The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-07

the growth Of soft luxury after 1t has
reached a certain point becomes q ma
ttonai danger patent to all. Agntn,
II needs but little Of the vision of
seer to foreteil what must happen In
any community X the average woman
ceases To become the mother OF fam
iiy Of healthy children, IL the aver
ara man loses the will and the power
to work up to old age and to fight
whenever the need arises. III the
homely, commonplace virtues die out.
IL strength OF character vanishes IN
graceful self-indulgence, II the Vrie
qualities trophy. then the nation mas
lost what no material prosperity can
offset.
Main Facts.
..Now. az TO all these changes we
can AT least be sure OF the main facts.
We know that the Hoilander remains
In Holland. though the greatness oil
Holland has passed; We know that the
Latin blood remains in Italy, whether
to a greater or less extent; and that
the Latin culture has died out in the
African realm it once won, while 1t has
lasted in Spain and France. and thence
has extended itself to continents De-
yond the ocean. we may not kho"
the causes OF the facts, save partially;
but the facts themselves we do know.
But there are other cases in which
we are at present ignorant even Of the
facts: we do not know what the
changes really were still less the hid
den causes and meaning OF those
changes.
Grave Question.
There are questions which civilized
nations are ever tempted to ask of the
| future. Is our time of growth draw
ing to an end? Are we as nations
soon to come under the rule of that
great law OF death which Is itself but
part OF the great law of life? None
| can tell. Forces that we can see and
other forces that are hidden or that
| can but dimly be apprehended are
at work all around us, both for good
and for evil. The growth in luxury,
/ in love of ease. in taste for vapid
and frivolous excitement, is both evil
dent and unhealthy. The most orntnous
Eign Ia the diminution In the birth
rate, in the rate of natural increase.
now to larger or lesser degree shared
by most of the civilized nations OF
central and western Europe. III
America and Australia; a diminution
80 great that II 1t continues Cor the
next century at the rate which has OBJ
tanned for the last twenty-five years,
all the more highly civilized peoples
will be stationary or else have begun
TO go backward in population, while
many OF them will have already gone
very far backward.
Foreign Policy.
The foreign policy Of great and
lsen-respecting country should be con-
Quoted ON exactly the same plane OF
honor. of tnsistence upon ones owl
rights and of respect for the right.
- T.. -
able man is dealing with his fellows
Permit me to support this statement
out of my own experience. For nearl.
eight years / was the head OF a grea
nation and charged especially with
the conduct of is foreign policy; ane
during those years / took no actor
with reference to any other pecpl,
on tho face Of the earth that I wcuit
not have felt justified In taking as ar
individual in dealing with other IN
divtduals.
| NaIienhy and Well.
Il believe that We of the great civf
lized nations OF to-day have a RICH
to feel that long careers OF achieve
ment lie before our several countries
To each of US ia v.uciIaafed the honor
able privilege OF doing his part. how
ever small. ii. tEat work. Let IL
strive hardly fof suctess even If b,
so doing We risk failure, spurninx tn,
poorer souls ol small endeavor wn,
know neither failure nor success. lie
Us hope THAI our own blood shall con
tinue in the land that our ehiIdrel
and chiidren'a children to endles
generations shall arise 70 take on
places and play a mighty and domi
nant part in the world. But whethe
this be denied or granted by the year
VIE shall not zee, let at least the satfs
faction be ours that we have carrie
onward the lighted torch In our ow
day and generation. II we do thi.
then. as our eyes close, and we X
out into the darkness. and other hand
grasp the torch, at least We can sa
that our part has been borne well an
valiantly.