The record-union., 1898-12-23

has strengthened the ties between the
two countries. Any public reference to
that friendliness is sure to provoke ap-
plause.
1T does not require any knowledge in
economic problems to see that in one
important particular America is mas
ter OF the world. Already that amazing
country absorbs the races of the world.
and every race that it absorbs it feeds
and strengthens. 1t may be stated as
sure though astounding fact that no
civilized race whatever has yet been
known to decline or diminish on
American soil. ~ - :
AS for the wickedness Of the big
American cities. Chicago and New
York, 1t can only seem greater than
anything else in the world to those who
do not know the wickedness Of our own
cities at home. Our appalling stories
of the ways of foreign cities usually
come from people who live the most
humdrum lives in London. The secret
is very simple one. They are explor
ers only when they go abroad.
If l were asked what was the worst
result which comes from the American
thirst for prosperity I should say the
pride of wealth. Nevertheless, the cor
roding effect of great wealth shows it
self on American society in more ways
than one. The marriages of English
men to American women may perhaps
bring about the Anglo American al
lance which. Mr.. Chamberlain SO much
desires, but where the reasons for such
unions are merely wealth on the ons
side and vanity on the, other, without
any other apparent motive, the loss
will be to America in the lowering Of
the moral tone Of that part of her
people which comes within the atmos-
phere of such attractions.
THE quest of material prosperity by
no means absorbs the energy of the
American people. 1t would be impos
sible to find among the nations of the
world more readers to the thousand of
population. And Americans not only
read more than We do, they read bet
ter. No other nation pays so much at
tention to the education of it's women.
and in no other country does woman
stand so high or play so serious a part.
THE religious life of America is act
i've to the point of fostering nearly
every crazy NOTION lnal takes the 10TH
of faith, as where that great wave IS
more felt which is now carrying the
Christian Church back to the early
ideals of Christianity. The work of the
slums is splendidly done by both men
and women in America, where there is
no State church. Reverence for the
church and the things of the church is
greater than 1t ever seemed to me to
be in England, or even in Rome.
Il love America because it is big, and
because its bigness is constantly i'm
pressing the imagination and stimulat-
ing the heart. 1 love its people because
they are free, with the freedom which
the rest Of the world takes as by stealth
and which they claim openly as their
right / love them because they are
the most Industrious, earnest, active
and ingenious people on earth; because
they are the most moral and religious,
and, above all, the most sober people
in the world; because, in spite of the
shallow judgments of superficial OBJ
servers, they are the most childlike in
national character, the earliest to move
to laughter, the readiest to be touched
to tears, the most absolutely true in
their impulses, and the most generous
in their applause"