The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-28

disclosed in history. but who can designate
the cause that impelled the nations, at about
the close of the fifteenth century, to run the
course of all the seas until by that generation
America was discovered, the Cape of Cool
Hope was circumnavigated, the Straits Of
Magellan were traversed and until great ocean
held no secrets that were not locked in the
ice Of either pole? The results surpassed any
political conception ever bodied forth by
statesman, philosopher, or poet.
1t has always remained an insoluble prob
lem of that great achievement OF discovery
and conquest why China, which was even
ing great wealth with all the tenacty OF
senile avarice, was. unmolested until very
recently by the forces which essed
age of discovery began, the Oldest empire in
the world; 1t was the largest and ri h st;
it contained one-fourth OF the human race,
and it was easily vulnerable. Why did Eng-
land limit herself to India? Why did Spain
stop at Manila? Why did the Dutch remain
satisfied with Java, Borneo, Sumatra, and
New Guinea? Why was France content with
her precarious Indian establishments? Why
was Portugal stationary at Goa, Timer and
Macao?
EURoPE's ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHI MA.
Why China was spared is perhaps a prof.
less speculation. We now encounter the fact
that at the close OF the nineteenth century
the Oldest the most populous and one of the
most extensive and richest of empires, i'm
mobile by the ossilcation of an immemor;al
| civilization which long ago did its work;
empire infected all throughout with official
imbecility and corruption, an empire which
for long time forcibly resisted the influe ceS
of Western civilization and then submitted to
| them little by little, only to impede thsm
by feeble and crafty evasions; an empire
which has not dissolved in its decadence, but
yet remains in respect of population the most
stupendous national unit of this any age.
Industrious. productive, selling much and
buying little even now as in her remotost
ages; which for thousands Of years has
received the precious metals in an unr turn
ipcr -t- urhn inla an ava lad in
all crafts and possess unsurpassed aptitudes
alike for mechanical construction and for COM
merce; an empire which possesses the eie-
ments of national greatness In the intelligence
of its people, in the entire absence of caste,
in the absolute personal equality of all men,
and in their eligibility to all vocations and
Offices in the noneXstence of any repress We
religious system, and in universal education,
has all at once yielded without resis- ance to
to become, as literally as were Mexico and
Peru, the subject of its designs and In effect
its territorial dependency. History has no
where recorded a change SO vast and p3rten-
tous 1t involves the most prodigious ex2an-
sion of commerce and empire ever effected.
1t influences the relations of all civilized
states, and from every point of view 1t en-
dangers the safety of many of them. In all
respects the interests of the United States in
this transformation are of the most vital
character.
It will be well to notice certain ethnic and
national phenomena cotemporaneous with this
great process and which have contributed to
it. Within the present century the nations of
Europe have politically and definitely ar
ranged themselves by races. The boundaries
ication. The Slavonic, the Latin, and the
Teutonic stocks present themselves nationally
and most determinately in this aspect. The
Anglo-SaXon had long before classified
itself into two great political organizations.
UNITED STATES AND ENGLAND.
But it was not until very recently that
Great Britain and the United States looked
each other in the face with any sign Of recog-
milton Of their political relationship. 1t is
well for them, for civilization, for national
Independence, and for personal freedom, that
they have begun to do so. The isolation Of
manifest. Her isolation from the United
States has always existed, and principally as
the result of petty differences as to boundar-
les, fisheries, sterile treaties, and small con-
hicting policies in other respects. The
United States has been isolated by special
policy and by its geographical position.
accompanied by vast territorial acquisition
by the European states by which the CONT
nent of Africa has been .partitioned among
French Africa, Portuguese Africa, Spanish
Africa, and English Africa in course Of
definite deter mi An Italian Ian Africa dS
lished but for the ability of King Menelek,
who defeated the European invaders and prac-
is now asserted that the Abyssinian monarch
was, throughout his struggle with Italy, adj
vised and aided by Russia and that we may
expect soon to witness Russian Africa The
is toward the Orient Its most active mani
festations and capital centers are on the east
coast of Africa, and in Madagascar, fronting
the Indian ocean and looking toward India.
There is also to be noticed another signif1-
cant eastward tendency Whether 1t is
mere coincidence or is a part of the general
political and commercial movement is at pres
ent purely conjectural. 1t is not con iectural
statement, however, that these great human
larry changes of pre-existing forces and con-
ditions with which their connection can t
always be distinctly perceived: The center of
manufacturing production in Europe Is NOV
ing eastward. Germany has become " thin
the last thirty years great manufacturing
nation. She has ceased to be market in
any great degree for any other country. She
builds her own ships. She produces an in
dnite variety of manufactured articles of all
Her sugar product Is greater than that CT any
other country. She has become a great
maritime and commercial nation and is seek
ing for markets with astonishing energy in
South America, in Africa, and most rapacious
ly in China, where she has recently estab-
lished herself by military and naval force,
and is seriously to be reckoned with In the
process of exploiting her power in that graat
empire
The movement of Russia toward the East is
not mere tendency; 1t has been in a.tual
operation ever since Peter tn Graat sent Yilus
Boring overland from st. Peter sburg to the
sea which bears his name. 1t is now ex-
ton of the trans-Siberian railway. This I'M
dertaking has accelerated the recent action
of the other European powers in regard to
China, and has stimulated Japan to eXertions
which will soon make her the fourth naval
power of the world. 1t will conduct stream
of European migration into Asia. This route
to the Orient portends so much and has made
so secondary the Importance of the way to
Constantinople, in comparison with this great
er highway toward Asiatic empire, that the
guideboard which Catherine set up at kher-
son and inscribed 1.-THE road to CONSTANT
nople," marks merely footpath to ham,
let.
UNITED STATES PRESENT INTERESTS.
1t is not necessary to elaborate upon the
interests of the United States in the present
ana prospective situation They present and
enforce themselves from every point of view.
The maritime, commercial and political gen
ius Of the American people will not permit
their government to be Indifferent to them
1t VIII not suffer the Uni.aj States to be
made the China of the W'st. The great
question remains, and comprenen Is the COM
meroial and ali other sube1' What action
by the United States do its peace and safety
require to insure to II the rightful and III st
advantageous results Of these new interna-
tonal relations and adjustments The situa-
% ~ the Chinese Orient Is pregnant with
wars, and wars in these days of Ieets built
fl nj those of the times OF wooden wLl and
sails. There is not al hahitA"le spot On the
eariE surface tco remote secluded CT too
strong to be exempt from III, attacks OF
rapa 'lous and INSCRIPTIONS military and ma
val Tower. ALI history is fals,, ur this is
true. that such wars IRE inevitable Their |
creha has been enoi mou.v extended. The |
re en-; agSressions by TIC powers Of Europe |
upon China were acts of wa. It is not cng
ssncc: the war between japan and China ended
fhn lnt