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ch refusing to be satisfied by a merely political victory boldly preached Internationalism as a higher ideal than Nationalism。 Truly； Time still devours all his children； and the hysterical desires bred by half…truths prevent the coming and triumphant reign of Truth。 While these various and mutually clashing motives swept Europe along during the first half of the nineteenth century； a different current hurried the United States into the rapids。 Should they continue to exist as one Union binding together sections with different interests； or should the Union be dissolved and those sections attempt to lead a separate political existence？ Fortunately； for the preservation of the Union； the question of slavery was uppermost in one of the sections。 Slavery could not be dismissed as a merely economic question。 Many Americans declared that it was primarily a moral issue。 And this transformed what the Southern section would gladly have limited to economics into a war for a moral ideal。 With the destruction of slavery in the South the preservation of the Union came as a matter of course。
The Civil War itself had given a great stimulus to industry； to the need of providing military equipment and supplies； and of extending； as rapidly as possible； the railroads which were the chief means of transportation。 When the war ended in 1865； this expansion went on at an increasing rate。 The energy which had been devoted to military purposes was now directed to commerce and industry； to developing the vast unpeopled tracts from the Mississippi to the Pacific； and to exploiting the hitherto neglected or unknown natural resources of the country。 Every year science furnished new methods of converting nature's products into man's wealth。 Chemistry； the doubtful science； Midas…like； turned into gold every thing that it touched。 There were not native workers enough； and so a steady stream of foreign immigrants flocked over from abroad。 They came at first to better their own fortunes by sharing in the unlimited American harvests。 Later； our Captains of Industry； regardless of the quality of the new comers； and intent only on securing cheap labor to multiply their hoards； combed the lowest political and social levels of southern Europe and of western Asia for employees。 The immigrants ceased to look upon America as the Land of Promise； the land where they intended to settle； to make their homes； and to rear their children； it became for them only a huge factory where they earned a living and for which they felt no affection。 On the contrary； many of them looked forward to returning to their native country as soon as they had saved up a little competence here。 The politicians； equally negligent of the real welfare of the United States； gave to these masses of foreigners quick and unscrutinized naturalization as American citizens。
So it fell out that before the end of the nineteenth century a great gulf was opening between Labor and Capital。 Now a community can thrive only when all its classes feel that they have COMMON interests； but since 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；