The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1914-04-02
PASSING OF ISOLATED AMERICA

Looking back on this period WITH
its many breaks from established IRA
dition 10 disturbing 20 some people
the Historian of the future VIII almost
certainly note that II marked the
passing OF isolated America. /
Probably we are yet too close To
the change that has come over W.
10 understand IL fully, and yet it, IN
suences are at work>on MS so pow
erfully that We see their effects while
but half conscious OF the reasons.
Perhaps the Spanish war VIII serve
wal as a milestone OF the change,
for il. and the few years ON either
side OF Il brought the evidences to-
the surface.
In a purely domestic sense the
period marked the disappearance OF
the American economic frontier
America became land whose opor-
tnnities became known and were Ia
tep nm. It's mines, forests, fields and
Industrial opportunities had been de
veloped until the end of the un"ccu-
pied and unpre-empted was In sisht
Tn. situation. unconsciously sink
ing into the minds Of the people, shii'-
ed their interest from exploitation To
economical use. from heedlessness IN
all branches of our relations. indus
trial. political. social and mristic TN
intensive scrutiny. II h as " the
sense of the crowding. the feedins OF
limitation and Of thousands around
MS. set free the democratic instincts
latent IN the race and only awaiting
a chance of expression.
Hence conservation. trust problems.
railway regulation. new laws pre-
scribing the relation OF man 20 man.
and political upheavals innumerable.
Even the new tariff IS a child Of the
change. for naturally what satisfied a
developing America. with trade
mainlv interpretive In H. search tor
markets would hardly satisfy an
America no longer self-contaiaed and
self.suficieni. but seeking Ia com
pete with manufactured articles IN
the foreign markets.
Nor is this all In another and stili
more intimate sense, we have come IN
contac, with the other great powers
of the world. and hereafter We must
do our part in those international re-
lations called diplomacy Not only
In trade. nut In other matters. have
we entered the foreign sphere ana
lost our self-contained sifhciency. IN
a series OF stepping.stone across the
Pacific Hawaii. Guam and the Phil
ipnines. we have entered the Far
Eastern arena. With Porto Rica. We
became a colonial power And when
we built the Panama Canal. We ire
trievably gave hostages TO fortune
and made ourselves part II thosf
problems which center around all the
great trade routes.
The old days of our soliaires dirlo
macy have gone with a vengeance
and We can never bring them back
We must. therefore. face the future
with its international responsibilities
fwira, understanding that we are
no loneer a thing apart by ourselves
but orns of the many iosiling tosath
er.. Panama alone has put new
meaning on Mexico and her present
upheavals. Mexico has served for the
concrete example Of a new interpret
alton Of the Monroe doctrine. thai
In turn with the exposition Ne give
Of n. viii affect our relations viii
an South America II has alread,
bronrht recognition OF our first r.
sponriblllly In American aifairs iron
EUROPE. And 30 ON, indefinitely.
Alone. among the great powers. W
have attempted to handle forcig'
problems through popularly elected
representatives. our congress has
responsibility that In our new rela
lions wlll become Tremendous and ~
aalra VEN careful and Intelligent ai'
eusslon. one eject ~ NE chans'
n already spoa us' Aimcs, uneos
.siousls 80 Asss .eo~v>>a' 'hroas'
llha hal thr~~ samlniofr@lhns a.