Show THE WORLD IS IMPROVING WAA how commercial bonds have knit closely in the strongest ties the great nations of the earth at the end of the year says the world s work we may congratulate ourselves that it will leave the world in much better plight than it found it when it began there was war in south africa and there were troublesome hostilities in the philippines now peace Is broken it if broken at all only by the unrest in venezuela and co lombia bombia and in hayti that follows their revolutions and in africa where the mad mullah has attacked the brit ish and not only Is the world at peace but the great nations are more securely linked together perhaps than they ever were before new forces tor for peace are at work especially two of the strongest possible world influx an organized and closely knit commerce which none can afford to disturb for fear of a lasting loss of trade and in particular the over whelming whelmine wh elming commercial power afi ot the united states which would gain a still surer lead by the suspension of industrial activity in any important country the little periodical adjust ments of power and of privilege that the nations used to make by special treaties were crude and weak guaran ties of peace in comparison with the compelling power of modern corn coin merce mores and all that it implies the rost recent wars were really only contier on tier wars men without historical knowledge easily bel eve that their own era Is a new era in the horld but men with historical knowledge non ledge now see internal dional condit ons that are rad cally different and rad cally be r for peace than any of the bat battered terea centuries be hind us knew the un fettering of the dominant race of men by tree free eions to free opportunity on the most fruitful condret con cont net tret and the industrial rise of the e c fortifying its political power I 1 lae av a v e put all nations in a new relation to one another and in a new loi to civilization thil revolutionary fac has become plainer this year than it ever was before ita its far reaching s ance we do not yet tee ee but it looks like a great force that will vork for the steadying of governments ind for the sane i of endeavor for centuries to ta come for it is the natural result ol 01 a great law of auman numan development and not an advantage naion sv on by the strength of armies or by the skill ot of diplomatists or by any other power that may change with a change of rul ers and of generations the industrial man becomes stronger the political man weal er ind economic force is beginning to rule the world as mill tary force once ruled it the wise man makes men first weep and then laugh the tool fool makes men first laugh and then weep |