The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-27
The East Aware Of The POSSIbI IllcS
Of The Pacific toasl.
THE PROPHECY or SENARD
The Conditions That May Hinder Us
From Entering Into Our
Glorious Heritage,

New YORK Journal VI Commerce.
THE world is entering on itH third
stage OF commercial history. Tho frBt
ended when tho MEDITERRANEAN ceased
to be the grrat highway OF International
trade. the second has seen che seat of
empire transferred TO the shores OF
the Atlantic. and the third begins 10
show Itself with the growing greatness
ot The Pacific. When Wllllap II. Sew
ard said. forty-scyon years ago. that
tho Pacific ocean. its shores. lts Islands
end the vast regions beyond. would be-
come the worlds thcatTe In the chief
events Of the great hereafter. nobody
Imagined that the fulfillment OF the
prophecy was 30 near. In 1850. OF the
1900 miles OF railroad track In the Unit
cd States, only eighty miles In LouiSi-
ana lay east Of the MissippI. In 1859,
the oniy states west OF the Mississippi
were Louisiana. Arkansas. Texas. Mis-
souri,, Iowa and California. the latter
having just entered the Union with a
population OF little over 10000 The
vast territory between the Mississippi
and the Pacific was almost an unknown
land, California WAS mere string OF
mining camps San Francisco, rude
frontier town. Oregon. Washington ana
British Columbia contained only few
scattered settlements ana trading sta
tlorr. from which furs were about the
only exports. In 1850 and for years
thereafter. California was an importer
OF Hour potatoes and almost all the
r"eossarica OF life. To-day the Pacific
coast Is one OF the great grainaitos OF
the world. It is one OF the worlds chief
sourccr of lumber supply II sends lts
fruit 10 the four corners Ul the globe.
competrs with France. Italy and Spain
Ia the production Of wine. and has a
population greater than that u the or
iglnal states whom the Declaration Of
Independence was signed
"Thc Tnolnc states arc alive tu their
owr greatness. 1ut hardly to the pos
sIbill,ics OF th,lr future. Their eyes
are turned eastward. whence the i'm.
pulse Of thair growth has come. not
wcs,ward-to ;hc further cast where
the truiilon OF their destiny Is 10 be
sought The merchants and producers
0f the Atlantic STATES are becoming
keenly alive to the undeyeloped 20.
tcntlalitics of the trade OF eastern Asia: |
their brethren OF the Pacific take but
lanGuid interest In the subject But tel
Is a subject concerning which no for
clRuer writes without being profoundly
impressed with the opportunity which
the new birth Of the far east presents |
to California, Oregon and Washington |
Already there are Indications Of what I
the opening Of the Chinese market may
mean to them, The exports OF lumber
to China and Hong Kong. though still
small have doubled In two years; and
the exports OF -four which in 1897 were
not found worthy of separate tabula-
ilon were valued In the last fiscal year
At N.i35 $40. Nearly all OF this ls the
Of the Pacific states, and
Il is but o faint indication OF the vol
lme OF trade to come, But II Is large
enough, regading Hong Kong as mere
point FOR the great Chinese
market. to make China already the sec
md largest consumer In the world OF
American -four. the Unitel Kingdom,
OF course, all other consumers
combined. The carrying trade OF the
Pacific should contribute to the great
hess OF cur Pacific states, for the ships
hat II win call for ought TO be built
here and all the activities which It
viii stimulate will be felt from Tacoma
o San Diego. A recent English writer
N the commercial sovereignty OF the
eaS shN wdly remarks that the extent
II the commercial interest Of America
n the Pacific In not TO be measured by
he shipments from and imports into
he ports OF the Pacific coast. At pres
mt the greater part Of the trade Of the
United States and China is conducted
" way Of New York and the suez can
Il. but as he points out. we shall find
ready market for our surplus OF iron
nd steel manufactures in the develop
nent Of railways and general industries y
A China, and II will be found not by !
ray OF Suez, but by our own vessels
allng out OF our own ports on the Pa =
lhc. $
yet to all this the business men Of 3
he Pacific seem to be slngularly obtuse.
n lis recent tour down the coast, in
he course Of which he addressed most ,
( the commercial bodies, the Hon,
ohm Barrett found ready and appre-
Iatlve listeners, but failed to provoke
he enthusiastic response which was y
aadlly forthcoming to his appeals In 4
he east II Is only a few months ago I
hat a leading San Francisco newspaper Z
the opening up of China, a
armed It's readers not to be misled by n
ny sperious pretense that all that c
ireat Britain sought in China was the
reservation Of equality of commercial s
Said this guide Of public a
pinion; How could any person be 5
rduced that England was aeslrous of !
reservlng the integrity Of the Chinese /
mpire with the example of Egypt and l