AMERICAN IMPERIALISM.
The still recent and wonderful growth of the two American continents, in
population and wealth, is almost an incredible marvel. It is none the
least politically.
The two Americas, by the extent of their areas, the vastness of their
productive lands, the length and largeness of their mighty Rivers, the
broadness of their Lakes, the grandeur of their scenery, seem to be most
adapted to great developments of many kinds. It is difficult to think of
small conceptions originating in the New World, which the genius of
Columbus discovered and the combined genius of all the great races of
the Old are united in developing.
Let me first put the question:--when the leading European nations
undertook to colonize the new Continents, were they not, consciously or
not, throwing the Imperialist seed in a fertile land where it was sure
to take root and blossom? Spain, France, and, last, England were
certainly not obeying the dictates of our "Nationalist school" when they
brought under their Sovereign authority such vast stretches of American
territory.
That Christian Civilization was to be extended to the new great
Hemisphere, goes without saying. That the riches, then unknown, of the
New World, were to be extracted from the land so full of them, was one
of the duties of the discoverers, all will admit. The European
Governments in extending their Sovereignties to America unfortunately
adopted the mistaken Colonial Policy then still too much prevalent.
Their error was to stick to the wrong conception that a colony was
important only in the measure that it could be favourable to the
interests of the Metropolis. History proves that this colonial system is
bound to lead to unfair treatment of the colonies. Absolutism, then
dominant in Europe, could not be expected to show any tender leniency
towards the Colonials who were above all to work for the wealth and
glory of the Metropolis. Spain proved to be the worst promoter of that
Regime. Her failure has been most complete. She has had to withdraw her
flag from the very large part of America over which it might have been
kept waving, if sounder and more just political notions had prevailed in
the narrowed minds of her Rulers.
England, treading along the wrong path of Colonial oppression, but in a
much less proportion, had to face a like result in the revolt of her
American Colonies. Fortunately for her, for America and the world at
large, the event widely opened her eyes. In acknowledging the
independence of the young Republic of the United States, she was
destined to be proud of her offspring in witnessing the astonishing
development of the child to whom she had given birth. Could she have
then foreseen that the day would come when at the hour of her dire
trial, the daughter who threw off her motherly authority, too
stringently exercised, would rush to her support for the defence of the
very principles of Political Liberty for which she, the child, had
fought for her independence, how soon would England have forgotten the
sufferings of the parting and blessed Providence for them!
The American Revolution, successfully carried out, was the occasion for
England to revolutionize her Colonial Policy. She was the first
nation--and I am sorry to say she has remained alone--to understand with
great clearness that the old Colonial Regime, fraught with such
disastrous consequences, must be done away with and replaced by the new
one which called the colonies to the enjoyment, to the largest possible
extent, of the free institutions of the Mother Land.
Like every new born child, whose laborious birth was critical, the
American Republic experienced great difficulties the very moment she
commenced to breathe freely. So true it is always that national
development, like personal success, cannot be achieved without struggle.
The United States offer the example of the best development of the
Imperialist evolution in the world. It dates as far back as the
proclamation of the Independence of the Republic. When she was admitted
into the international society of Sovereign States, she had at first to
settle her political organization. The framing of a constitutional
charter proved to be a very arduous task, at times almost desperate.
Three sets of divergent opinions were fighting at close range during the
protracted and solemn deliberations which at last reached a happy
conclusion. Thirteen American British Colonies had coalesced to wring
their Independence from England. The goal once attained, a first group
of opinion was favoured by the supporters of the dissolution of the
temporary union organized to secure the Independence of the whole, but
to revert, they said, if successful, to their previous separate status.
Had this view prevailed, at the very start North America would have been
cumbered with thirteen Sovereign States. Many were alarmed at the
creation of so many small Republics. More reasonable persons suggested
to organize three or four of them, instead of thirteen, meeting as much
as possible the wants natural to geographical conditions. It was no
doubt an improvement on the first mentioned scheme. It met with the
hearty support of devoted adepts.
It is much to be hoped that they will forever receive from the
successive generations of their countrymen the reward of the gratitude
they deserve, the true statesmen who, at this important juncture,
stepped on the scene and bravely took their stand in favour of the
maintenance of the Union which had conquered Independence, and of the
establishment of only one great Republic. The celebrated Hamilton was
their trusted leader. They knew they were undertaking an herculean task.
At that time, the population of the thirteen original States, scarcely
four millions in number, was scattered over a vast territory, and
located, for the most part, on the lands near the Atlantic coasts, two
thousand miles in length, from North to South. Transportation was in a
very primitive stage. Many years had yet to run before the whistle of
the locomotive, powerful and struggling, would be echoed by the solitude
of immense forests. No one foresaw that, in less than a century, the
overflowing tide of European immigration would roll its waves so
powerfully as to cross the whole continent and the Rocky Mountains to
reach the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
With such conditions, so unfavourable to the aspirations of only one new
Independent State, moulding together political groups so far apart,
interests apparently so hostile, the local point of view, local
prejudices, were sure to dominate. They inspired the strong current of
opinion in favour of the dissolution of the temporary Union, and the
organization of every one of the old provinces into a separate Sovereign
State.
How, under such circumstances, the friends of a unique National American
Union succeeded in the marvellous achievement of carrying their point by
a prodigy of persuasive demonstration, will forever be a wonder for the
student of the Republic's history. Few in numbers when they boldly
threw their challenge, they encountered the shock of local fanaticism
heightened by their offensive. Everything seemed to predict their utter
failure. If ever Founders of States have proved the heroism of their
convictions, the American Federalists have most gloriously done so.
Undoubtedly, the force of the argument was with them. But what can
logic, reason, good sense, too often do against inveterate prejudices?
Were they, in this particular instance, destined to be powerless?
The Federalists--such is their historical name--were not to be
disheartened by the formidable obstacles thrown in their way. An
_Imperialist_ inspiration was certainly the basic foundation of their
demonstration finally triumphant. They told their countrymen that if
they were to erect thirteen small Republics upon the burning ruins of
the first Union to which they owed their Independence, they would
prepare a very sad future for their children and children's children.
European immigration was setting in, slowly but surely. They predicted
that the World, this time, would witness, not a barbarous invasion like
that which overthrew the Roman Empire, but one which the Old World would
overflow to the New Continents. This surplus European population would
bring over to America Christian Civilization, the training of hard work,
large hopes, courage, experience in many ways, persevering energy,
which would transform the boundless regions which could become their
national heritage--until then the domain of the wandering Indian--into
one of the greatest and wealthiest countries on earth. Would they commit
the irreparable error to destroy the certainty of such a magnificent
National Destiny, by creating thirteen separate governments, with the
sure result of renewing in America, by such race groupings, the
atrocious military conflicts which, for centuries, have flooded the
European soil with human blood.
Hamilton and some of his most distinguished friends published that work,
entitled: "_The Federalist_", which will ever live as one of the
broadest and most elevated productions of Political Intelligence. To
all, and especially to the "Nationalist" theorists, I strongly recommend
the reading of that book, a monument of the genius of great statesmen.
In short, after a lengthy discussion characterized by their brilliant
eloquence and their argumentative strength, the supporters of the
Federal Union of the thirteen States, under one Sovereignty, carried the
day. They had well deserved their glorious triumph. The Republic of the
United States of North America was founded under the aegis of the free
constitutional Charter which has done so much for her prosperity and her
grandeur.
Such was the initial move of the evolution of American Imperialism.
Those amongst us who desire to learn more about its developments have
only to look over the boundary line. The thirteen original States,
federally united, have increased to number forty-four, with three more
territories gradually developing into Statehood.
The actual population of the Republic is already much over a _hundred
million_, living in unrivalled prosperity and contentment on a
territorial area of more than _three millions and a half square miles_,
larger than all the European Continent. The sun of the present century
will set upon a people of more than 250,000,000, with a splendid
situation in a world to the destinies of which they will contribute in
many admirable ways, if they are only true to the Christian principles
which alone can assure Civilization and Progress.
If the term _Imperialism_ truly means what the word
implies,--_Sovereignty being exercised over a large population and a
vast territory_, this political evolution, so decried by some, has most
undoubtedly achieved a great success amongst our neighbours to the
South.
In all sincerity, may I not ask every unprejudiced mind:--has not the
whole World every reason to be much elated at witnessing the beneficent
results of the triumph of the American Federalists? Evidently, it has
been _Imperial_ in its nature, in its proportions. It is so in its
promises for the future greatness of the Republic. It has maintained,
with only one exception, peace and harmony during nearly a century and a
half, between the descendants of the European nationalities who have
trusted their future welfare to the Sovereignty of the United States.
Instead of wasting their energies in endless conflicts, such as numerous
small States would have infallibly occasioned, thanks to the unity of
the Sovereign Power binding into an admirable whole territories larger
than Europe, they have learned to consider themselves as citizens of the
same free country, as the free subjects of the same governmental
authority. The temporary rupture of the Union, caused by the war of
Secession, was but a vain reactionary action against the powerful
current driving the Republic towards her grand future.
It is most unlikely--I can say _impossible_ without the slightest
hesitation--that the United States, after taking such a grand and
glorious part in the present war, will abandon the broad and felicitous
policy by which they have grown to be one of the greatest independent
nations of the world, to drop so low as to adopt the blinding notions of
a narrow, sectional, prejudiced and fanatical "Nationalism", such as the
type which would ruin the future of our own Dominion, if ever it was
allowed to prevail. They know too well, by the happiest experience, that
the only true "_Nationalism_" is that which by the united effort of the
intelligence, the culture, the strength, the patriotism of citizens of
divers races has wrought for them their present admirable national
status so full of the brightest promises. When peace shall have been
restored, the great and mighty American Republic will be one of the
leading Powers on earth, owing her unrivalled prosperity in a very large
measure to her appreciation of the wonderful results obtainable by the
union of all her subjects, of whatever racial origins, working with the
same heart and devotion for the grandeur of their common country.
I am not unduly enthusiastic, I am only speaking the plain truth, when I
affirm that the Republican Imperialism of the United States has been
most beneficent, having guaranteed to Mankind the inestimable boon of
laying deep and strong in a virgin soil, providentially gifted with the
most varied, the most abundant, the richest resources, the destinies of
a great Sovereign Nation comprising numerous ethnical groups. This
liberal, progressive, peaceful, harmonious Imperialism, it is a duty to
approve wishing it to achieve new triumphs for the general good of
Humanity.
Republican Imperialism is also making its way--contaminating it, our
"Nationalists" would say--in Southern America. This large and splendid
half of the New World has been for too many years the theatre of civil
troubles which appeared endless. A great change for the better has taken
place since the beginning of the concentration movement which has united
almost the entire Southern American Continent into eight Sovereign
States, two of which with really Imperial proportions.
The Brazilian Republic has a territorial area of 3,218,991 square miles,
with a population of more than 24,000,000 increasing at the average rate
of six or seven hundred thousand a year. With the great natural
resources at her command, she will certainly develop into one great
Power. The day is not so far distant when it will have a population
exceeding _fifty millions_ living in comfort on a soil of luxurious
wealth.
The Argentine Republic has a territory of 1,153,119 square miles in
extent. Her population is over 8,000,000, having doubled during the last
twenty years. At this rate of a yearly increase of five per cent., it is
easily foreseen what large total it will reach in a few years. It is
wealthy, doing the best with her splendid resources, already
contributing extensively to feed the population of Europe.
The other Southern American Republics--the Bolivian, the Chilean, the
Colombian, the Peruvian, the Venezuelan--have all territorial areas
double in extent of those of the Great Powers of Western and Central
Europe.
In Southern America, like everywhere else, the rising tide is not
running in favour of a multiplicity of small Sovereignties, always in a
warring frame of mind. Since her political reorganization, South
America, as a whole, has enjoyed the advantages of peace and of a large
material progress.
In reality the same political phenomenon is to be found in the five
continents forming the whole earthly globe. Let the "Nationalists" call
it _Imperialism_ if they like, I cannot help concluding that it is the
outgrowth of natural causes operating in the sense of larger political
units, giving to the Nations getting so constituted, prestige, power,
grandeur, favouring public order and, in many instances, the development
of free institutions.