Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-09-09


Like that imperial character, the
la}e Cecil Rhodes, Mr.. Andrew Carneg-
lie is evidently not only business man
of extraordinary shrewdness and prac-
tical capacity, but also dreamer of
dreams AS BELTS man of his tower
ing influence and Industrial achieve
ment Mr.. Carnegie's dreams, whether
in the field of philanthropy Or of poll
tics, are of the vast and generous kind.
When his fancy takes flight into the
political future it is not clogged by
practical considerations which dwarf
the view of the ordinary patriot and
statesman, but scars at once to an
apocal. ptic vision OF great empire
bound by a tie of Anglo-Saxonism and
a common fiscal policy. In fact as an
imperial dreamer, the Scotch Ameri-
can iron master and political seer is
easily abreast of the late Mr.. Rhodes,
and leaves Mr.. Chamber ain, with his
relatively parochial customs union
plan, far in the rear.
Whether Mr.. Carnegie, even with
all the courage of his apparent convic-
tons, would have been quite so explic-
it prophet before an American aud
fence as he was in his Barrow-on-Furn-
ess address last Tuesday is doubtful.
Mr.. Carnegie announced his "unshak-
able faith that the United States will
in time return to the British fold.
Britain becoming 'Once more the
mother member of the dominant power
of the world" With the Atlantic no
longer barrier, but connecting high
way, there must be in time, thinks Mr..
Carnegie, great family reunion
1.-The conquering old lady (Britania)
and her family all under one roof. un-
der one flag, self-sustaining empire
under free trade, with probably 2OO,-
900, 900 of our English speaking race. :"
Doubtless Mr.. Carnegie trimmed his
phraseology to suit the susceptibilities
and fatter the sentiments of his Eng
fish readers and auditors-Whom, it is
fair to add that he has been unpala tably
blunt with on some other occasions.
This Barrow-on-Fu rness address would
obviously require some important
changes and particularizations to adapt
the political parts of it to American
consumption. For instance, Mr..
Carnegie states that this country will
in time be re united with England 'un-
der one flag" But under which flag?
and the question is essential. since
the common flag would symbolic the
nature of the union and the relative
standing of its components. In the
light of the context of the speech it
would seem that Mr.. Carnegie meant
the British f1ag-ard his auditors doubt
less drew that agreeable conclusion as
a matter of course. But to the aver
age American mind such an arrange
ment, entailment the subordination or
even the actual relinquishment of Old
Glory, is well nigh unthinkable
Americans would no more tolerate a
proposal for such treatment of the Stars
and Stripes than Englishmen would
tolerate one for the treatment of the
Union Jack. Possibly Mr.. Carnegie
would suggest a composite flag as a
compromise; and it is said that dual
ensign of this emblematic sort, COM
posed of the American and the British
colors sewn together, floats over
Skibo castle. But practically the
same difficulties of patriotic sentiment
would stand in the way Of the flag
merger, In his more practical moods
and when not sailing on the wings of a
theory, Mr.. Carnegie would probably
admit that the chances OF his English
speaking empire including the United
States are badly impaired by the fact
that the American nation is racially
composite and includes elements that
would solidly and bitterly oppose even
so moderate step toward the ''family