The copper era., 1902-02-27
Future Possibilities.
Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles Times.
The future has possibilities the bare sugges-
ton of which at present almost takes our breath
away. The marvellous embodiment of this
young nation of ours is arrcstng the attention
of the world. and other lands beginning 20
ask what the final outcome is to be. The gencr.
al trend of opinion among the leading thinkers
of civilized peoples is not unilattcring TO Ameri
can vanity.
In recent magazine article, that wcll-known
EnSliShman, William T. Stead, makes the sur
prising prediction that zone by one the varions
colonies of Great Britain will gravitate to the
United States. and eventually there will come a
reunion of the whole English speaking in
some great American federation.
What would not such a federation mean tO
the world to civilization TO commerce, 70
rinny could not stand before it: the dlrkncss OF
superstition would fade in the light of its glor.
ious day, and the whole fabric of government
would undergo n change that would tend TO the
betterment and more rapid advance of the race
Beyond doubt the enlightened world is do
ing more earnest thinking that il has ever done
before in view of what has been termed our
aggressive Amcricauism," and the results
which may spring from il. Mr.. Stead, although
he hns never severed his allegiance to the
mother country, is outspoken upon this subject.
In "A recent number of the Pacific we nud the
following sentiments called forth by the article
of Mr.. Stead to which we have alluded:
"ltc declares that only superficial observers
have concluded that the war in South Africa
has consolidated the British Empire: tina, il has
in reality shaken il to the very center. Tho
colonies have seen n few unframed farmers
Withstand the boaSted- -fo-vrr-of-vvilat had boon
supposed 10 be one OF the greatest military ma
tons of the world. Thus has been shown only
Great Britain's weakness. but IL has made PLAIN
To the various colonies that they are not nearly
- much in need of the protection of Britain $
fleets as they have all along supposed them
selves To he.
Reciprocity. backed by the ever.increasiug
wealth of the United States, is another magnet
which, in Mr.. Stead's opinion. will draw
the British colonies toward an American
"Othcr noted Britons although they have not
had in mind any such federation as Mr.. Stead
predicts, have marked how power has settled in
the American republic and have talked of and
mourncd over what mig hit have been if George
Ill had not blundered and driven our forcfath-
crS 10 that revolution which resulted in the sew
erance of relations with the mother country
Lord RoSebcry said recently that il it had not
been for that bluuder the seat of power for the
English speaking race would have been grad
ually transferred from London to Washington:
and that brill ant. indeed. would have been the
record of the united people and splendid also
their prospects forthe future, as they pushed
on in their career
While this prediction by Mr. Stead will at
first startlc the reader, careful consideration
foundation: Really, there is not much now to
bind the colonies 10 the islands in the Atlantic
There will be less as The years go by. Without
them the empire wonld be feeble. indeed: d
with theur even the probabilities are that Great
Britain will before the end Of the present Cen
tury, be much interior as a world power 10 sew
cral of the great nadousof the earth.
Just now perhaps, the Arserican people are
not ready to welcome into the Union ten or
Pacific, though the people are of their own
tongue and high mp in the scale Of civilization
But when we have solved our problems in the
Philippines, in Porto Rico and in Cuba and
when wireless tclegraphy and airsbips have
further annihilatcd distance, we may be ready
Thanks 10 Mr.. Stead for so bravcly sugge Sting
this federation, aud for so plain presenta-
ton of the fact that the center of the
English speaking race. despite the blunder of
George Ill, has been transferred from along by
the Thames 10 the Potomac"
In view of such possibilities we may well ask.
What has rot God in store for the American
people, What is 10 be its great and final mis-
sion To the worlds With enlightened Christian
ity as its cornerstone. "A federation like this of
which Mr.. Stead speaks would be one which
would make the powers OF evil tremblc, aud
through which Right might vet rule the world.
And such union is no more prcpoSterous than
much that has already taken place i'm the history
OF the world. To many the talk of such union
may seem idle now, but no earnest thinker will
for one moment assert that il is impossible Of
realization. And Nonce let IL be realized, we
shall not fail 10 perceive that God is at the helm
aud subduing all nations unto Himself.