American Labor was largely composed of foreigners； it acquired a double antagonism to Capital。 It had not only the supposed natural antagonism of employee to employer； but also the further cause of misunderstanding； and hostility even； which came from the foreignness of its members。 Another ominous condition arose。 The United States ceased to be the Land of Promise； where any hard…working and thrifty man could better himself and even become rich。 The gates of Opportunity were closing。 The free lands； which the Nation offered to any one who would cultivate them； had mostly been taken up； the immigrant who had been a laborer in Europe； was a laborer here。 Moreover； the political conditions in Europe often added to the burdens and irritation caused by the industrial conditions there。 And the immigrant in coming to America brought with him all his grievances； political not less than industrial。 He was too ignorant to discriminate； he could only feel。 Anarchy and Nihilism； which were his natural reaction against his despotic oppressors in Germany and Russia； he went on cultivating here； where； by the simple process of naturalization； he became politically his own despot in a year or two。
But； of course； the very core of the feud which threatens to disrupt modern civilization was the discovery that； in any final adjustment； the POLITICAL did not suffice。 What availed it for the Taborer and the capitalist to be equal at the polls； for the vote of one to count as much as the vote of the other； if the two men were actually worlds apart in their social and industrial lives？ Equality must seem to the laborer a cruel deception and a sham unless it results in equality in the distribution of wealth and of opportunity。 How this is to be attained I have never seen satisfactorily stated； but the impossibility of realizing their dreams； or the blank folly of doting on them； has never prevented men from striving to obtain them。 From this has resulted the frantic pursuit； during a century and a quarter； of all sorts of projects from Babuvism to Bolshevism； which； if they could not install Utopia overnight； were at least calculated to destroy Civilization as it is。 The common feature of the propagandists of all these doctrines seems to be the throwing…over of the Past； not merely of the proved evils and inadequacies of the Past； but of our conception of right and wrong； of morals； of human relations； and of our duty towards the Eternal； which； having sprung out of the Past； must be jettisoned in a fury of contempt。 In short； the destroyers of Society （writhing under the immemorial sting of injustice； which they believed was wholly caused by their privileged fellows； and not even in part inherent in the nature of things） supposed that by blotting out Privilege they could establish their ideals of Justice and Equality。
In the forward nations of Europe； not less than in the United States； these ideals had been arrived at； at least in name； and so far as concerned politics。 Even in Germany； the most rigid of Absolute Despot isms； a phantasm of political liberty was allowed to flit about the Halls of Parliament。 But through the cunning of Bismarck the Socialist masses were bound all the more tightly to the Hohenzollern Despot by liens which seemed to be socialistic。 Nevertheless； the principles of the Social Revolution spread secretly from European country to country； whether it professed to be Monarchical or Republican。
In the United States； when Theodore Roosevelt succeeded to the Presidency in 1901； a similar antagonism between Capital and Labor had become chronic。 Capital was arrogant。 Its advance since the Civil War had been unmatched in history。 The inundation of wealth which had poured in； compared with all previous amassing of riches； was as the Mississippi to the slender stream of Pactolus。 The men whose energy had created this wealth； and the men who managed and increased it； lost the sense of their proper relations with the rest of the community and the Nation。 According to the current opinion progress consisted in doubling wealth in the shortest time possible； this meant the employment of larger and larger masses of labor； therefore laborers should be satisfied； nay； should be grateful to the capitalists who provided them with the means of a livelihood； and those capitalists assumed that what they regarded as necessary to progress； defined by them； should be accepted as necessary to the prosperity of the Nation。
Such an alignment of the two elements； which composed the Nation； indicated how far the so…called Civilization； which modern industrialism has created； was from achieving that social harmony； which is the ideal and must be the base of every wholesome and enduring State。 The condition of the working classes in this country was undoubtedly better than that in Europe。 And the discontent and occasional violence here were fomented by foreign agitators who tried to make our workers believe that they were as much oppressed as their foreign brothers。 Wise observers saw that a collision； it might be a catastrophe； was bound to come unless some means could be found to bring concord to the antagonists。 Here was surely an amazing paradox。 The United States； already possessed of fabulous wealth and daily amassing more； was heading straight for a social and economic revolution； because a part of the inhabitants claimed to be the slaves of industrialism and of poverty。
This slight outline； which every reader can complete for himself； will serve to show what sort of a world； especially what sort of an American world； confronted Roosevelt when he took the reins of government。 His task was stupendous； the problems he had to solve were baffling。 Other public men of the time saw its portents； but he alone seems to have felt that it was his duty to strain every nerve to avert the impending disaster。 And he alone； as it seems to me； understood the best means to take。
Honesty； Justice； Reason； were not to him mere words to decorate sonorous messages or to catch and placate the hearers of his passionate speeches； they were the most real of all realities； moral agents to be used to clear away the deadlock into which Civilization was settling。
CHAPTER XI。 ROOSEVELT'S FOREIGN POLICY
In taking the oath of office at Buffalo； Roosevelt promised to continue President McKinley's policies。 And this he set about doing loyally。 He retained McKinley's Cabinet；* who were working out the adjustments already agreed upon。 McKinley was probably the best…natured President who ever occupied the White House。 He instinctively shrank from hurting anybody's feelings。 Persons who went to see him in dudgeon； to complain against some act which displeased them； found him 〃a bower of roses；〃 too sweet and soft to be treated harshly。 He could say 〃no〃 to applicants for office so gently that they felt no resentment。 For twenty years he had advocated a protective tariff so mellifluously； and he believed so sincerely in its efficacy； that he could at any time hypnotize himself by repeating his own phrases。 If he had ever studied the economic subject； it was long ago； and having adopted the tenets which an Ohio Republican could hardly escape from adopting； he never revised them or even questioned their validity。 His protectionism； like cheese； only grew stronger with age。 As a politician； he was so hospitable that in the campaign of 1896； which was fought to maintain the gold standard and the financial honesty of the United States； he showed very plainly that he had no prejudice against free silver； and it was only at the last moment that the Republican managers could persuade him to take a firm stand for gold。
* In April； 1901； J。 W。 Griggs had retired as Attorney…General and was succeeded by P。 C。 Knox； in January； 1902； C。 E。 Smith was replaced by H。 W。 Payne as Postmaster…General。
The chief business which McKinley left behind him； the work which Roosevelt took up and carried on； concerned Imperialism。 The Spanish War forced this subject to the front by leaving us in possession of the Philippines and by bequeathing to us the responsibility for Cuba and Porto Rico。 We paid Spain for the Philippines； and in spite of constitutional doubts as to how a Republic like the United States could buy or hold subject peoples； we proceeded to conquer those islands and to set up an American administration in them。 We also treated Porto Rico as a colony； to enjoy the blessing of our rule。 And while we allowed Cuba to set up a Republic of her own； we made it very clear that our benevolent protection was behind her。
All this constituted Imperialism； against which many of our soberest citizens protested。 They alleged that as a doctrine it contradicted the fundamental principles on which our nation was built。 Since the Declaration of Independence； America had stood before the world as the champion and example of Liberty； and by our Civil War she had purged her self of Slavery。 Imperialism made her the mistress of peoples who had never been consulted。 Such moral inconsistency ought not to be tolerated。 In addition to it was the political danger that lay in holding possessions on the other side of the Pacific。 To keep them we must be prepared to defend them； and defense would involve maintaining a naval and military armament and of stimulating a warlike spirit； repugnant to our traditions。 In short； Imperialism made the United States a World Power； and laid her open to its perils and entanglements。
But while a minority of the men and women of sober judgment and conscience opposed Imperialism； the large majority accepted it； and among these was Theodore Roosevelt。 He believed that the recent war had involved us in a responsibility which we could not evade if we would。 Having destroyed Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines； we must see to it that the people of those islands were protected。 We could not leave them to govern themselves because they had no experience in government； nor could we dodge our obligation by selling them to any other Power。 Far from hesitating because of legal or moral doubts； much less of questioning our ability to perform this new task； Roosevelt embraced Imperialism； with all its possible issues； boldly not to say exultantly。 To him Imperialism meant nati