The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-09
SELF MASTERY
WAS HIS THEME


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tribe. a nation or a civilization the
term may be used for either one oil
two totally different processes, the
analogy with what occurs in biological
history being complete. Certain tribes
of savages-the Tasmanians, for in
stance-apd various little clans OF
American Indians have within the last
century or two completely died out
All Of the individuals have persisted,
leaving no descendants, and the blood
has disappeared.
Certain other tribes of Indians have
as tribes disappeared or are now dis
appearing, but their blood remains, be,
ing absorbed into the veins Of the
white intruders or of the black men
introduced by these white intruders,
so that in reality they are merely be-
ing transformed into something abso-
lutely different from what they were
In the United States, in the new state
of Oklahoma, the Creeks. Cherokees,
Chickasaws, Delawares and other
tribes are in process of absorption into
the mass Of the white population.
When the state was admitted, 'cou-
pie Of years ago, one of the two sena.
tors and three OF the FIVE representa-.
tives in congress were partly of In
dian blood.
In but a few years these Indian
tribes will have disappeared as CON-
petely as those that have actually died
out. but the disappearance will be by
absorption and transformation into the
mass of the American population
Growth and Decay.
Why do great artificial empires.
whose citizens are knit by bond Of
speech and culture much more than by
bond of blood, show periods of ex-
traordinary growth and again of sud
den or lingering decay? In some cases
we can answer readily enough; in 9th
er cases we cannot as yet even guess
what the proper answer should be. If
in any such case the centrifugal forces
overcome the centripetal the nation
will. of course. fly to pieces, and the
reason for its failure to become dom
inant force is patent to every one.
The minute that the spirit which
finds its healthy development in local
self government and is the antidote to
the dangers Of an extreme centrallZa
ton develops into mere particularlsm
f,,fa fkry III, 0HFn AIr-
for achievement of common end.
then 1t is hopeless to expect great re-
suits.
We Americans and you people of the
British isles alike need ever to keep
In mind that among the many quail
ties indispensable to the success of O
great democracy and second only to
high and stern sense of duty, of |
moral obligation, are self knowledge
and self mastery.
You, my hosts, and | may not agree |
in all our views. Some of you would |
think me very radical democrat, as.
for the matter Of that, ! am. and my
theory of Imperialism would probably
suit the anti-imperialists as little as it
would suit certain type of forcibe
feeble imperialist But there are some
points on which we must all agree If
we think soundly. The precise form
of government democratic or other
wise, is the instrument. the tool, with
which we work. 1t is important tc
have a good tool, but even If it is
the best possible It is only a tool.
No implement can ever take the place
Of the guiding intelligence that yields
It.
A very bad tool will ruin the work
Of the best craftsman, but a good tool
IN bad hands is no better. In the last
analysis the all important factor In
national greatness is national charac
er
The Birth Rate Question.
There are questions which we of the
great civilized nations are ever tempt
ID to ask of the future. Is our time
# growth drawing to an end? Are we
IS nations soon to come under the rule
# that great law of death which is it.
elf but part of the great law of life?
Zone can tell. Forces that we can
zee and other forces that are hidden !
II that can but dimly he apprehended {
re at work all around us both for |
God and for evil. The growth In lux. I
ry, In love Of ease, In taste for vapid s
nd frivolous excitement, is both evil l
ent and unhealthy.
The most ominous sign is the dimi- |
ution in the birth rate. In the rate of !
atural increase. now to larger or
esser degree shared by most of the G
ivilized nations of central and west c
TN Europe. of America and Australia. 4
diminution so great that if it contin- c
es for the next century at the rate i
-hich has obtained for the last TWEEN r
g-five years all the more highly CIV
lied peoples will be stationary or b
se have begun to go backward in d
opulation, while many of them will u
ave already gone very far backward.
There is much that should give us
)ncern for the future, but there is il
uch also that should give US hope. II
o man is more apt to be mistaken n
ian the prophet of evil. 7
l believe with all my heart that a o.
eat future remains for us, but wheth e.
: it does or does not our duty is not
tered. However the battle may go, e.
lie soldier worthy of the name will 81
18th utmost vigor do his allotted task d,
Id bear himself as valiantly in de- s,