Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999Bird, Arthur
Science
Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999
Bird, Arthur
Twentieth century -- Forecasts; United States -- Civilization
These figures are frightful but they represent only a fraction of the
losses of life and treasure through war, during the last half of the
19th century. The above figures do not include scores of other wars
that occurred during that period. The Chino-Japanese war did not
reduce the population of the Celestials to any appreciable extent
but in loss of treasure it proved a costly struggle. The war between
Spain [A Story only Half Told.] and America, commencing April 21st,
and ending October 26, 1898, must also be reckoned in this list. The
ceaseless tribal wars of Asia and Africa, also the French colonial
wars in Madagascar, Tonquin, Siam, and the endless struggles between
savage races of Borneo, Sumatra, the Zulus and head-hunters of the
Philippine islands must all be included in the list of mortality from
warfare during the last half of the 19th century.
The plea for arbitration and the cessation of war was a noble effort
and a just tribute to the civilization of the closing days of the
nineteenth century. America lent her voice in the cause of Peace at
the Hague Conference. In the interests of humanity this was the proper
course to follow. America at this conference represented 75,000,000
of the most intelligent, brave and industrious people on earth,
whose army was a mere corporal's guard.
In the twentieth century, however, the great United States of the
Americas, with [America a law Unto Herself.] its magnificent sweep
of territory extending from Alaska to Patagonia, and its national
capital built on the site of the city of Mexico, had little use for
arbitration. In 1999 the vast American Republic had become a world in
itself. It had long passed the period when it had become necessary to
consult other nations on international questions and abide by their
wishes. America in 1999 was a law unto herself, and had very little
use for arbitration in the disposition of her international affairs.
Arbitration answers very well providing that the arbiters are just
and impartial and prove themselves able to arrive at a decision in
perfect justice and equity. But America in the twentieth century,
on account of her enormous expansion and world-wide commerce, had
excited the jealousy as well as cupidity of every other civilized
nation, with the one exception of Great Britain. In any court of
international arbitration in which America might appear either as a
plaintiff or as a defendant, the chances were largely in favor of a
decision being rendered against her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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