The Rangers Are Coming (40 page)

   It was all tied up in the mantra of a strictly neutral, and isolationist political philosophy.  America just didn’t really need anything from anyone, and trade was mostly limited to exotic foods, most of the world’s supply of rubber and shiploads of seemingly worthless rocks and minerals.  Yet the United States held large holdings in loans and stock in fifty foreign countries as a result of countries needing products and not having the trading materials or the cash to pay for them.

Arcadia pulled her first big international move in 1829, just a year after Hank Taylor had gotten settled into office as President of the United States.  Without any public announcement, men, equipment, supplies and heavy machinery began accumulating in the Isthmus of Panama.

A team of engineers, both from Arcadia’s group, plus a large number of graduate engineers from American universities worked on the project for several years.  They had to overcome the problems of disease, housing and feeding a work force of at least 10,000 men, and the colossal job of actually digging the canal.  Huge machinery in dirt movers,  big capacity scoop shovels, dump trucks, and railroad engines, had to be built and transported to Panama on ships.  They used every scrap of useful information they had from the construction of the original canal.  The locks, which had to be expanded in later years were designed bigger in the first place.  Altogether, the canal had taken the United States ten years from 1904 to 1914 to build the canal, but the French had done a lot of work before abandoning the effort in the late 1800’s.

The American engineers believed they could do the job in about 15 years.  In 1828, the work on the canal began in earnest.  The engineers almost got it right.  The Panama Canal was completed in 1843.  Almost all the work was done in a near vacuum of publicity.  The entire Isthmus was located inside the United States and the border with Columbia was heavily guarded by Rangers.  This was according to Arcadia’s plan.  Her goal was to make a global statement, and use it to further her agenda of controlling world politics without violating the neutrality of the country, and engaging in a massive missionary mission to demonstrate the power of God.

Henry Taylor completed his fourth term as President in 1844.  He presided over a rapidly changing United States.  The advisors from the future, became mostly happy observers, except in some of the fields of astronomy, the development of modern  rocketry, extraterrestrial space technology and  microelectronics.  Now, nearly all the new developments, of which there were many, were coming from the research facilities at the universities.  The slow drip of information that came from Arcadia’s team of experts gave the researchers a huge advantage.  Just doing experiments trying to learn something would yield results.  Knowing something existed provided a great many shortcuts leading to breakthroughs that were achieved in years, rather than decades.

He was often amazed to find some new wonder discovered, perfected, and brought to market.  But Henry Taylor was the most proud of the monumental effort that was put forth to build the Panama Canal.  It was the summit of his 16 years as president.  He would be happy to turn the reins of office over to his longtime vice president, Charles Gallagher, the first president to come from a state that was not one of the original 13 colonies.

Gallagher graduated from the Political Science school at age 21.  He made an immediate splash in his home state of Iowa.  He was regarded as an expert on everything agricultural, although he was thoroughly conversant in all the other components of government.  He was elected to Congress at the minimum age of 25.  He caught Arcadia’s eye with his rather brilliant ability to find consensus and compromise to tough questions.  She was very glad to see such an able man emerge when he did.  President Taylor had chosen another man as vice-president when he took office, but he was tragically killed in an accident while he was supervising the final months of construction on the Panama Canal.  So Gallagher was only 35 years old when he became Vice President.

He went through the very same process of learning about the Grand Conspiracy from Arcadia, who’s memory was now regarded even more highly by the public as the Mother of America.  His shock was significantly more profound than Taylor’s, and his introduction to a living, breathing and unchanged Arcadia almost caused Gallagher to faint.  Taylor enjoyed the entire scene immensely, just as Arcadia said he would.

Gallagher went through the same extensive briefing and the viewing of the Master History video.  So many things had changed, or never happened because of the 1770 intervention, that Gallagher had a hard time believing that the leaders of the country he loved had behaved in such foolish ways.  Nevertheless, he was fully prepared to accept the actual nature of the United States as a clear and vast improvement.

The time had come for the United States to unveil its new contribution to the world.  A press release with lots of maps, high quality color pictures, and schematics of the canal was prepared by Gallagher, and approved by the President and released to the world’s newspapers, which did not have the capability of printing the color pictures, but could print the maps and the carefully drawn rendering of the canal.  Taylor made sure his ambassadors delivered the full packet of photos and details of how the canal could be used to the head of every country in Europe and Asia.

The announcement created a global sensation.  The British redoubled their efforts to build the Suez Canal and were fully aware the American effort was appreciably more difficult.  Nevertheless, they congratulated President Taylor along with the other leaders of the community of nations.  A fleet of ships about to depart from Europe to Asia and vice-versa, changed their sailing plans immediately and were grateful for not having to face the difficult passage around the South American horn, and the considerably shortened time to reach ports in China and other places along the Pacific Rim.  They found the fees for using the canal were high, but very reasonable compared to the extra time it took to make the longer voyage. 

Once more, the mystery and wonder of what was going on in the United States became the subject of speculation in every quarter from the head of government offices to the local pubs.  The world got so many things from America…high quality goods of all kinds and at prices, no country in the world could match.

The anecdotal stories that came back from the crews of the trading ships that sailed into the ports of America were often scoffed at.  The idea that you could travel the length of New York city in an underground train; or that none of the buildings were made of wood, but were actually built with stone and steel; or that the streets were all paved with a dark, hard surface; or that there were lights burning without fire along every street and inside all the buildings, were generally discounted in the same category as sea monsters.  If the people who were laughing only knew, the sailors were just seeing the tip of the iceberg.

           As one of his last official acts in office, Henry Taylor  presided over the official opening of the Panama Canal and the passage of the first ship, a large new American freighter.  As Arcadia reminded him, “Make the first ship a freighter, not a warship.  The symbol we want to convey is strength in peace, not war.”  Taylor thought that was very sound advice.  A long line of ships was waiting to pay their money and sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in 20 hours, instead of two months.

                                                                      
38

The Great State of Sioux, United States

Arcadia’s return to the land of the Sioux nation in 1844 was much different than her last visit in 1774.  In that visit, Arcadia came to save the Native Americans.  On this visit, she came to celebrate them.  On her first visit, she had descended from the air as the Spirit Mother.  On this visit, she stepped off the train at the modern railroad station in Rapid City.  When she had come before, she was wearing her ceremonial silver/white dress.  This time she had on a pair of jeans and short sleeved polo shirt. 

The last time the Lakota had quivered in fear, this time they came forward with smiles and hugs.  Arcadia greeted the Governor of Sioux in the native Lakota language.  He laughed and responded in the same manner saying, “It’s so gracious of you to return with the words of our heritage on your lips.”

Arcadia laughed too, and said in English, “It’s been so long since I learned Lakota, I was afraid I would mess it up.”

“You were perfect, Madam Arcadia,” said Governor Adam Blackthorn, also in English.

“Please, just Arcadia, and no Spirit Mother or any other ancient honorific,” she laughed.

“You are most welcome,” said the Governor, “when you called to say you would visit us while everyone else was preoccupied in Panama, we were honored.”

“I had to make an inspection visit to make sure you guys are not causing trouble on the reservation.”

“What a thing to say,” groaned the Governor, “but I have read the history that no longer exists, and am happy to say we are all doing quite well and I haven’t lifted a single scalp all day.”

The whole party of greeters and Arcadia had a big laugh at that, and headed off to the main street where a big crowd had gathered and cheered as Arcadia came out of the train station.  There was a podium set up and Arcadia joined the Governor on it.  He held up his arms and said into a microphone.  “It has been many years since the Spirit Mother came to our grandfathers and showed us the way to freedom and a better life.  We welcome her back today, with joy and gratitude!”

There was a huge ovation from the big crowd.  Obviously, Arcadia would have to say something.  “Thank you all so much.  I don’t make public appearances anymore, but the people of the Great Sioux nation are wise.  You know that I appeared as a Spirit before, but know today that I am only flesh and blood and are happy to help me keep my secret from the superstitious white men.”

That got another huge ovation.  Arcadia continued, “I am here today to celebrate your wisdom, your progress, and your success.  There are no people in all this biggest country in the world with whom I am more proud!” 

The Governor led Arcadia off the podium and escorted her to a large ATV.  It was open at the top and she and governor drove slowly down the main street of Rapid City waving to the cheering people who were lined up four deep for a mile. 

They reached the grounds of the state capitol and pulled around the curving entrance that was lined with flowers and a lush green lawn.  The building was very different, uniquely Sioux, but it was beautiful.  The pillars at the entrance were carved with intricate figures.

The governor’s office was fairly traditional.  It was large with a big table at the front and chairs and a couch facing his desk.  He waved Arcadia to a seat.  “I know you are paying special attention to us, and your letters and calls are very much appreciated.  We have never had as much as we have today.”

“You and your predecessors did a masterful job of convincing all the tribes to relocate within the state boundaries I set for you,” said Arcadia, “I’m sure that was not easy, nor was it easy to become ranchers of buffalo instead of nomadic hunters.  However, you are all alive and I thank God for that.  Because you didn’t fight a war you couldn’t win, you preserved the majority of your population.  Not having to worry about disease saved more of you than a war would have.  The result is you have one of the most populous states in the country.”

“We still think it was quite a wonderful thing when a very nice lady hinted that we ought to scratch around in the Black Hills for hidden treasure.”

“How much gold have you recovered,” asked Arcadia?

“Oh only about $50 million dollars, worth,” said Adam.  “When you add in our meat production from several million buffalo, and the wonderful wheat and corn we grow along the Platte, using the irrigation techniques our children learned in the schools and universities, the State of Sioux is quite wealthy.”

“What about alcoholism,” asked Arcadia?

“Alcohol is illegal in this state, and our churches do a good job of keeping the evils of Satan from tempting the people.  We still have some problems, but we manage.”

“How many of your men have you managed to get into the Rangers,” smiled Arcadia?

“Over 800, at the present time, but you already knew that,” said Adam.

“And great soldiers they are.  Some of them are serving at our embassies in Europe, the people are scared to death of them.  Plus we put an entire company of them along the border with Columbia while we were building the canal.  The racial similarities made for an easier time for both sides.”

Arcadia spent a week in the big State of Sioux.  She saw the huge herds of buffalo, being driven by men driving speedy ATV’s.  She saw the miles of corn and wheat crops.  She saw a number of neat and tidy towns and villages, and she was very impressed with the capital of Rapid City with a population of over 75,000 people.  The Sioux had made the most of their opportunity.  They had excellent schools, and a thriving middle class.  A big crowd turned out to send her on her way.  She thoroughly enjoyed her ride on the train back to Washington.  She received no more notice than any pretty, young blond woman would have gotten.  Arcadia loved the anonymity. 

Henry Taylor rode out of office with the respect and gratitude of the entire country.  They had no problem is selecting his vice President Charles Gallagher as the new President in the November 1844 election.  It was a custom, albeit secret, that all new Presidents went into a comprehensive planning session between the election and the January inauguration with Arcadia and her staff of experts.  The purpose of the meetings were to review the historical records and to determine which events or discoveries, if any, had a direct impact on the United States.