The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-11
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time to come. and doubtless many will
sail into office on that issue, while
many will be stranded and left behind.
In the coming century great changes
are predicted that will affect the whole
world and change the maps Of all ma
tions and countries, none probably more
than our own. This idea seems to have
been in the mind OF Justice Brewer the
other day in Washington in an address
on the coming century and the progress
and unity Of Christian work. lie took
the ground that Christians should get
closer together. consolidate their work
and thus secure aud foster economy. In
that address he said:
CONSOLIDATION has become one Of the
significant facts Of commercial enter
prise There is in this, If nothing else,
q means of greater economy The ma
tions are feeling the spirit The small
states are consolidating into large ones.
Russia, France. and England are reach
ing out the grasping hand to sppropri'
ate to themselves territory all over the
world and If this continues along the
same line, 1t is not unreasonable 10 ex-
peot that the coming century will see
the world with but half dozen. or
such q matter, Of great nations, within
whose territory and subject TO whose
dominion are all the races and peoples
of the earth
This calls to mind the maps OF the
United States. published in the New
York Journal few days ago The first
showed what the United States was In
1900; the second showed what it is in
1900, and the third was prophecy OF
what it would be in 2. 900 In the first
we saw a small strip of country border
ing on the Atlantic Ocean from Maine
down to Georgia taking in the original
thirteen States. The second one showed
the wonderful expansion and extension
Of the United States for the past cen.
tury, covering all the western terri
tory to the Pacific Ocean, be-
sides Florida, Louisiana, Texas,
and Alaska. and including our recent
possessions-Ouba, Porto Rico, Hawaii,
the Philippines. and the other small
islands now under the Stars and Stripes.
The third map included everything
that was shown in the second. and had
Newfoundland, Iceland, Greenland,
Canada and all the territory north of
it, stretching up 70 the North Pole. a
considerable portion Of western Russia,
Mexico and all the Central American
countries, and large portion Of Graham
Land &C the South Pole. Ii had the
Nicaragua Canal open and vessels OF
all description were passing and re-
passing, carrying out our surplus pro-
ducts to all foreign markets. and bear
ing back the products Of other people
TO our own land and the thousands and
thousands Of miles around Cape
Horn was not in it. 1t set the
United States up like veritable
queen upon her throne. commanding
and governing everything around with
queenly majesty and authority. OF
course all this is a mere fancy and a
dream, but it is difficult TO say just
now how much OF this dream will be
realized even in the lifetime Of many
who are living today. and more diff
cult to say how much will become
a verify before the close Of the century.
When the powerful nations start out,
moved by greed for territory. wealth
and greatness, as some seem to have
done in the past and are doing today,
there is no telling where they will find
a hating place. Alexander the Grea'
stopped cOnquering when there were
no more worlds to conquer, and it may
be these nations will halt in their race
for extentioD and greatness when there
is no more territory to acquire. And
who knows, but that the suggestion
of Justice Brewer, whether made IN
Jest or in the line with the tendency Of
times, may be fully realized, and that
the close of the next century may see
a few powerful nations dominating the
whole world as protectorates Of all
smaller countries, or as mammoth ma
tions taking into their territorial lines
the entire earth? Things as strange as
this have happened on smaller scales.
and are constantly happening Truly, we
do not know what strange thiDgs-what
wonderful changes-a day may bring
forth