Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1904-01-23
THE MANIA FOR BIGNEss.

Russia's struggle for Korea &,
another instance of the mania for big
ness that seems to have taken pos
session of the whole world. Unless
/ France can acquire "a colonial empire
writes NJ. Leroy Beaulieu, it must be
content to fall back among the third
rate nations. Germany's future. says
the kaiser is upon the sea. II Eng
land cannot weld the colonies into q
centralized empire, cries Mr.. Chamber
lain. the glory of the British name will
have departed. .-t
All this sounds very splendid. The
Englishman thrills at the thought OF
his drum beat following the sun
around the world. Mr.. Austin is GER
tain that the Lord of right sits en-
throned on high so long as the British
flag floats on every sea. The Russian
goes into a fine frenzy at the notion
of adding all of Asia to the cars do
MAINS But what is to be gained by
all this reaching out for lands inhaO-
tied by alien races? Surprising Russia
should absorb Korea and then should
extend its Jurisdiction over all China. 1t
could never hope to Russianize 400.-
10000 of Chinese-to impart to them
it's religion. its customs. it's mode nf
thought. Under the most favorable
circumstances the best that it could
do would be to open new markets 10
Russian merchants and to add Chinese
regiments to its army.
II is hardly to be supposed. however.
that enthusiasm over trade would in
cite the mass of the people or the
government, to war. Doubtless the de-
sire for markets has frequently in
fluenced a small mercantile class 10
agitate for hostilities on several oc-
casions in the last century or two. But
the final appeal has always been made
to the nation on the ground of national
honor which was to be defended from
attacks. or else to be magnified through
territorial acquisitions. More trade"
is not an inspiring war cry.
If Russia ever attempts to seize
China its great motive will be the ap-
peal OF bigness to the imagination. A
few men may reason about it, but
with most OF the people there win be
the same unreasoning ambition which
actuated Napoleon in his attempt TO
control Europe and the east. and which
moved Disraeli to dream of a magnifi-
cent Asiatic empire. When Mr.. Have
meyer testified that ii was his pre-
10 ali the
sugar used in the United States he
showed the same impulsive admiration
for size which animates Russia. the
kaiser and European nations general
ly.
But of what use is all this heaping
up of possessions? Mere bigness does
not make a nation great. The He
brews. few in number, have impressed
their religious ideas upon most of the
civilized world. Little Athens. which
chicago could carry around in its vest
pocket. is still dominant in some de-
partments of life. Elizabethan Eng
land was great without colonies. The
glory of France lies in the intellectual
and artistic life of Paris-not in Al
geria or Tonquin. Quality counts more
than quantity. 1t is easy to become en-
raptured, as was Cecil Rhodes. at the
notion of world empires and to de-
nounce ''parochial problems as IN
worthy of attention. But it remains true
that the lasting things are accomplish
ed, not by might nor by power. but by
mind. Russia may absorb China and
the car may rule 500 millions OF sub
jects. But his empire will count for in
hnitely less in the world than does the
Greece of Plato, Aristotle and the great
tragic poets.-Kansas City Star.