. _A Youthful Traveler_

Along the highroad that leads to empire moves the American people, in
the heyday of its youth, sturdy, vigorous, energy-filled, replete with
power and promise--conquerors who have swept aside the Indians, enslaved
a race of black men, subdued a continent, and begun the extension of
territorial control beyond their own borders. More than a hundred
million Americans--fast losing their standards of individualism--fast
slipping under the domination of a new-made ruling class of wealth-lords
and plutocrats--journey, not discontentedly, along the imperial
highroad.

The preliminary work of empire-building has been accomplished--territory
has been conquered; peoples have been subjected and a ruling class
organized. The policy of imperialism has been accepted by the people,
although they have not thought seriously of its consequences. They have
set out, in good faith, as they believe, to seek for life, liberty and
happiness. They do not yet realize that, along the road that they are
now traveling, the journey will not be ended until they have worn
themselves threadbare in their efforts to conquer the earth.

The American people,--lacking in political experience and in world
wisdom; ignorant of the laws of economic and social change,--have
committed themselves, unwittingly, to the world old task of setting up
authority over those who have no desire to accept it, and of exacting
tribute from those who do not wish to pay it.

The early stages of the journey led across a continent. The American
people followed it eagerly. Now that the trail leads to other continents
they are still willing to go.

"Manifest destiny" is the cry of the leaders. "We are called," echo the
followers, and the nation moves onward.

There was some hesitancy among the American people during the Spanish
War. Even the leaders were not ready then. Now the leaders are
prepared--for markets, for trade, for investments. They are indifferent
to political conquest, but economically they are prepared to go on--into
Latin America; into Asia; into Europe. The war taught them the lesson
and gave them an inkling of their power. So they move along the imperial
highroad--followed by a people who have not yet learned to chant the
songs of victory--but who are destined, at no very distant date, to
learn victory's lessons and to pay victory's price. Along the path,--far
away in the distance they see the earth like a ball, rolling at their
feet.