Evening star., 1898-10-08
a. 2@SI2
-1--
An AROUND-THE-woRLD DESTINY.
startling French View of Sewnrd's
Prophecy and American Expausion.

From the Figaro.
Europe mas just seen the United States
advance toward the south to the Antilles
and toward the west across the Pacific
ocean, and she says to herself: What
possesses them? What is the meaning of
TINS new fancy to seek trouble with us and
TO make conQUests at our expense? We
| never imagined that they would be capable
of such / thing
AS matter of fact, Europe has no right
to be amazed. Ii is not u new idea that
has set the United States in motion. on
the contrary 1t is a very Old idea, since il
dates back half a century. The events
which we have Just witnessed form a uart
OF the program conceived and cxtolled long
before the war of secession by an Ameri-
can statesman placed in the highest rank
among his compatriots, and whose pro-
rhetlc views they now love to recall The
thouSht OF this policy of expansion has
been silently hatchcd in the national con-
science since his death, according 10 the
counsel which he himself energcticallr
gave, and that was to precipit#te nothing
But there was little Gitilculty IN tha t'nited
states II recognizing il when 1t appeared
through the war with Spain.
The name of the statesman in question
was Seward. Secretary Of State during the
administration Of Abraham Lincoln. Con-
Vlhced that his country had great mis-
sion TO perform in the world ard clearly
Discerning that mission. he lost no c,,nor-
tunity to define it and to explain il in pub
lc Ii was net that he was afraid that
America would deceive herself and make
too sudden a bound toward her destiny
but he had a notlcn chat the result mig ht
be attained by means which he did not
sanctiop An enemy OF war, Seward knew
very Vel that his gigantic dream could
not be realized without combat. He de-
plored that, and added magnificeutly, in
a letter published in 1876. under the tile
we Should Carry Out Our Destiny ITO
On ~ l,t
should prepare themselves for their mis-
sion by getting rid Of the intrusiofs Of the
Old world which still continued with ideas
OF another age, upon portions Of the Amer
lean soil.
The monarchies of Europe" said Seward
in the same letter can have neither peace
nor truce as long as there remains to them
one colony upon this continent" He called
that buying out the foreigners. France did
not trouble him: she was a Guantite neg
ligeable, having already sold out. Neither
did Spain embarrass him. The events that
nave just happened appeared to him at that
time already accomplished. In 1915 he
counted without any ceremony. tho rulers
of Cuba and Porto Rico among the foreign
ers who should sell out their possessions to
the United States He was also sure that
Russia would leave without Offering anv
difficulty, and in this he was certainly not
deceived 1t was he himself during his
term of office who purchased Russian
America. or Alaska, from the cZar for the
the acquisition of the Danish Antilles and
the project fell through by the fault OF the
Senate Of Washington. which voted against
it, simply because the President at that
time was for it.
England remained and presented. rs he
was well aware, the hardest nut to crack.
Nevertheless. he was persuaded that she
TOO, one day or another, would come to
terms, and that all that was necessary was
patience. He advised his cumuatriots to
practice that virtue and to hasten nothing
to take time to digest one territory before
swallowing another. There was no need Of
hurry. when l look upon the territory of
Hudson bay and Canada said he in 1860
and see there population industrious,
enterprising and ambitious. engaged in dig
ging canals, building bridges. railroads and
telegrs ph lines and organizing and preserV-
Ing great English provinces north Of the
great lakes and of the St Lawrence and
around Hudson bay, l say: That is fine.
You aIe forming excellent states, destined
10 be admitted later on into the American
Union
In politics he favored a system which he
compared TO the ripe pear that detaches it.
self and falls into your hand. Mexico and
the little republics of Central America could
not fail, according to him. to come one after
the other and solicit the honor and the
favor of forming a portion of the United
states. One thing seemed to him still more
certain, and that was that the United
States could not help annexing by force
the people who would be too slow 10 come
to them willingly. That was clear for him
who passed his time in sounding public
opinion and guessing at its future orienta-
ton II abhor war he wrote Il would
not give one single human life for any
portion of the continent which remains 10
be annexed: but l cannot get rid of the
conviction that popular passion for terri
torial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is Irresistible. Pru-
dence, justice and even timldlty may re-
strain 1t for time. but its force will be
augmented by compression"
Half a century passed before the explo-
rod hs.N-
first forced liquidation. Whose turn next ?
Let US suppose that this preliminary op.
GRAFTON should be ended Then, willingly
or forcibly, according to The known formu-
Ia, America must belong to Americans Tie
rev world will then be ready 10 fulfill its
mission. That mission consists in sire ching
out its civilization toward the west across
the Pacific toward Asia. BY chance or by
e secret law of nature the great invasious
of history always moved from the east to
the west. The immense American nation
Will follow the eternal route of humanity:
IT will advance toward the setting sun like
the barbarians Of old, the Mongelians, the
Arabs, the Turks. 1t will advance as best
1t can, but it will advance. our popula-
lon, said Seward lis destined to roll in
irresistible waves to the icebound barriers
of the north and to meet oriental civiliza-
ton on the shores of the Pacific
The American will reach Asia. Seward ]
foretold that he would meet the Chinese |
and Kalmucks upon the coasts of the yell !
low continent He spoke like prophet of |
WDat the American advance guard would l
meet. Looking toward the northwest
said he, Il see the Russian busily engaged; |
he works with energy, building bridges. |
towns and fortifcations on the borders of |
this continent to be the outposts of st. Pc /
tersburg, and | say, Go ahead; continue: |
build your outposts all along the coast; |
they will become the outposts of my coun- |
try, the monuments of the civilization of |
the United States in the northwest "
The American incoming tide is bound to /
roll into Asia. 1t will neither stop nor !
turn: it will advance infiexibly until il |
reaches the civilization of the west, Rus !
sia apparently being counted among the |
oriental empires.
Everybody knows that mysticism and |
practical common sense often dwell togeth-
er in harmony. Illustrious and striking en-
amples of this can be found in the lives of
the saints. Seward only furnishes another
example. That statesman, SO practical and |
so unrestrained, spoke mystically of the /
role of the United States in the life of
One speech that he made in
Washington before the Senate in 1852 or
Whereabouts is extremely curious. The
question was upon American commerce in
the Pacific. Seward addressed the Senate
as follows: THE discovery of this conti-
ns.pn