nearly a thing of the past,--"tending," as Carlyle says,
"visibly not to be." In the second place, I believe that I understand
American susceptibilities; and they will not be hurt by any one who
shows that he does understand. What the American resents bitterly is the
arrogant and superficial criticism of the foreigner who sums up the
characteristics and destiny of the nation after a few weeks of
observation. Moreover, Americans do not as a rule like whispering or the
attempt to come at things by by-paths--in which they much resemble the
English. When they want a thing they commonly ask for it--distinctly.
When they think a thing ought to be done they prefer to say
so--unequivocally. They have not much love for the circuitousnesses of
diplomacy; and if England desires American co-operation in what is a
great and noble cause she had much better ask for it--bluntly.

Personally I wish that forty million Englishmen would stand up and shout
the request all at once.

FOOTNOTES:

[8:1] Since this was written, the Anglo-Russian agreement has been
arrived at.

[10:1] Justin H. Smith, _Our Struggle for the Fourteenth Colony_,
Putnams, 1907.

[15:1] _The Bellman_, Minneapolis, Dec. 22, 1906.

[32:1] A point which there is no space to dwell upon here but which I
would commend to the more leisurely consideration of readers--especially
American readers--is that under a _regime_ of physical force there can
in fact be hardly any transfer of commodities at all. What a man has, he
holds, whether his need of it be greater than another's, or whether he
needs it not at all. There is no inducement to part with it and pride
compels him to hold; so that only the strongest can come by the
possession of anything that he desires. If the dollar were substituted
for the club in the dealings of nations, the transfer of commodities
would forthwith become simplified, and such incidents as the purchase of
Alaska and the cession of Heligoland, instead of standing as isolated
examples of international accommodation, would become customary. To take
an example which will bring the matter home at once, many imperialist
Englishmen on visiting the West Indies have become convinced that
certain of England's possessions in those regions could with advantage
to all parties be transferred to the United States. But so long as the
military idea reigns--so long as an island must be regarded primarily as
an outpost, a possible naval base, a strategic point--