The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-09-26
REIGN in MAMMOM is
OUR GREATEST DANGER
Through a Vast Empire United
States Is Being Impoverished
By Foolish Generosity.
BY the Rev. Charles steIzle.

g. - NV Tx -
The United States has today an area
nearly four and a half. times as great
as it was in 1888. In 1903, with the
Louisiana purchase. the territory OF
this country was more than doubled,
Steadily we have grown until in 1904
the Panama canal zone of 448 square
miles was acquired. This latest ac-
QUESTION will mean more to the Uni
ted States han the mere saving Of
time in transporting freight. 1t will
some day figure significantly in COM
handing the Pacific ocean, the future
battle-ground of the world, for in this
arena Russia, Japan. China and the
United States will determine whether
the world is to be dominated by the
Anglo-SaXon race or by a nation which
is foreign to most of the ideals whic
nave made America great and power
ful.
Says Ward Plat in 1.-THE Frontier:
World navigation and world history
may be divided into three stages; the
Mediterranean, which stands for past
history, the Atlantic. which means the
present and the Pacific, which holds the
future. History was shifted from the
Mediterranean to the Atlantic in an at
tempt to find IN ocean route to the
orient In the light of modern
history we are able to appreciate the
immense Importance of our every ac-
cession Of territory bordering on the
Pacific. Hawaii in it's location is
providential. Our trade with the orient
steadily Increases. We are sure to
dominate the Pacific and to exert over
the orient a correspondingly great in
fuence. The Importance of the de-
velopment of the west as a basis Of
this new world influence is apparent"
The orient may not be quite so sure
about it's future disposition. 1t may
protest against being dominated by the
United States eve to the extent of be-
Ing Influenced" by it. When giant
China awakes-watch out. And the
Japanese are still to be reckoned with.
Therefore, let us not be over-confdent.
1t is exceedingly important that we
first of all build up our own western
frontier in point Of manhood and NOR
ais, as Ward Platt suggests, before we
calmly talk o dominating great and
powerful countries. We might better
learn how to possess our own land.
Rapid has been the growth of our
country, and many nave been the
frontier lines which we have cross
ed: Just now we are thinking and
the new west" with their ire
mendous significant developments. The
next decade will witness marked ad-
vance in the growth of cities and the
modern eldorados. Great wealth will
be accumulated and many powerful in
situations established. Shall these be
dominated by the spirit Of righteous
ness, or shall reign supreme?
Primarily, it is for the men and the
women who shall occupy these territor-
les to say, but 1t is incumbent upon the
entire country to see to it thaS such
development shall be upon a thorough
ly sound basis. Flo Americas future
development must not be entrusted to
those who may be Influenced merely
by those things which shall advance
their own interests.
Thomas Carlyle once said, Eye may
boast O we're democracy or any ither
'cracy or any kind O. poleetical roobish,
but the reason why yer laboring folk
are SO happy is that we have a vost
deal O land for a vera few people"
But the day has gone by when the poor
mar can secure free land. We have
reached the limit in this respect. Wa
are facing a situation similar to tina
in many foreign lands. We have be-
come land impoverished through our
foolish generosity in giving railroads.,
and spectators, and land grabbers the
choicest sections of our national do
main. Today, by the mere fact of his
arrival, every immigrant increases the
value of the land in the United States
by $500. Every newborn babe has the
same effect upon land values. Rents
for the w~orkingman in our big cities
have become exorbitant. The percent
age of the renting farmers is increas-
ing. In spite of our remarkable growth
in land area there is a famine of land
for the poor, and the poor-the people
on the margin-determine the status
and the standards for the whole people
with regard to national prosperity and
happiness.
But if we have failed in the fair
and equitable distribution of our vast
public domain, let us beware Of sacri-
ficing our cities and our industries and
our homes to the INSCRIPTIONS and the
seff-seeking to whom the future of
America means simply personal power
n self-aggrandizement. The reign of
mammon is Americas greatest peril.