The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-02
SOME OF THE new BOOKS
The AmericanizatfOn of the World, w.
II. Stead's Newest Work.

Under this title Mr.. w. 7. Stead. editor
of the Review of Reviews, discusses what
he terms the trend of the twentieth
century'-namely, the prospect Of the
world becoming A~mericanized. Its true
destiny. OF course, is TO be Anglicized,' he
says. but as the creation of the Americans
is the greatest achievement Of our race
there is no reason 10 resent the part Amer
leans are playing i'm fashioning the world
in their image. which. after all, is sub
stantially the image of ourselves" This
shows characteristic English self-compla-
cency. America owes little to England.
besides the inheritance OF its language and
the spirit Of its laws. Its institutions. civil
ization and national character are the crea-
ton of its own people. not of England.
However, waving the British self-compla-
cency in Mr.. Stead's point of view, it must
be admitted that he treats ''The American
ization of the World in a very intelligent
and interesting manner and in a spirit of
frank recognition of the tremendous posi-
bilities and probable results of the extern
sion of American ideas and influence. The
drift of his argument is that much the
greater part of the world is destined to
come and remain under the control of Eng
disappearing states and that the dominant
spirit OF this control will tend steadily to-
by aSslmiating British ideas to American
rather than the reverse. Mr.. Stead believes
this will come about through the practical
unllcatlon OF English-speaking peoples,
with American influence predominant. The
tendency of the last half-century," he says,
mas been all in favor of the unihcatton OF
peoples VINO speak the same language. 1t
Is not likely TO slacken in the new century.
The nineteenth century unified Germany
and italy. Will the twentieth century unity
the English-speaking racer One reason
why the author thinks that the empire
VIII approximate to the republic rather
than the republic TO the empire is that
the United States has a written Constitu-
ton, while Great Britain has not. That
which dinerentiates the British and Ameri-
can Constitutions" he says, "much more
than the fact that the head of one is hered-
Itary and of the other elective, is the fact
that we have no written constitution Of
any kind, whereas the American Constitu-
ton is the best known type of a written
constitution In existence. The constitution
or the reunited English-speaking race must
of necessity be written. The adoption of
some sort of written constitution is inevita-
bic, and by its adoption the fundamental
feature OF the reunited states would be-
come American, not British Passing
from general principles, the author dis
cusses different phases of American ag-
gressiveness and prOgressiveness and gives
the Nation the highest ram and a front
place as a dissemination of civilization. In
a closing chapter, replying to the question.
w nat II the secret OF american success
the author says: There is no one secret of
American success. 1t is due to many
causes cooperating to convert the modern
American into a dynamo of energy and
makeh him the supreme type of a strenuous
life. American success may be explained
In many ways. A young and vigorous race
has been let loose among the incalculable
treasures of a virgin continent. Into that
race there has been poured in lavish profu-
sion the vital energies of many other races
chosen by a process of natural selection
which eliminated the weaker, the more
timid, the less adventurous spirits. This
great amalgam of heterogeneou energies
constitutes a new composite race, which
found itself free TO face all the problems Of
the universe without any of the restraints
or prejudices, traditions or old-established
institutions which encumbe the nations of
the old world. Americans had no swaddling
clothes TO cast. They sprang into life. like
Minerva from the brain of Jove, without
any need TO rid themselves of the gar
ments of infancy" Other causes of Ameri-
can success are discussed in the same spirit
of frank recognition. The author doubts
that the American spirit is in all respects
the most admirable or that il brings the
best assurance of contentment and happi-
ness, but he thinks 1t will gradually leaven
the whole lump and pervade the world.
New York: Horace Markley.