THE FREE LANCE.
"His good Wade carves /he c•asques of men, for' he Free Lance
thrusledh sure."
Vol. XV I.
IS OUR COUNTRY SECURE ?
IN THE drama of the world's,,history various forms of
government, theocracy, monarchy, and democracy,
have played their part. Each has appeared on the stage
and presented to mankind its own peculiar principles and
legitimacy. One has swayed its scepter under the guise of
a divine right and to-clay only exists in a few Asiatic coun
tries; the idea of monarchy to-clay, does not share the re
spect it had in past centuries; and, in the century just
past, democracy has come upon the arena to engage the
g overnments of the world in mortal combat.
When we study the history of monarchy and learn how
revolution after revolution has taken place, we rejoice that
the land of our birth has no such lorm of government; but
when we also make inquiry into the countries which have
been called republics, we see that they have not, as a rule,
exhibited that kind or degree of durability that we desire
for our own free nation. Switzerland exists simply because
any attempt to overthrow her would plunge the whole of
Europe into an international war. The so-called republics
of Greece and Rome, and the two French republics have per
ished, and to-clay, Mexico and the South American govern
ments are by no means secure; for the embers of revolution
are continually smoldering ready to burst forth whenever
April, 1902:
No. 1.