The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-07
THE World TO BE.
A Glance Into the Seeds OF limo 500
Years Hence.

|
TO THE Eprron OF THE suN-Sir: Pro-
fessor Wheeler's vaticinations. though not
! inerrant, are interesting and suggestive.
Obliteration within a time limit OF tho
| three great empires OF to-day, the British,
| the German and the American. may be
dismissed as a professional lapsus penn9.
| The fateful struggle In which two of them
are now engaged may serve to demon
strate their puissance. not their weak
ness: their right to survive not TO perish
Its immediate result, now not long to
walt for. Wilt go no further than to de-
termine their status world Powers
though II may profoundly affect their
| forms of government. The American re-
public, sturdy and stalwart infant
| among the Powers, surely has promise
| and prospect OF longer life than the pro-
| scribed Ave centuries.
Ancient empires we're founded, among
other things, upon brute force, persisting
| through the cohesive power OF overmas-
| tering systems OF religion which still
have survived political disintegration and
decay. No modern empire can depend
Tor perpetuity upon any such controlling
system Even those still adhering to a
State religion are oAlged to tolerate a
variety OF competing cults. In others. as
In this republic. the principle OF religious
liberty is as sacred as that OF civil liberty.
Opposite religious beliefs recently brought
spite of Its Established Church.
Race affinity Is weak bond OF union,
since facilities OF communication and
transportation have split racial cults and
distributed raciaf units widely throughout
the nationa In this country a homo
geneous population Is gradually being
moulded from all the varying strains OF
the world.
The printing press il tho greatest and
most Indispensable feature of modern
civilization. That II aids to preserve or
proong empire or government is a moot
question. our civil war was hastened,
not delayed, BY carnations from the
press Per contra, tho vast Russian en-
pire thrives and rerdures upon a
muzzled press and censored literature.
Much modern legislation is concocted and
enacted In secret as II publicity would
mar Its design. The press may be a
safety valve. hut II certainly keeps the
Government busy thinking
National complication may be an ele-
ment OF progress, but as a conservator OF
empire II must be regarded with sus-
pcon, since the war In Europe il said
among other things to be the outcome Of
envy, jealousy and commercial rancor
between competing Industrial nations, and
lis undertaken for mutual exploitation.
Hence an analogy between ancient and
modern empires grows increasingly DIM
cult. The modern empire is founded upon
wealth. These are fundamentals OF en-
pire building and mainsprings OF national
life and endeavor. Recognizing these
principles and possibilities and the OBJ
vious trend Of modern thought, let us
picture the globe az It may appear in FIVE
centuries, after successive overtui nings
such as threaten It to-day. First the
Western Hemisphere under the protection
OF Monroeism having been dedicated to
democracy. IL ruled by self-governing ma
tlons under the recognized hegemony OF
the United States. The Panama Canal
having reached the limit OF its capacity.
is supplemented by new waterway
across Nicaragua to handle the ever In
creasing traffic between oceans.
Second. the Pacific Ocean is Jointly
controlled by the United States and
Japan. the major Powers aligned along
It's COASTS, both acting in friendly rivalry
and amicable accord
Third. the Eastern littoral OF Asia. in
Guiding India, forms federative Asiatic
empire under the hegemony OF Japan,
whose capital Is at Mukden
Fourth, Russia having abated her pre-
tensions In the Far East retains do
mlnion over Western Asia and Eastern
Europe Her sway embraces the slav
States and Asia Minor.
Fifth, Germany and Austria are COM
bned under n federal republic. forming
a great Mediterranean State.
sixth. Great Britain and France, each
under a republican form OF government,
have divided the unapproprated portions
OF Africa Australia remains self-gov-
ernlng commonwealth under a republican
form.
Seventh. the minor States have become
either Independent and neutral or aligned
with the great Powers. according to
choice.
Eighth. the Atlantic Ocean is controlled
by concert OF Powers having interests
bordering upon II. J. B. X
NEW YORK = sptember 6.