The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-08-23
AMERICA AND THE WORLD.

Not only students, but all intelligent
readers of history, will agree unhesi-
tatlngly with the Bishop of Elys re-
mark, in moving an address of thanks
to the American Ambassador to Eng
land for his recent lecture at Cambridge
that the rise and development of the
United States was an event which had
shaped and would increasingly shape the
destlnles of the world. Indeed, there
Will be no dissent from Mr.. Reds own
estimate of it as 1.-The greatest fact in
modern history" Americans, in their
permissible self-consciousness, never
doubt the justice of such estimates, nor
does the thoughtful citizen of any coun
try when the demonstrate facts of
history and the reasonable deductions
from them are considered. Epoch max
ing events are always both subjective
and objective in their influence. It is
easy for Us, on our Fourth of july and
at all times, to praise the Power that
hath made and preserved US nation. +"
1t will be at least equally profitable to
bear in mind that in making us a nation
other vast achievements were involved:
and its succint but pregnant reminder
OF that tact was by no means the least
valuable feature of the Ambassador s
lecture.
The widespread interest of the civil
lied world in this country was indeed
manifested in the very circumstances
of the exploration and settlement of the
North American continent, work in
which no fewer than five European pow
ers actively participated, and again in
the contest for the political mastery of
1t, In which the foremost three powers
of the world strenuously and persistent
ly engaged. 1t is a truism of history
that the great games of European diplo-
macy and war in the century preceding
our Revolution were largely played
upon the American continent, with the
American cOlonists sometimes as HELM
less pawns and sometimes as very ac-
tive and efficient pieces. Nor was the
Revolution-which the lecturer happilv
called civil war-void of far reaching
and profound effects, objective as well
as subjective. 1t made these states a
nation, but it also checked a reaction in
England and gave that kingdom an ir-
reslstlble impetus toward the great
progress which has marked Its subse-
quent history, SO that, as Mr.. Reid said,
the British government of the nine
teenth century was distinctly more ad-
Vantageous to the people, more glorious
Tor the nation and q greater benifcence
to Europe and the world because of
that civil war. More than that. the in
| tiuence of our Revolution was felt in the
French Revolution, and in the rapid ex-
tension OF popular rights throughout
Europe which followed hard upon that
mighty cataclysm, in the broadening of
citizenship and in freer participation of
the people in their governments,
lie would be blind who did not see,
IN almost innumerable ways, the infiu-
ence OF America maintained throughout
the century and quarter since that
great event, and not only maintained
but extended and increased in all parts
OF the world and in both peace and war.
In brief, this nation, having been
founded by the participation of the ma
Jorlty of the then civilized world, and
having from the very beginning of its
independent existence down to the pres
ent time been in more or less intimate
relations with the other powers. anc
having been implicated in MANY of the
most important international move.
ments, has been, not only since it's un.
sought acquisition of some islands OF
the sea, but since its own birth. :
world power" in the truest sense al
the term. 1t has given much to the
world at large, and it has received mucl
in return. 1t has made it's rights anc
wishes respected, and so, too, let us moi
forget, in has incurred the obligation Of
respecting the rights and the wishes Of
its neighbors. The United States ha.
risen and has been developed, not untc
itself alone, and not as hermit nation
and neither as suppliant on sufferance
not as a swashbuckle and bully, but
as world power in strength, in dignity
in courtesy and in justice.