The herald., 1898-09-13
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What Makes q Nation Strong
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(By Enoch Kndrhtl

| the secret OF Switzerlan nd's marvellous ma
tional life? Her people represent many
| nationahties, speak various languages and
yet have reared the only republic whose
permanence has never been questioned.
She Is strong and safe because she lives
her own appropriate life. Her Inhabitants
love the soil and in larger proportion than
any other people have ordained permanent
homes wherein are taught the domestic
virtues. and. above all. the peace and dig
nifty that labor brings. They have no
doubt of the future for they believe that
the spirit Of Tell Ii asleep In the mountains
and will awaken II the liberties Of their
beloved land shall ever be threatened.
What makes Mexico safe and strong?
Up to few years ago she was torn by
strife. Now she holds true to her own in
terests, has practically no navy and an
army that is mainly a police force. Yet
she Is growing strong and rich In a measure
wholly undreamed Of by anybody who has
not heretofore studied her Inner life under
her new policy. She is a weak nation as 20
attack or defense; and yet she is as safe
from aggression as planet in the sky. be-
cause she stands for justice and peace and
seif-deveiopment.
OF the Central and South American
states which one Is strongest and safest?
That one which has kept itself freest from
clustering and lived most within Itself.
that is, with frank and open purpose Of
peace. There is no exception to this, nor
has ever been.
Take. too. the smaller states Of Europe
and ask what ones have improved most
and are stronges, and safest. Surely they
are the Balkan states, that were once
known as the cockpit Of Europe. Once The
adjustment Of relative strength was mat
ter Of so much delicacy that even little Bull
garia, Roumania and Serv!a had to be
taken into account in determining the tra-
ditional "balance of power" for every
thing was measured by the capacity Of
each country for war. But today these
same Balkan states are the patterns Of the
new hope and the new promise Of the small
er states Of the old world and never knew
before what security means; for they
never before relied upon the simple rule
Of jus tice and peace.
That a great change has gradually been
coming upon the nations Of the earth is too
plain to admit of question, and the par
lament of man" is no longer an unreason-
able or vague hope. The civilizing force Of
business Is taking the place Of the old-time
policy Of conquest. The artificial balanc-
ing Of armed powers which made up the
diplomacy of Europe half a century ago.
has been giving way to better ways
of doing the worlds work. The
strongest nation Of Europe In her
own right and resources is Rus
sia. Every recent record Of expansion
has been written on the lines of peace. In
deed, one has to read between the lines to
realize how fast this great nation has
grown in all things that make
people truly great. 1t is only
the most alert student OF AFFAIRS
who can keep up with her achieve
ments in railways and canal building and
1t is only In the very newest Biographies
that one may study the features of new 81
beria or see a picture Of Transcaucasia.
Is 1t strange that the head of this great ma
tion should believe in peace and propose
to make it universal? Can one doubt the
sincerity Of this suggestion? Peter the
Great is said to have left a solemn exhorta-
ton to the Russian people to establish at
leas. one point upon the middle sea-" and
perhaps Nicholas may have dreamed of II;
bu: If so. by means not thought practical
Bile a century ago. Nobody ever questions
ones right to get riches or power honestly.
and to use honorably, and this lies at
the bottom Of all things. Such plan Of
life removes fear and jealous!es and dis
arms criticism, whether It be applied 10
nations or individuals.
What has given US our place in the
world? Surely 1t has been the open and
frank purpose to make the most of our
selves and let others alone. When the holy
alliance proposed TO help Spain regain her
lost power and prestige in the Spanish
American states, we simply said TO. and
the scheme was dead. Our Monroe doc
trine was not law, nor indeed has /. ever
become law; but it answered our purpose.
Perhaps 1t was all the stronger for not
being formulated into law. And yet we
were a peaceful folk in the early years of
this century. Never was nation SO poor
ly prepared for war as we were In 1923.
But our purpose was just. 1t commanded
the respect and the admiration of the world
and there was no nation that could afford
to fight us, even when wars were the daily
business of Europe. What kept Central
America from falling under complete for
eign control fifty years ago? 1t was this
government with it's Clayton-Bulwer and
It's Dallas Clarendon treaties. plain propo-
s;ions that preserved the worlds rights.
and that will promote the isthmus canal
and dedicate it to the uses of civilization.
Who saved Mexico from a hothouse mon
archy a third of a century ago? Mr.. Sew
ard and his polite little note. Who kept
Brazil from falling into bad hands, and
Venezuela from having her boundaries
threatened for the benefit of marauding
traders? This same government with
sharp word from President Cleveland.
And when, only a few months ago, we
destroyed Spanish power al the south OF
us. to keep the peace and the pledges we
had made, what gave it Instant and uni
versal approval? 1t was the fact that we
were not a staggering people, bu; only
fight when we must. And what set the
seal of true greatness in the whole busa-
ness? 1t was the further fact that we
sought no indemnity. but even fed our
enemies and sent them in comfort back to
their own coun.ry-the most generous be-
havior the world has ever seen.
The lesson of our whole national life Is
that the people who are at once strong
and peaceful shall inherit the earth. 1t Is
a lesson supported by all modern istory.
1t is an outgrowth and expression Of the
high civilization that is coming, and has
already come to the most favored ma
tions, as It has ever belonged to individual
character. We shall have an army and 4
navy; we shall be firm II conflict must
come; but our strength in the future. as