such a policy; % that it is danger
Gus because of our inefficient civil SER
vice; (O that the control of colonies is
illogical for the United States, because
1t contradicts the fundamental PROPOSE
tion Of a republican form Of govern
ment, namely, that it shall consist Of
only governing commonwealths.
Now. said the editor to the essayist,
I'm view of these objections do you
hold that the United States could safely
enter upon a policy of expansion?"
The Record Union" is given liberty
by the courteous editor of the "Atlan
tic" to present the main argument Of
Mr.. Kidd in reply in the December
number of that periodical, in the Ian
guage of his essay. PREDATORY TO
that, however, it is necessary to explain
that the essayist, while he travelled
through this country, twice across the
Continent, sought the opinions of all or
ders Of the American people upon this
impOrtant subject and found two great
bodies of opinion on the expansion prop
osition.
One is not reasoned out, and is chiefly
Western, but takes form as a pronounc-
ed intense feeling that expansion is a
duty; that America should keep a stiff
upper lip to the world, hold what she
has not sought and keep that which
has come to her; in short "be true to
her own destiny"
Another body of opinion-we assume,
mainly Eastern-reasons out that the
experiment would be dangerous. The
first is a serious force, one that its pro-
ponents do not seek or care to explain.
Mr.. Kidd then proceeds to say that
out of European history there is
emerging to view an important prin-
ciple. namely, a historic principle cf
development or principle of movement
in European affairs indicating a grad
ual movement of power northward.
II has been going on for centuries
and is a struggle between the Latin
type of civilization and that of the
Northern Europe type. It is seen first
On the history of German unity, an ideal
cherished for centuries, thwarted at
first by Spain and later by Austria:
then in the struggle of the Spanish
with the Dutch, and finally in the con-
fronting of England by Spain in the
time Of Elizabeth. So on down to the
.,1oca Of +oa aiCbteaOth century when
France conjoined with Spain con-
fronted England throughout the world
in a struggle, the full meaning Of which
has not even yet been wholly fathomed
by historians.
This was as Professor Seeley has seen
At. duel between Latin civilization and
that represented by England. The
Napoleonic era, according to Seeley,
was a struggle against the English
world expansion principle. One of the
results of this struggle is that the
North American is practically an En-
glsh speaking continent, not French
or Spanish and that the inheritance of
the continent belongs to the type Of
civilization which the United States
represents. The argument Of Mr.. Kidd
nlong this line is very clear and strong,
and can be but i'll indicated in by mere
reference to it.
When we began there was but a
fringe of English-speaking people upon
the east coast, the French dominating
i'll all the Mississippi Valley, while in
the South were the Spanish posses
sions together with Spain's rule over
the Pacific Coast. But now note the