CALIFORNIA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 85, 30 May 1911, Page 5

CALIFORNIA.

THE WHITE MAN’S LAST OUTPOST. ■ i o r “Anyone who lives in California and attempts to write of tho future in America,” says Mr H. W. Smith, of Los Gatos, California, in an interesting letter to the “Spectator,” can hardly fail to quote Bishop Berkley’s lines : ' ; Westward tho course of empire takes its way, The first four acts already passed A fifth shall close the drama with the day; Time’s noblest offspring is his last. For, surely, California is the last outpost of the white man in his Westward migration. Like Xenophon’s Greeks, we have rolled down to the sea, and perceive that tho lands beyond are held by peoples with; whom there is no common tie of blood, of history, or religion. ■ ; J “For those who sec no continuity of Divine purpose in the course of history the' situation, is one that may Well lead to pessimism and despair, for the white ;man in California is riot holding his own. . The population is increasing, to bo sure, but only by, immigration, the birth-rate being just about equal to tho deathfa tpj say 14 per year per thousand. People still marry, but children have gone out of fashion. Religion is languishing as a real force.Ain the community* and many are turning towards the beautiful mirage of Socialism, while , over the western horizon looms big and black tho cloud of impending war, with Japan. * When that war comes it will not be a farce, like our Spanish prpmeriado in arms in 1898, but a real heart-stirring and even heart-breaking contest, whichj in my opinion at least, will awaken the sentiment of patriotism ,all over the country, arid weld the hotorogeric;ous elements of our population into a solid coherent mass, from-which will spring the real American nationof the twentieth century—a 'nation which will speak English but will have too large an admixture of 1 Latin, Celtic', and Slav blood to bo any longer called Anglo-Saxon. ;, v ; \ “Of course wo are unprepared for war, as has always been the case, in every emergency in our history, arid therefore it is probable that the Japanese will do about as they please for tho first six taking Manila and all our Pacifier - -islands, and oven landing an .army on our Pacific coast; and I think that tho Japanese plan contefriplates some such result, w ith the expectation -of making peace after exacting a huge indemnity for evacuating our maiti4 land, much as they terminated thrift struggle with Russia; but, if such be their forecast, I think it will turn out to J» e erroneous, for the American people, when fully aroused, will refuse to listen to any humiliating proposals of peace, even though there should bo some among us, like the Copperheads of 1862-63, to cry for peace at any price; but our people will rather insist on carrying the conflict through to its only definite conclusion—the expulsion of tho . invader from every corner of American soil. “Let Mr Carnegie push his peace propaganda with all the millions ho can muster, but; no enduring peafco can come until it has been decided who shall be tho ruler of the Pacific Ocean, and that is a question beyond the purview of Tho Hague Tribunal. Further, our work must. bo done alone, for we have foolislily alienated Russia, tho host wo crin expect from England is neutrality, Franco is of small account in this case, and Germany would hardly grant aid except at the price of some top onerous concession on our part. “It is not for mortals to fathom the deep designs of Divine Providence, but for my part I hope that the tragedy of the war that is impending may purge the nation of the vices due to case and prosperity, and give us that now birth which must come, if Berkley’s words are to bo realised in fact.”