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The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 26. THE ACCIDENT OF NATIONMAKING.

Lord Gladstone, the Governor-General of United British, .South Africa, at a meeting in Capetown, recommended the blending, of characteristic aptitudes and capacities in order to give the nation brilliancy and strength. The new Governor obviously bases his recommendation on the truth that modern nations which achieve pre-eminence are a blend ©f nationalities. The finest modern example of brilliance and strength is to be found in -America, where, because of the special value of natural resources, the people of all lands have gone to "seek their fortunes." Every conceivable kind of person rushes to a new hind in search of money and adventure, and so it happens that the United States 'has, since the War of Independence, become a great field for the human endeavor of the folk of all nations. Th* early citizens of the Eepublic fought tooth and nail for existence and a competency, their new instincts having arisen through the necessities of the situation. No greater "mixture" ever existed than that composing the American nation, and the second, third, fourth, and succeeding generations possess the blended characteristics of many races—the best and the worst of all. The British people do not owe their proud position m much to the insularity of the Old Country as to the fact that the British are a more or less judiciou* 'blend. It is a poor .boast, as far as national or individual strength is concerned, that a race is "pure." The racehorse has speed and a delicate constitution. The mule has a constitution of iron and the stubbornness of the blended Britisher. One of our commonest sayings in relation to revival of enterprise is that "new .blood" has been infused. It is very apt wind very explanatory. The benefits of blending, are everywhere apparent wherever people of fighting proclivities have left the parent state to colonise new lands. The mere advice of Lord Gladstone in relation to the blending of the national characteristics of Butch and British can have no effect. The work must be left to nature. The real blending began taking place in South Africa long before the colonies had become British. That is to «ay, many Dutch women married Englishmen, and many Englishmen married Boer wives'. But the gradual evolution of a Mended race means that the dominant characteristic of such a race is independence of thought and action. The Americans of British, German, trutch, Scandinavian, Italian, or Spanish parentage (or a mixture of any two) have no Old Country ideals. They are simply' Americans. The Afrikander of mixed parentage will in the future be muck more African than either English or Dutch. It is inevitable in the blending process that the selfishness which creates nations will dominate that country. Throughout history the conservative nations which have been proud of the .purity of their blood and the unmixed quality of their characteristics have invariably gone to .the wall. An aristocracy cannot survive without admixture. In Australia and New Zealand we have innumerable examples of the mixture of races, and there is no doubt that in this blending there is strength. I England is frequently scoffed at for°af-! fording sanctuary to the peoples of all nations, but the fact remains that while a proportion of foreigners living in England give the police a great deal of trouble, the "Englishman" born of mixed parentage is worthy of his place under the flag. No deliberate act, or series of acts, ;an make or mar a nation. Environment and accident are the chief reasons of development or unsuccess. The nations that are not successful colenisers are unable to obtain the accidental expansion that will come from blending. Change of environment produces the characteristics necessary to fight the foes of such environment. Transplantation frequently has wonderful effects. As a homely instance -are \ have only to point to the gorse, the blackberry, the English' pheasant, or the unthinkable rabbit. European parents of small stature and weight who emigrate to Australia, Canada, or New Zealand are frequently blessed with offspring who are finer physical and mental specimens than themselves. New blood and new territory are a.s necessary for the expansion and success of a great race as fertiliser is for poor ground. Man makes his dispositions of men and .women, and Nature in her unvarying, wonderful way does the rest. No political .party can either obliterate characteristics, Mend people, or make provisions for brilliancy and strength. It may theorise and dogmatise, preach, orate, and legislate, but at the basis of all national strength, vigor, and mental attainment is the apparently accidental propinquity of people. Nature makes use of accidents, and creates nations out of them. < ; ';P?

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19100526.2.16

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 39, 26 May 1910, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
781

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 26. THE ACCIDENT OF NATIONMAKING. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 39, 26 May 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 26. THE ACCIDENT OF NATIONMAKING. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 39, 26 May 1910, Page 4

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