The record-union., 1898-11-20


can enterprise and capital are over
flowing in every direction-in Canadian
mines, in. Mexican railways, in South
American plantations, and in scores
CT other ways; American progress has
outstripped that of the rest of the
world in every line save that of oceanic
shipping; American genius will not be
pent and is bounG tc diffuse itself by
individual effort if not by national ac-
ton. Such is the present condition of
the United States, as demonstrated by
any fair arrangement of figures or
growth young giant is
rending his chains. The prospect is
definite: Just as the Louisiana pur-
chase in 1903 made America steam
boat nation, and just as the acquisition
of California in 1913 made America a
railway and telegraph nation, so the
acquisition of Hawaii and Porto Rico
and above all of the Philippines in
1898 must make America the naval
nation of the earth; for the problem
born of the accession would be that
problem of navigation which needs
American genius for it's final solution,
while America needs the incentive to
strengthen that element in which alone
she is weak. The Philippines are re-
mote-only a fraction so remote in
time as was California half-century
ago, yet remote enough to compel the
invention of devices for shortening
time and annihilating space; and the
problem of bringing Manila within o
fortnight of San Francisco is one
worthy the genius of the inventors
of the innumerable devices involved
in steamboating, Tailroading, and teie-
graphing. Given swift vessels, the 9TH
err problems presented by the Garden
of the East are of little consequence
save as forecasting directions for the
profitable expenditure of long-Dent Ell
ergy: the 7,O000 600 pastoral natives
and tax gathering Spaniards are far
less menace to our quadrupled popula-
ton and multiplied power than were
the savage tribes and resident Next
cans of California: while it is the spe-
cial function of the republican form
of government to render the inhabi-
tants of acquired territory not only
self-supporting but self-governing. The
progress of mankind may be measured
by advance in speed of locomOtion, be-
ginning with fieetness of foot, coming
up the rough feetness of ridden ana
driven animals, and ending with swift
ness of locomotive engines and sea-
going craft; and, with vessels of suffi-
cient swiftness and projectiles of suit
cient velocity, there need be little fear
Of foreign complications, little occasion
for maintaining great navies; for, If
commercial competition be but aroused.
individual effort may be trusted to
develop the devices required for ma
tional protection. The fact that
quickly converted merchantmen COM
manded by a Sigsbee, or that a hastily
armed yacht commanded by Vain
wright, can wreck torpedo boat de-
stroyers and naval theory together Is
full of promise, since it is the normal
function of free nation to produce
Sigsbees and Wainwrights, to develop
swiftness and certainty of action and
to meet emergencies as they arise. Nor
need there be fear of occasion for large
standing armies. since citizens require
no such restraint and constraint as
unwilling subjects, and are ever ready
to rise in patriotic and thinking might
to support the nation of which they
are voluntary parts.
The Optimistic American will enjoy
the vigorous ring of such expression.
It is indeed true that the young giant
is growing in his chains, and that he is
to continue in such growth until the
full destiny of this nation is accom-
plished, and as yet it is but begun.
It is certainly true that the progress
Of mankind has been correspondent
with the success of mans art in de-
veloping means of communication ond
transportation; precisely as the wilder
ness has been opened up from the be-
ginning with the path of the wild
beast, the trail of the hunter. the
hewed-out road of the pioneer, the i'm
proved highway of settlement. the
railway, the canal, and so on
The destiny of this nation will not
be completed until our ocean carrying
trade has laid out paths in the waters
wastes for American shipping in all seas
and to the uttermost coasts of the
globe.