The Montana post., 1868-12-04
OCCIDENT AND ORIENT.

Z The progress of civilization has ever
Deen westward. Its cradle was in the
North Temperate zone and moving to-
ward the occident. population, arts. sci-
ences and letters, the energies of Com-
merce, the hum of industry, improves
ment in government, and the elevation
of humanity. have had inception and
successful nurture almost wholly with
in the same limits. In six thousand
years it's tide hes never turned back,
and scarce transgressed the narrow
/ boundaries. Cities, Kingdoms. nations.
and peoples have been overswert in its
resistless course. TO live in the glories of
its golden day, and sit after in its linger-
ing twilight remembering happier days,
or, in the darkness of desolation and for
\ getiulness, with their banners and deeds
alone reproduced on the canvass of his
tory. or crumbling to decay on the gran
ite pages of buried cities. Evolved from
the Orient, westward over lands, seas
and grand divisions iT has passed until
on the Pacific shores of America its
course is stayed, as the fire ceases when
the fuel is consumed. And now the
West, lighting new torches at the sacred
flame, and preparing the way with
roads, canals and telegraphs, re-
turns To light up the waste EIaces OF the
old world To revivify with the electric
impulse of enterprise the dormant fac
ulties, and call into vigorous exercise
the exhaustless capabilities of the East.
India fifteen years ago had not rail-
road within its vast domain, now it has
four thousand miles built by English
capitalists. and fast completing lines are
connecting the principal cities. The
Suez ship canal, that stupendous work
of France. is nearing completion and an
Emperor of the nineteenth
century is the master spirit
who turns from the west to complete
and render useful the project of the
Persian King, Darius, halt century
before the Christian era. American cap
italists purpose another ship canal across
the lsthmus of Darien, that the com
merce of the East may not be monopo-
liZed by Europe. or American ships be
compelled to sail through canals owned
by alien powers, and liable at any time
u be closed 10 our fleets, IL is upon the
anticipated heavy trade with Asia, after
its marts have been opened by treaties
aud enlarged by trade, that the estab-
lisbed and projected trans continental
railroads of America depend, in a great
measure. for successful operation. The
Embassy, of which Mr.. Burlingame is
the spokesman, appointed by the En-
peror. manitests the desire of that po-
tentate TO unlock the ports of China. to
throw down the walls of seclusion, share
the benefits of trade, and welcome the
glowing effulgence of that intelligent
light. whose primal sparks were placedin
the hands of tie western bound. thous-
ands of years ago. Not the leastimportant
OF the many kindred enterprises tending
TO this purpose is the establishment of
the East India Telegraph Company.
The privilege of connecting the princi-
pal cities of China by telegraph was
given TO this Company by Mr. Burlin-
game on behalf of the Chinese Governs
ment. and Incorporated under an act of
the New York Legislature, and we no.
tice by the Tribune that all aTrange-
ments are perfected, and the Company
will proceed. at an early day, to carry
it into operation. This line of 900
miles will directly connect cities having
a commercial population of six million
people, and Indirectly afford facilities of
communication To the people of all
China, numbering 14.o00 600 people, or
over one-third of the entire population
of the earth. It is almost incredible,
yet true, that the foreign trade of a
dozen of these cities amounts TO one
thousand million dollars annually, and
il is doubtless in part owing to the
American Governu ent having secured
this desirable privilege, through Mr..
Burlingame, to the exclusion of England,
that he was so rudely treated on his first
arrival in London. The paramount inn
pOrtance of securing a portion of the trade
of the Celestials 10 nourishing a petty
spite has induced more civil treatment TO
the Embassy recently, and it's presenta-
ton by the Premier to the Queen at
Windsor Ii is better for all that Amer
ica has precedence in the new field for
the tendency of British companies to
build up destructive monopolies like
the East India and Hudson's s Bay has
itself and universally pro-
ven an evil TO all except the company.
A vast proportion of the Asiatic trade
will naturally be with America, and up-
on general principles as well as in view
of the partial dependence tor some years
of the Pacific railroad upon il, il is well
that our government should generously
encourage all enterprises calculated TO
establish and build it up. The West is
going back to pay a visit of enlighten-
ment to the East, and America is the
favored guest. Who would hazard the
prediction thai Asia will not be clus~
ter of Republics in a hundred years.
reared on the ruins of present empiresg