The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-07-28
THE GREAT ANGLO
AMERICAN ALLIANCE.
WOULD BE IMPREGNABLE.
Resources 1nexhaustible.
(BY LADY COOK, ENGLAND.)
To The COMMONWEALTH.


The ancient poets tell us there was
once a time when the great god Saturn
reigned In Italy, and bestowed happi-
ness and tranquility over all the earth.
The husbandman gathered in peace
the fruits OF his labour, and the fields
smiled with plenteous harvests. The
liberal arts were sedulously cultivated
and every home was the abode of in
.nocence Comparing the bllssful state
with their own degenerate rule OF blood
and iron, in which all the vices had
supplanted virtue, they haye handed it
down to us as "The Golden Age,"|
which, they deplored, could never
come again.
This retrospective fable, however, of
Pagan writer's, the Hebrew Prophet
saw as future reality. In his vision.
the God of Peace was to take the place
of the heather deity, "and to teach US
OF His ways. And He shall judge
among the nations and shall rebuke
many people and they shall beat their
swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning-hooks nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neil
Their shall they learn war any more"
It is possible that this glowing proph-
ecy of Isaiah, although delivered
tMenty-slx centuries ago, may yet be
fulfilled, but not, as he imagined,
through religious influence. No more
potential personality than Jesus Christ
has ever appeared, yet nineteen CEN
turtles of His teaching have done little
or nothing to suppress war, even
among His professed followers. Age
after age the earth has been drenched
with the blood of Christians, slain by
their brethren; and those who bore
His name have at such times been
animated by the hatreds and ferocity
of heather savages. The increased in
teiligence and accumulated knowledge
of the most civilized nations haye been
exercised in developing greater means
of destruction, and the fruits of every
industry and the lives Of hapless mil
lions have been squandered in wanton
or needless wars. At the present mo-
ment Europe is an armed camp ready
o1o If c1v VT
men twelve millions are trained SOL
diers. And the New Would has recent
~ entered On the fatal career of the
Old. But remote and comparatively
insignificant contest is sufficient to
dlsIocate the delicate social machinery
Of every civilized state, and dilatory
contest carries famine to the hearths
Of the poor, thousands of miles from
the conflict. In various countries in
both hemispheres, starving men and
women are rloting for bread; what
they really want is peace.
Can nothing be done, then, to make
war more difficult? Is the Golden Age
to be merely poetic dream, never to
be In any degree realized? We trust
not. For, if we mistake not, the first
faint streak OF the brighter dawn is
breaking. In both the Old and the
New World men of clear heads and
generous hearts are looking forward to
confederation of the English-speak-
ing peoples. And the slightest consid.
Grafton OF the matter must convince
every unprecedented mind that the
speedy accomplishment of an Anglo.
American Alliance, based upon sound
equitable, and permanent principles
Will lay the foundation of a new era
one which, perchance, may be crowned
by universal and perennial peace.
America is only younger England
moving in wider range with a free,
STEP. Excepting the Immigrants o.
alien tongues, her people have the
same blood and traditions, tho same
literature and habits, the same prouc
history and aims, as the mother coun
try. In religion, in political and mu
niclpal freedom, in inventive genius
and commercial and industrial eager
ness, they are alike. Great Britain
purchases from the United States from
April 3Oth, 1897, to April 3Oth, 1898
amounted to f11S,OOO, 900, or nearl,
one half Of the total American exports
In other words, almost as much as wa
purchased by all the rest of the world
Her Colonies and India purchased il
the preceding year IL per cent. Thu
about GO per cent of all their export
were bought by Great Britain ant
other parts of the British Empire. A
the balance OF trade is very largely il
their favour, the difference provide
them with the means of making cas]
Investments in any part of the world
and Of purchasing in other countries
il need be, beyond the amount of thei
exports to them. Thus their immens
commerce and vast wealth, Distribute
throughout the earth, give Englan
and the United States a common ain