Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-09-23
Ours for the Taxing.

Vard told the united states congress
hat "the Pacific ocean, its shores, its
stands, and the vast region beyond
would become the chief theater of
events in the worlds hereafter" The
Statist begins an article
regarding Pacifs commerce with the
that this prediction is
becoming true. When Mr.. Se-
ward made his prophecy he had in
mind the opening Of the Nicaragua
ship canal. Such waterway will revo-
lutionize maritime trade as fully rs
did the Suez canal, and will enormous
" increase the comm ercial develop
ment of the Pacific, but the figures Of
The Statist apply to present conditions.
The Pacific area includes the coasts
the two American continents, the
islands of Oceanica, Polynesia, Eastern
Siberia, China, Japan, Farther India, +
Siam, Dutch East Indies, Australasia,
and British India. Bordering on this
vast area are some of the most popu-
lous as we'll as some of the most sparse
~ populated regions of the world.
The least fruitful lands lie within reach
of the most fruitful. Hence it is easy
for the productive countries to supply
what the unproductive regions requiae.
In considering the future of the Pa
ciflc, the Statist admits, business men
look first to the United States and
British Columbia. About ene-half of
the railway mileage of the United
States is west of the Mississippi, and
six lines of railway link the Atlantic
seaboard to the Pacific. All this is the
growth of less than fifty years. With
in the same time not fewer than a
dozen steamship lines have been estab-
lished between the Pacific ports of
North America and Mexico, Central
America, South America, Hawaii, japan
China, Australasia, and British Colum-
bia. There is an active and growing
sea trade along the western side of the
American continents. The imports
of what may be called Pacific America
amount to 500, 10000 and the exports
to s162, 500,OO0 annually. OF the i'm
ports s65,OOO,OO0 and of the exports
S75,O0O,OO are to be credited to our Pa
cific states. These figures relate to
foreign sea-borne commerce alone and
do not include the enormous coasting
trade between the ports OF each
country.
The imports Of Hawaii, Samoa, the
Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, and
Society islands, and other groups in
the Pacific amount annually to sl13,-
100000 and the exports to sls3,OOO,OOO.
In this list the Philippines represent
al import trade of s1l 100000 and an
export trade of s22,225O,OOO annually.
These figures do not include thelinter-
%insular trade, which is large now and
may be increased.
The British colonies in the Pacific,
New South Wales, Victoria, Queens
land, South Australia, West Australia,
and Tasmania, represent an import
and export trade of s68O,OOO,OOO per
year, and it is estimated that this will
reach s1,OO0,OOO,OOO before the end OF
the century. The Asiatic Pacific,
taking in the China treaty ports, Hong
Kong, Japan, Eastern Siberia, Burmah
and British India, has an annual trade
OF s., 10000. This does not include
the enormous junk traffic Of the non
treaty ports Of China, the coasting
traffic, or the inter-insular traffic of
Japan and the straits. t.
Tho volume of tho whole sea-borne
trade of the Pacific area, based on ac-
tual trade reports, amounts to 1885,
100000 annually. Add the coasting
traffic of Pacific America, tho Pacific
islands, the Asiatic Pacific, and Aus
tralasia and the actual sc a-borne trade
in the Pacific area is s5,OOO,OOO,OO0 per
annum. This trade is growing steadily
on the American rs we'll as OIL the
Asiatic side. So rapid has been the
development of the last fifty years
that st~atisticians hesitate to name the
figure which the next generation may
see Asiatic commerce has been less
elastic than that of the Western world
but Asia is becoming gradually Europe
anized, and it is believed, says the
Statist, that the commercial prizes of
the Pacific will in time transfer the
balance Of maritime power to that
ocean.
The Republican party was put in
power to give this country prosperity
1t has done much to fulfill its mission,
but it can do infinitely more. The
greatest opportunity of leadership ever
offered to any party is now open to Re-
publican statesmen. The great bust
ness field of the Pacific area, "the vast
region that is to become the chief
theater Of events in the worlds great
hereafter" is opened to US by the pos
session of the Philippines. If we hold
these islands, develop Hawaii, Porto
Rico, and Cuba, and construct the
Nicaragua canal, the United States,
'placed midway between Europe and