The St. Louis Republic., 1904-09-25

ing all this wandering. however. the na-
ton never repudisted. nor islled TO Keep.
any contract that II had made. IL mas
n.es both principal and interest of its
bonded debt in the times and manner
agreed upon and mad never imposed any
tax thereon OF allowed any inferior au-
thor.ty To 20 50. For all this II reaps its
reward in the highest credit that any
country ever enjoyed.
There are some minor problems OF
finance vet to he solved. but since they
may row be approached without passion
We may fairly expect that they VIII be
solved rightly and in good time,
May We confidently predict that the les
sons Of the past will not he forgotten and
that tho monetary equilibrium will never
again be disturbed
/ The teaching Of history is that II We
would avoid the grosscst financial errors
Of the past we should avoid the direful
curse OF war. Perhaps nc teaching
could be more salutary 10 mankind.
FROM GROUND Up.
From the ground up should be the
motto Of an intelligent colonial policy.
Not to attempt TO bes;ow upon the back
ward races blessings of civilization
which they cannot understand. and wlic;
may he deadly poLaon TO them in the
form in which they are offered. but to
work in alliance with the natural laws Of
economic development. to battle agains;
expIoi;ative tendencies which would carry
lllF NtlatA i@tfh dAl'l+ifA VI
barism more cruel and more difficult to
ov. rcome than any former one. and 'o
give the rnoT.- primitive Societies a few
simple economic reforms OF far-r.sch!ny
import for their future progress. these
should constitute. the main elemt nts of a
civiliZ.ny colonial policy.
If W. restrict our efforts To those things
which We clearly see can b. accomplished
to the maintenance OF peace: the protec-
ton cf health the creation Of rcod com
munic1iions and to assistance IL Industrial
development. II We set our races fifillS
against slavery and exhaustive explolta-
ton In all its forms. may rely upon
the working out of the colonial problem
with the slme confidence that We place IN
the mechanism OF an electric motor. Bct
in order to obtain such results patience Is
most needful. Civilization cannot be trans
ferred as a whole. All we can do i 10
prepare the way for its coming-to remove
obstacles to carry out Z few simple eco
nOmic reforms.
NEED OF CONSISTENT POLICY.
IF We here emphasize the need Of con-
sistent bat rather unamhitious policy of
economic development. II is not because
the higher clements in our civilization
have been neglected or underestimated- II
is because any attempt TO deal with intel-
lectUal ana spiritual matters directly m
wolves such different psychological con-
siderations such incalculable contingen-
cieS- tnaJ IN an effort To vorh out the
basis of constructive colonial pollcy IL
seems vtSGr 10 make SURF UlSA W titt
things in which u somewhat clearer vision
of results and somewhat safer calculation
II eject can be had than in = discussion
OF IrrpllSes and enthusiaSrns the range OF
which passes NJ present tho scope of anal
ysis. Activities along these lines are oy
no means discouraged. but they iall INTO
different si,h.re from that which the lecis-
lator and administrator can hore to deal
with successfully.
'onc principle seems clear enough.
namely. that our moral civilization can
moi he rropacaiei by laws, not even by
instruction and exhortatior. but that the
great civilizing influence is an example
freely followed. Thus the primitive Gei
mans voluntarily chose their Roman
ueichhors as models for their action. "a
Iaran to-day IS Of her own free VIII in
itatinr our Institutions and our methods
because she recognizes in them n certain
s1iperiority BY setting models 81 action
and conduct. which VIII be Noluntifhy
inflated by other races, the Mestern aa-
tion: may exert a truly ciyilizing lnfin-
1T will. therefore. be wise for the
colonial legislator not I" attempt 700
grsrnrl. But II rightly planned the
economic reforms which II Is in his power
to effect with success. may. Ike ihs
massive architecture OF cathedral
crypt. in time upbear an edifice which WIZ
ansHer larger purposes than those oil
mere economic welfare and progress
TO FREE AND PROTECT
1t j.. however. not only our duty to
free these populations from tetf"ts anu
dangers Inherent in their civilization and
surroundings. but 10 protect them against
III. even more serious risks which are in
voivcd in the meeting Of civilizations ON
different planes of development These
dangers are twofold: they arise either
from the Us. cf doiet.TiouI substances
and the imitation of unwhoiesone modes
of life or from the creation "f an apparent
individual freedom OF contract, which often
results In the entire destruction Of eco
ncruic Independence. The stirest means OF
protection against these risks lies In a
scrupuious maintenance OF the native NOR
all and social organization Any attempt
TO deal with natives merely as Individuals
in the Western sense will. without fail.
endanSer their Independence. their health
and their life.
THE indispu;able blessing which West
ern nations are bestow.ng on primitive
races IL that OF peace. This Is the great
est achievement of the British regime IN
InGia aus. Africa. Tire terrible intertribsi
warfare and bloody raids organized by
Arab slave drivers to Africa have large
iy been stopped and have given place TO
more peaceful conditions
.-rhe side from which the intellectual ma
ture of the European races will per-
hans prove most accessible is that which
i connected with the mastery Of nature
The people Of both Africa and Asia have