New-York tribune., 1901-01-28
AMERICA AND EUROPE.

A finely contrasting companion piece 10 the
often quoted saying about Europe becoming
either Republican or Cossack is furnished in
THE Monthly Review" in the exceptionally
interesting reports of conversations between
Colonel Wilks and Napoleon Bonaparte at ST.
Helena In the first of these interviews re
ported, on January 20, 1916, conversation passed
from chemistry-then a new and fascinating
science-to manufactures and commerce Colo
mel Wilks declared that Europes handicap Of
high prices Of materials was due to heavy taxes
and these latter were the result OF war. Bona
parte observed that in these circumstances both
British and French manufacturers were rapidly
emigrating to America. That" said Colonel
Wilks. is destined to be great country. If 1t
hold together" I'm a century," responded
Bonaparte-"or perhaps half a century-more
lit will give a new character to the affairs of
'the world. 1t has thriyen upon our follies
ut has, he repeated with emphasis, ''thriven
upon our follies"
That was eghty-fve years ago. Within the
half century named by Bonaparte the United
States did give a new character to the af-
fairs of the world. The century named by
him is vet far from its end. yet even now so
great is the disturbing force of American enter
prise in the industrial and commercial systems
Of Europe and of all the world that a vain talk
is widely rising of Continental combination
against this country in manufactures and trade
Such talk is vain, because there is no reason
able probability, IL, indeed, a possibility. of it's
ever being carried into execution, and because
moreover, II an attempt were made to execute
Ii there would be scarcely the shadow of a hope
of success. Nevertheless II is far from vain
as an indication and confession of the fulfil
ment Of Bonaparte's prediction. 1t would be
We'll for FUrOOa if xs-pc odd -
prised recognition Of the equal truth of Colo
mel Wilks's statement of the causes of the Euro
pean handicap-"high prices-taxes-war."
For such is 'the series Of causes and effects"
today as surely as eighty-five years ago. We
do not say that miltarism is the sole cause of
Europe's increasing inability to compete with the
United States. 1t is not. There are Others of
indisputabe Importance. Neither do we say
that the military system is an unrelieved evil
1t is not 1t is good thing for the Industrial
potency of the country TO take an undisciplined
lout of a peasant lad and give him some wears Of
thorough intellectual and physical training, and
then give him back to civil life incomparably
more efficient than he was or would be without
such drill. There are. nevertheless, vast bur
dens of the overbloated armaments of the mill
tary Powers which all but crush the life out of
industry. Eighty-fve years ago Bonaparte de-
CldIeu, anu truly, Inat America had even then
thriven upon the follies Of Europe. America Is
to-day thriving in large measure upon the fOlles
or EUrope-the fOllies Of spending uncounted
millions upon armaments that are never used
and In preparation for wars that never come
and are never seriously threatened.
1t Is vain, and worse than vain, TO talk OF re-
prisals against America. One who is fettered
cannot successfully compete with one who is
free. But neither can he place himself on an
equality OF competition by raging against or by
assaulring the free man. His only reasonable |
and hopeful course is 10 rid himself of his fet-
ters. nation that is fettered by having one |
man in every eighty soldier cannot hope to
keep industrial and commercial pace with one
that Is free. having only one in eight hundred |
a soldier. 1t is 10 a reform OF their own domes- |
tic systems that European Powers would best |
look for relief and for prosperity, and not 10 |
mere antagonsm against the successful rival |
whose success is in great part due to the fact
that IT has avoided the evils which they have |
cherished. Raise more hogs and less hell" was |
the rude but pertinent advice once given TO a |
tumultuous commonwealth. Its more polite |
to give more thought to industry |
and less 10 miltarism, is TO be commended TO |
The European countries which are now COM
planning because America has, as Bonaparte pre-
1icted. given "a new character TO the affairs
Of the world"