The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-23
CURRENT TOPICS.

Under this head to-day we quote eX-
cracts from tho ablest article that we have
vet seen on Americas place in the worlds
affairs. The article is from the Outlook,
and expresses in a more forceful and COM
prehensive way views which nave oeen
tine and again expressed in these columns
The outlook says that in a certain sense
this country has been as nlucn detachea
and Isolated as China That Whlle there
has been no material wall about our ter
ritory, we have gathered our skirts about
us, and, sharing the profits OIL 49,
c;,,;,;vatinn. have refused to bear its btr-
dens or accept It's responsibilities Inns
.ecIl1sion. it goes on, was necessary iol
-,ur growth as a nation, for we nave not
oeen nation until within the last Two
decades But we have now paSsec INTO
ar era of expansion, not because VIC iate
been driven on by blind talth, Out pecdus
we have been driven on by an IL" a. ioi -
the force which has made men OF our race
,1;soovsrers explorers, settlers organizers,
leaders administrators, reformers, ana az
lists for many centuries.
..The victory at Manila was not cause:
if was an occasion. 1t did not Abruptly ano
biindly open new chapter IN QUIZ tstolS ;
it threw a sudden light on a s1tuatloh iol
which we had been long prepaIHs' pul
which we had not clearly recognized. Nc
tons, like men, depend on sVen". >. 10 ~
nortunit.e5 OF showing what IS IN theln-
in,r events are of importance, not Tor what
the,r create but for what they reveal.
..Ol,r secluston on this side the globe ana
our Ions; absorption in cur own affairs lui
nish<d the conditions which our educatloh
as a nation required; but that process heto
now ended; We shall not cease TO leaii
but we have entered higher school. oui
period of apprenticeship is over; we are
nov, called, ur,on to show OF what stuff we
are made, and how far we nave mastered
the science OF government, CT social order,
and OF national development There is no"
a clear alternative before us-either we
must take up our share OF the responsloiil-
ties Of keeping the modern world IN oroeI
or we must cease to profit by what other
| nations are doing in this direction.
10 take our share of the work OF the
! world and bear our share Of its burdens Will
involve, dangers and entail expense; but
when did q decent man or reSpeclao!e
| people ever settle a question OF duty by d
nice calculation of expense, or decide the
question of accepting a new responsibility
| by consideration OF the risks npolVeo:
Brave men do not barter with Gully hoi
trade with responsibilities. This country
has a work to do In the modern world Whlch
it cannot escape, and ought to rejoice in
accepting as it's service to humanity.
I'VE are members of the great family OF
! nations to all OF which we are deeply IN
debted for knowledge, truth political eN-
per;ence, and service of many KINDS; we
have been more fortunate in our conoltlohs
| than many of these older people. bur we
| are not a whit bettera and we have sun
much to do before we can claim equanty
With them in magnitude and quality OF
service to the spiritual development OF the
race We need their help and they need
ours. We are commanded by our oppor-
tunities-which are tho voice of God
| to take up new burdens and enter upon
newer and a greater life
1.-The fathers who gave the American
| state a chance to be did not stop because
| of perils and costs, and their children can
| not afford, to be less brave The fathers
| were not seeking for power and sel1-ag-
| srandlzement; their children are not i'm
| perialists'' bent on conquest and slaughter
| They recognize that a. new age has eaWned
! and. in the American spirit and In abso'
| 111te loyalty to American principles, they
| propose to meet its duties and reSponsfolll'
! ties with the courage OF those who believe
| that America ought to live with the Woric
I and not remain dlup UP In her own pr
vnte grounds, however SPACIOUS; that sht
! has before her a great opportunity for Which
| she has been preparing herself, and tina
1 her supreme sin now would be the una
/ lamp and the ungirt loin.'