Geography of the Land. 31 
REPORT—GEOGRAPHY OF THE LAND. 
By HERBERT G. OGDEN. 
In my annual report a year ago, I presented to you briefly our 
knowledge of the great geographic divisions of the world. It 
might be instructive to continue the subject this evening by relat- 
ing the additional information we have acquired during the year ; 
but as the items are not of great value and the most important 
are more in the form of rumors than of facts, I have restricted 
myself more to the interests of the western hemisphere, and 
particularly to those affecting the United States. 
In Europe we have still the visions of war that have agitated 
her peoples for years past; the decapitation of the Turk, and 
division of his European empire to appease the ambition of 
“friendly powers.” It is not until we pass by this civilized sec- 
tion and reach the far east, that we recognize the dawn of prog- 
ress in the year; the birth of events that may in time increase 
the happiness and welfare of many people. 
The influence of the United States in extending the principle 
so early enunciated, “‘that all men are born free and equal” has 
been most marked. The western hemisphere is virtually under 
the rule of men chosen by the people, and though we cannot claim 
that in all instances the result has been satisfactory, there has, 
nevertheless, been a steady advance ; political disturbances have 
become less frequent and with prolonged tranquillity the arts of 
peace, commercial enterprise and internal improvements, have re- 
ceived an impetus that will wed more strongly the advocates of 
personal liberty to their ideal God. 
Educated men in both hemispheres predict ultimate success or 
failure for our form of government and advance cogent argu- 
ments in support of the views they express. The complications 
of the great economic questions that confront us afford texts for 
arguments that cause many to doubt the wisdom of entrusting 
the welfare of a great nation to the votes of the masses; never- 
theless, the people are firm in the belief that they can conduct 
their own affairs ; and those whom they intrust with temporary 
power are seldom so short-sighted as not to realize that a violation © 
