Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-05
THE ROAD TO ASIA
Hawaii is theG Gateway Through
Which Eastern Trade Must Pass.
BENTON'S PREDICTION RECALLED
A Missourian Recites Interesting
History Bearingron the Present.
BENEFITS OF ANNEXATION

Colonel John T. Crisp Of Missouri, a we'll
known politician, is in Washington. Col
onel Crisp is one of the best story tellers
ana entertainers in the country, having q
reputation as a humorist extending from
one ocean to the other. The colonel has
| known most Of the prominent politicians OF
his day. besides being great reader, and
when in reminiscent mood wit and wis.
dom alike flow from his lips.
He was asked by a Star reporter
what was the opinion in Missouri regard
ing the annexation Of Hawaii.
Young man. said. he, that is a devil
| or a question to ask a Missourian. Sir
Missouri was the home Of Thomas Benton
| one of the greatest men this country ever
produced. Benton wanted to build a road
from st. Louis to San Francisco some time
| along about 1916 or Al, and standing in
the United States Senate, with his finger
pointing to the west, his great figure
the Senate by stating, There lies the east,
there lies the road to India A wonderful
prediction which has now come true.
Across this great country Of ours, passing
Dy the doors of Hawaii, we find the most
direct route to the east is through the
west columbus, sir, another great man,
mad this same idea before Benton, and
started west to find the east. and upon
reaching our shores thought he was upon
the western boundary of India. calling the
natives Indians because of that belief.
What was Columbus after, sir, in this
great adventure? He was after the Asiatic
trade. what was Thomas Benton after,
when In 1919 he made his great speech ia
vorlng the great central highway from st.
LOUIS to San Francisco, and said, When
nnished 1t will be the American road to
w ftIr~r, f1,o Ario to
OF Europe through the heart of out Amer
lea 1t will make us the mistress of that
trade; rich at home and powerful abroad.
The Object of Benton.
What was Benton after? He was after
the Asiatic trade. And what should we be
after now but the Asiatic trader We need
IL as market for our grain, our meat and
the products Of our workshops to enable
us TO get rid Of our over-production, which
stlhes trade, cuts down prices and causes
sorrow anu poverty among our laboring
meff 10 secure this Asatlc trade Thomas
benton proposed to go down the Ohio
river 10 the mississippi from the east, west
on the MISSOURI river to the mountains,
across the mountains in SledgeS and wa
CONS to the Columbia river; float down the
Columbia TO the Pacific coast, and from
there across the Pacific to Asia. This was
the dangerous and tedious route by which
Benton expected 10 secure and control the
trade OF Asia. He would not allow any OBJ
Stacle, no matter how great, to stand in
the way Of the control OF this trade, which
ne considered OF such Importance.
we llnd men Ill Congress from Missouri
who hesitate 10 welcome the annexation of
the lSianuS OF hawaii, nOtwlthS landing
tEey lie uHecliy III the crossroads of this
ASiauc commerce ana VIII control the Pa
cIHc ocean Tor interests more per-
fectIy anu securely than would a large and
powerful navy. What our great benton
with almost equal force TO HawaII. He
said: we have II without war, without
lax, without treaty VITA any power, and
Wi.en we make IL all nations must travel
it+-With our perniSsIon-and behave them
selves TO receive PERMISSION.
Heal Meaning of Annexation.
Does that not apply to Hawaii? We get
it for the asking. The ships of all nations
must pass by its doors, and, as Benton
says, with our PERMISSION, and behave
themselves to receive permission and fur
Their down in the same speech he said, Be
sides riches and power, it will give US
hold upon the good behavior of nations, by
the possession which it will give us of the
short, safe and cheap road to India
Now, SIR" said Col. Crisp, II ask you
if Hawaii won't do the same thing for US
at this day? Missourians who are ac-
quainted with the writings and history of
Benton do not hesitate upon this question,
but are Tor annexation to q man.
"And why did Benton desire to secure
this great Asiatic trade? Read his essays
on the subject and you will find that he
shows that the great nations of the earth
who controlled the Asiatic trade gre rich
and powerful, and with it's loss then res
tige, power and opulence fell. This is what
he says: Asiatic commerce has been the
pursuit Of all western nations from the
time Of the Phoenicians down to the pres
ent day-a space of three thousand years
hot riraO q irnn VIC
has been shifting its channel and that
wealth and power followed it, and disap-
peared upon its loss; that one more chan
mel was to be found-a last one, and our
America its seat
Across America to China.
Again, he says of his road: The trade
of the Pacific ocean, Of the western coast
of North America. and Of eastern Asia, will
all take it's track (meaning his road across
the mountains to the Pacific, and not only
for ourselves, but for posterity That trade
of India, which has been shifting it's chan
nels from the time of the Phoenicians to
the present, is destined to Shift once more,
and to realize the grand idea of Columbus.
The American road to India will also be-
come the European track to that region.
The European merchant well as the
American will fly across our continent on
a straight line to China
And to get there. sir, he will have to
will a merchant do? Why, sir, he would be
foolish if he did not keep a stock of goods
in Hawaii from which to fill orders, instead
Of dragging the same clear around the
world every time Chinaman wanted a
plug hat or pair of shoes. The trade with
Asia means wealth and prosperity for our
farmers; it will open up our mines; the
smoke from our factories will be seen all
over the land, and good silver money, sir,
the money of the Constitution and the
Bible, which the people want, and the DEM
ocrats propose to give them, will be taken
by the Asiatic as quickly as any other
kind of money: innwhich, sir. those Asiatic
fellows show good sense.
BentOn's Graphio Description.
Let me tell youi what Benton said about
the effect of Asia4ic commerce." continued
Colonel Crisp. "Hs said the rich commerce
of Asia, will flow thrcugh our center. And
where he's that commerce ever flowed with
out carrying wealth. and dominion with 1t.
Look at its ancient channels and the cities
which it has raised into kingdoms, and the
populations which upon its treasures be-