We could have cities of wood to be wiped out by conflagrations; we could build houses of mud and sticks for the gales to unroof like a Hottentot village.

We could bridge our small rivers with logs and be flood-bound when the rains descended.

We could live by wheelbarrow transit like the Chinaman and leave to some braver race the task of belting the world with railroads and bridging the seas with iron boats.
Nobody compels us to stand shoulder to shoulder and fight off nature's calamities as the French fought off their oppressor at Verdun.

I repeat, we could let nature oppress us as she oppresses the meek Chinese--let her whip us with cold, drought, flood, isolation and famine.
We chose to resist as the French resisted--because we are men.

Nature can chase the measly savage fleeing naked through the bush.