The King in Yellow

Toward the end of the year 1920 the Government of the United States hadpractically completed the programme, adopted during the last months of PresidentWinthrop's administration. The country was apparently tranquil. Everybody knowshow the Tariff and Labour questions were settled. The war with Germany, incidenton that country's seizure of the Samoan Islands, had left no visible scars upon therepublic, and the temporary occupation of Norfolk by the invading army had beenforgotten in the joy over repeated naval victories, and the subsequent ridiculousplight of General Von Gartenlaube's forces in the State of New Jersey. The Cubanand Hawaiian investments had paid one hundred per cent and the territory ofSamoa was well worth its cost as a coaling station. The country was in a superbstate of defence. Every coast city had been well supplied with land fortifications; thearmy under the parental eye of the General Staff, organized according to thePrussian system, had been increased to 300,000 men, with a territorial reserve of amillion; and six magnificent squadrons of cruisers and battle-ships patrolled the sixstations of the navigable seas, leaving a steam reserve amply fitted to control homewaters. The gentlemen from the West had at last been constrained to acknowledgethat a college for the training of diplomats was as necessary as law schools are forthe training of barristers; consequently we were no longer represented abroad byincompetent patriots. The nation was prosperous; Chicago, for a moment paralyzedafter a second great fire, had risen from its ruins, white and imperial, and morebeautiful than the white city which had been built for its plaything in 1893.Everywhere good architecture was replacing bad, and even in New York, a suddencraving for decency had swept away a great portion of the existing horrors. StreetsR O B E R T W . C H A M B E R S2had been widened, properly paved and lighted, trees had been planted, squareslaid out, elevated structures demolished and underground roads built to replacethem. The new government buildings and barracks were fine bits of architecture,and the long system of stone quays which completely surrounded the island hadbeen turned into parks which proved a god-send to the population. The subsidizingof the state theatre and state opera brought its own reward. The United StatesNational Academy of Design was much like European institutions of the same kind.Nobody envied the Secretary of Fine Arts, either his cabinet position or hisportfolio. The Secretary of Forestry and Game Preservation had a much easiertime, thanks to the new system of National Mounted Police. We had profited well bythe latest treaties with France and England; the exclusion of foreign-born Jews as ameasure of self-preservation, the settlement of the new independent negro state ofSuanee, the checking of immigration, the new laws concerning naturalization, andthe gradual centralization of power in the executive all contributed to national calmand prosperity. When the Government solved the Indian problem and squadrons ofIndian cavalry scouts in native costume were substituted for the pitiableorganizations tacked on to the tail of skeletonized regiments by a former Secretaryof War, the nation drew a long sigh of relief. When, after the colossal Congress ofReligions, bigotry and intolerance were laid in their graves and kindness andcharity began to draw warring sects together, many thought the millennium hadarrived, at least in the new world which after all is a world by itself.But self-preservation is the first law, and the United States had to look on inhelpless sorrow as Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium writhed in the throes ofAnarchy, while Russia, watching from the Caucasus, stooped and bound them oneby one.