The greatness of ancient Europe, Asia, and Africa gathered along the
shores and harbors of the Mediterranean; all beyond was barbarism, bound
to the sovereigns of the Midland Sea only by terror of arms. Even to
this day, the laws and literature of those master nations are yet
dominant in all the learning and social polity of Europe. This great
northern water system is geographically the Mediterranean of the North
American continent, and Minnesota, the actual centre, is its _omphalos_.

The geographical centre of North America in the heart of Minnesota is
also the pinnacle of its watershed--the central source of the majestic
rivers whose vast basins determine the physical contour, climates,
products, commerce, industry, and political destiny of two-fifths of the
whole continent.

With such a theatre for development, the future of this great area, in
near grasp, surpasses conception. Egypt, with it endless renown,
dwindles into insignificance in comparison. The paramount supremacy of
any nation depends wholly on its utility to the rest of mankind.

The warrior nation yields in turn to a stronger foe, while all alike are
willing tributaries to the natural arbiter of commerce and source of
food supply. Wars, by the laws of Providence, attend the convulsions of
national change and growth; but all alike ever welcome the white-winged
doves of commerce as the ministers and messengers of national glory and
prosperity.

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN TAXATION.

There have been few more striking circumstances connected with the
transcendent changes which have taken place in this country during the
past three years than the steady verification, amid every change, of
those great principles of political economy which, during the past half
century, have been the practical guides of European legislation. In
fact, under the pressure of war we are slowly coming to realize our
fellowship with the communities of the Old World in the laws of social
change. Step by step the nation is now passing through all the changes
in its internal and domestic condition that took place in Great Britain
in the wars with Napoleon. Struck with the novelty and apparent
anomalies of our condition, we have been inclined to feel that it was
without parallels in history. But in that period of English history
which beheld a suspension of specie payment protracted twenty years, an
enormous expansion of the currency--the appreciation of gold--a rise in
prices