The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29

politics. progress by patient strength, by legiti-
| mate industry, by continued effort, IL too slow.
| The imperial idea is invoked in movement to
| eIdow nations with world dominion through
| narifcstoes supported by brute force. The sim
| pie ideals OF democracy, of social equality, Of
the cooperation Of the governed IN matters that
most concern them. are IN some quarters De
! ginning to be brushed aside and to give place
| to a claim of the right Of the stronger to gov
| ern as he peases. Western civilization has GER
tainly lost its harmony and cohesion
At this juncture the East with its swarming
hordes living listles life from century TO con
fury; the Vest with its energetic, indiYduaiistic
| impulses, but without any consistent philosophy
| Of civilization, meet face to face. That TINS
| threatens to aCcentuate the reacuonary forces,
| to strengthen autocracy and brute force, and TO
weaken everything that bases itself on reason,
| reflection, and individual right, Is natural aud
| evident. While some presaginE spirits cherish
| the hope that Eastern thought will yield a har-
monizing principle to the life Of the West, others
tined to be driven back into another period
| Of darkness in which intelligence will sluuber
and brute force reign supreme.
Another strong point which DR.. Reinsch
; makes in this chapter is that the easiest
and surest way by which Western civil
iZation can gain entrance to China is that
of practical life.
AS to the relation which the United
States bears TO China in its new develop
.
Of the Pacific Slope may hope to profit
| largely from the need of lumber in Chinese
Industries, and that the United States is
| otherwise intimately concerned in any in
| dustrial movements which may take place
in that country.
In the next chapter German imperial pol
itics is discussed and DR.. Reinsch takes
the view that Germany. more than any
other nation, has entered upon 4 conscious
policy of imperial expansion, but that the
idea of political empire is not agreeable
to the German.
The last chapter is devoted to a discus
sion of the position of the United States
as factor in Oriental politics. 1t begins
with this shFewd comment:
The time has now come for a cool analysis OF
our position and interests and careful selec-
ton of modes OF policy and action II will not
dot will not be possible-to live forever the
capital Of enthusiasm and patriotism. These may
be used effectively in great popular movements,
such as the have Just seen; but for the
actual conduct of political life, a different atti-
tude of mind is needed, and nothing would be
more dangerous to the State than that the party
in power should endeavor to invest all its actions
with the sacred character of great, irresistible
popular movement, and should decry traitor
Gus and unpatriotic all opposition to It's policy.
AS it is coming to be suspected that the
Republican party is doing precisely that,
this virtual recognition of the fact by so
good an observer as DR.. Reinsch is inter-
esting
The author gives in this chapter a de-
tailed statement OF the condition of Ameri-
can trade with the Orient, SO far as it can
be ascertained. He believes that in the
course of few decades at most, this trade
will assume enormous proportions; and he
believes that the policy of equal oDportu-
nifty upon the Asiatic mainland should be
supported as a prime necessity. He then,
after pointing out the defects of our pres
ent system of electing a President. com
pares 1t with that of the English people,
and expresses the opinion that the English
system is much more scientific and effee-
tive, since the power of the English po-
litical leader is limited, not by the duTil-
ton of his term but by his ability 20 per-
form his duties. The English Minister
rises to his place by a sort of natural Sc
lection, while as TO the American plan, DR..
Reinsch says:
1t certainly seems that our system docs not
afford sufficient guarantee that the vast powers
which an imperialistic policy :'ould require US
to place in the hands 81 the President shall
really be administered by the person most fitted
70. the position. Public opinion can be brought
TO bear upon the President only very indirect
", and it is easily conceivable that in the pres
ent era Of the organization OF giant trusts,
l.s.chine might readily be constructed which
Y Juld retain man in power, even agT'Hst the
best judgment of the American people.
From q thinker so wise and accurate in
his general conclusions, such an opinion as
this is certainly significant. However, the
author does not consider it wise TO mako
any radical change in our political system,
but rather advocates the cultivation of a
sentiment which will be favorable to a
more natural selection.
The whole book is interesting and valu-
able to any student of public affairs, and
anyone who is at all interested in questions
of general American policy should certainly
buy and read it. New York: The Mac
milan Company. S150D