The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-09-01

OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
Article No. 2.


the fact that the inventive genius of
our people and the boundless resources
of our country are fast fastening the
time when it will be impossible for our
population to consume our own pro-
ducts. and that the aggressive foreign
policy represented by President Nc
Kinley and his administration has for
its ultimate object the opening up of
fields of trade in those regions of earth
that are being developed and civilized
and whose inhabitants are becoming
large consumers of such products as
our people have to sell, notably, China,
Japan, the PHILIPPINE Islands, and other
surrounding islands, Africa and the
South America States.
THE CENTER OF OUR POPULATION.
AS illustrating how rapidly our ter
ritOry is becoming filled with producers,
a glance at the map of population dur
ing first 100 years of our national life
reveals the fact that in l770 the centre
of population, both north and south
and east and west, was at Annapolis,
Maryland. Each succeeding national
census has shown constant movement
directly west, so that in 1890 the centre
of population for our nation was at
Greensburgh, in the southern part of
lndianna, practically 500 miles west of
the centre of population of one hundred
years before. And now that our west
ern coast has become as densely popu-
lated as many of our middle states the
movement has set in from that portion
of the territory towards the east, it is
safe to assume that at the end of anoth-
er century this magnificent territory
will be populated throughout with an
aggressive, inventive, producing pOpu-
lace ready TO supply less fortunate re-
gions of earth with the necessaries
and luxuries of life to greater extent
than all the other nations combined.
And even now we find that we have
a large surplus of manufactured pro-
ducts that are seeking foreign markets,
so that both the present and future de-
mand that our statesmen seize every
opportunity to further our interests in
opening up markets for our produc-
tiOns.
HAWAII AND THE PHILIPPINES.
Having in view the fact that south
ern China and the islands to the south
east are and will continue to be vast
receiving depot for manufactured
goods and implements it is important
to consider our means of reaching
these. 1t is practically 5000 miles from
California to Southern China. Almost
directly in the route lie Hawaii and the
Sandwich Islands, 2000 miles from Cal
ifornia. The dominant people of these
islands had been asking to become a
part of our nation for years and during
Clevclands administration the Ameri-
cans there raised our flag and took the
steps necessary to establish our nation
al authority, which was sanctioned by
a majority of Congress, but the flag was
hauled down. by the order of President
Cleveland. In 1898, however, Congress
and the present administration annex
ed these islands and they are now a
valuable part of our territory. Practi-
cally 1000 miles farther TO the west,
and directly in the route to southern
China lie the PHILIPPINE Islands. These
islands are the key to that entire region.
TO the north lies Japan and the eastern
Coast of China; to the northwest and
west lie southern China; while to the
south lies Borneo and other large is
lands. All of these are within easy
reach of Manila, and the entire region
is filled with people who are fast becOm-
ing consumers of foreign manufacture
ed products.
1t requires but little forethought to
determine that it was highly important
that this nation annex Hawaii as q
base of supplies, a coaling depot for
our merchant marine, and naval de-
pot for the protection of merchantmen.
1t is said that had not our nation an
nexed these important islands either
England or Germany were already
prepared to do so, thus becoming a
menacing obstacle in our pathway to
the orient.
And it would seem that the acquisi-
ti0n of the PHILIPPINE Islands is matter
of still greater Importance. They are
not only valuable in themselves but, as
stated, they are the very hub of sur
rounding territory that we desire to
reach.
Emperor William, Germany's young
but energetic and progressive ruler,
evidently had recognized the import
ance of the possession of these islands.
for il will be remembered that Dewey
frequently found German war ships in
his way at Manila and other ports and |
that the German Admiral was very ac-
tive and ready to look after German
interests. We haye little fault to find |
with Emperor William, for looking at |
the matter from disinterested point |
of view, we can but conclude he was |
a rich field for foreign trade, and had |
we been represented by less determi- |
ned man than Admiral Dewey, there |
is but little question that the Philll-
pines would be under German control,
for that nation has made most rapid |
progress in pushing her foreign trade
policy during the past decade.
With possession and ownership of |
Hawaii and the PHILIPPINES our nation
has an uninterrupted pathway from
our own shores across the pacific, and
instead of having to stop as tenants
at sufferance on German or English
territory, or perhaps not at all, these
important possessions are now our own.
So we can safely conclude that every
slept taken by Congress and the Presi-
dent for the protection and promotion
of American interests in the east are
not only wise as regards the present
but imperative as regards the future;
that these facts will be comprehended
by our people and that our foreign
trade policy will meet their approval.
We shall consider the question per-
tanning to the Cuban war, our owner.