The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-11
The MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL.

States has just begun. Already the frag-
ments of the British empire begin to
gravitate toward her. Ireland, South
Africa, Canada. the British West Indies,
Newfoundland, may ere long be knock
ing at the doors of the capitol in WASH
American union.
These are some of Mr.. Stead's ideas.
But, come what may, England is
eclipsed, he says 1t is for Englishmen
to decide whether they shall throw in
their lot with the republic and add the
British empire to the United States Of
America expanded to become the United
States Of the English Speaking World If
Englishmen cannot read the destiny of
the republic and will not seek national
Immortality and undying Vigor within
the ring fence of the greatest world
power, their fate is to become a second
Belgium, forgotten in the north seas
while America goes serenely on foregath-
ering with the younger speaking English
nations-with Canada, with South Africa
with New Zealand and Australia.
The self-governing colonies, Mr.. Stead
finds, are already essentially American
lied and republicanized. Only the old
mother land remains obdprate and mon
archie and aristocratic, though now shak
en- to her center by the Irresistible in
vasion Of American ideas and manufac-
lures. Will she break with caste, will
she shuttle off her outworn social forms
will she part with king and noble, with
the relics of feudalism and monarchy, put
away her pride, and say, as mother
might say to daughter: Take me into
your household, even as in your youth
you were of my household. The union OF
the Englishspeaking race, Mr.. Stead re-
CARDS as absolutely certain, soon or late.
The question is whether 1t shall come by
free will and consent or whether it shall
II the union Of the English speakers is
to come voluntarily while England is still
great power it must come by English
initiative. England must come to Amer
lea, and, for the sake of realizing her
dream of federation of the English speak
ers, must gladly. vote that the United
States is to be the potent fundamentally
Of that union, the organization which Is
to be extended over all. ,--
This book Of Mr. Steads is too vast In
it's scope, too abundant in it's ideas; too
profuse in its Illustrations; too over
whelming with it's earnestness and inten-
sity; too impressive by it's Hberality OF
VII tic Ift Oh of
Of any kind to be sketched, even made
quately, in brief compass. It must be read.
No reader Of this editorial who takes the
pains to get copy of the book and read
it through will regret it. He will be alb
sorbed and permeated by the author
enthusiasm and generous spirit and so
profoundly interested in the matter and
charmed by the style Of the great English
journalist that he will devour the vol
ume in one sitting. No American could
have done what he has done, for no Amer
| lean can enjoy his point of view. No
| American can sit down far off to one side
| of his own nation and get comprehen-
! sive view of its work. When we read the
| review of what we have done and what we
will and what we may do that Mr.. Stead
sets before us, we understand that we
| have been wrong to talk about the Span
! ish-American war having made us world
power 1t left us the greatest of world
powers. 1t did not make us that. II
merely announced in dramatic manner
in the roar Of battle and the crash of al
tillery that we were that.