ited States covers an area almost
equal to that of Europe, and, more favored than that Grand Division,
is situated on the two great highways of commerce, the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. Europe is as far from the latter, as Asia is from the
former; and these highways, powerful means toward creating prosperity,
remain at the same time barriers whereby nations that find greater
delight in the arts of war than in those of peace, are restrained from
disturbing our national progress.

At the beginning of this twentieth century the nations upon which
depends the world's peace or war, happiness or misfortune, are the
United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy,
Russia, Japan, and in the near future China. Here we see that Europe,
although little larger in area than the United States, is represented
by seven nations, Asia by two, and the Western Hemisphere by one which
by its institutions stands for peace and progress, for law and (p. 014)
order. Hence we, its citizens, are known all over the world as
Americans.

If we compare the area occupied by the several European powers with
that covered by the main body of our republic, that is, not including
Alaska and other outlying territories, we find that Austria-Hungary
has four thousand square miles less than Texas, while Germany lacks
forty thousand square miles in comparison with the Lone Star State.
France is four thousand square miles less than Germany, and Italy is
only a thousand square miles greater than Nevada. The British Kingdom
in Europe is about twice the area of Illinois. Among the great nations
of the world, aside from outlying possessions beyond the Grand
Division, our country stands third, and should occupy the second
place, because China, the next larger, owes its greater area to
territories over which she has little or no control, and which she
seems destined to lose.

The largest country is Russia, covering as it does one-sixth of all
the land on the earth. This empire, although inhabited by people
differing in race, religion, and customs, is one compact whole. It
embraces in Europe 2,113,000 square miles, or more than all other
European nations combined; its area in Asia is 6,672,000 square miles,
making a total of 8,785,000 square miles, or 2.8 times as many as the
main body of our country. All the people living in this immense
empire, whatever their race, religion, or language, obey the will of
_one man_. We, who dwell in our