Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-01-29
EMPIRE BUILDING.
1t is Unsatisfactory in Results and Uncertain
in Durability.

EMPIRE BUILDING.
1t is Unsatisfactory in Results and Uncertain
in Durability.
LUE vEENoN.
A survey of the Empires OF the past
does not furnish inducements to En-
pire building from the point of view
OF particular nations. The part taken
by the conquerors OF the world in
helping forward the progress of hu-
manity, is seen to be an important
one, though the real work done is, in
the nature OF things, nearly always
unconscious; the conscious attempts
of individuals, men or nations, to di.
rect the force of progress into par
ticular channels being forever pre-
doomed to failure. The unification OF
the world has been attempted in many
ways, but our common humanity
alone, and the moral progress of the
individual, provide till now the only
bond which binds men and nations
indissolubly together.
The conqueror nation Of to-day is
the conquered of tomorrow, and no
nation can hope forever to escape this
fate. Alexander wept for more worlds
to conquer, after years of conquest.
Attila, the scourge OF God, swept the
world in his desire for dominion.
Charlemagne extended the borders OF
the Roman Empire and the church Of
Christ by fire and sword. Mahomet
and his caliphs spent their lives in
conquest. For a thousand years the
popes of Rome wasted their energies
to found temporal power. The
Chinese, the Tartars, the Persians,
the Greeks, tho Romans, the Span
iards, the French, and England and
the United States have taken a turn
at it qnite recently, and what has
come OF it all? Most of the gentle
men who controlled these ventures
were quite assured that the fate OF the
world, the cause of humanity, sy,
even the cause of God himself, hung
on their efforts. Perhaps it did; but
certainly not precisely in the way
these would-be conquerors of the
world thought it did.
As we view the state of nations, and
see the rises and fallings of the forces
OF progress all down the ages, it is
easy to see in the light of that long
survey that once again ere long
will the cards OF life be re.shuffled;
that once again the lure Of Empire
an Unsuitable thirst which only the
blood of nations can even temporarily
satisfy-once again will it lure men
on to dash themselves against each
other in bloody warfare to attempt
the attainment of tho unattainsble
and once again will the subject OF
human progress be served, irrespective
OF particular men or nations. The
wars of the future may be intimately
concerned with trade or with ex-
psnsion, or it may partly be Q war Of
ideas, but that the spirit OF change,
dominating . large part Of the world
at present, will work out in some
definite way is certain.
There is the Anglo. Saxon idea, by
which England by her domination of
the seas-as some people declare she
is capable of doing-already extends
to the four quarters of the globe.
There is the German Imperial idea,
which is becoming increasingly evil
dent as a motive power. There is the
Panslavonic idea, which. crushing
everything out in it's progress has
stretched the tentacles OF the vast
Russian organism from Finland 10 the
China seas, from the Arctic Ocean al.
most to the Persian Gulf. There is
the rise to power OF the virile japanese
nation-a force not to be underesti-
mated. The growing power OF our
own country, the United States OF
America, can no longer be ignored.
There is the gradual awakening of
India's gigantic population, and, OF
still earlier fruit, the Chinese secret
movements and the worldwide Union
and Socialist movement. All these.
aud more, will have to be reckoned
with. The virility of the French is by
/ no means exhausted. Italy seeks fur
ther expansion, while only the good
qualities of the Austrian Emperor
have held the warning atoms OF his
empire in their places. The poverty
of one nation will drive it on equally
with the prosperity OF the other.
The situation in the Far East can
not long remain as it is. Only the
lealousies of the European Powers has
so long maintained the integrity OF
the Turkish Empire, while the de.
cadent Persian Empire is coming, day
by day, more under the influence OF
Russia. To speak OF the recent Boer
war is to speak Of hot-bed Of strife,
and Great Britain has yet to reap the
fruits of her undertakings. Central
Africa may yet become the arena OF
nations, as they try to digest those
enormous mouthfuls OF territory which
they have bitten off, oblivious OF their
nutritive qualities or of the difficulties
in the way of assimilation. Englands
affairs with the Mad Mullah. the
trouble with France about Fashoda,
and Italy's climb down to Abysslnla'
may serve as specimens OF the pos