The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-27

The above declaration was made by
Senator Thomas H. Benton over half a
century ago as he faced and pointed to-
ward the Pacific His aIluston was to a
then much-supposed fabulous wealth in
the East Indies. and not to the real
wealth Of Europe. For Europe has for
a hundred years been the real seat Of
capital and power for all the Western
world. while America has been a source
of production and energy, but the capital
of nothing but liberty. The great Mis-
souri, senator was nevertheless correct,
for the Pacific is the true highway to
Asia and Oceanica, for all the purposes
OF America; and his protege and son-in-
law, Fremontwas as wise as the old man
when he planted the flag at the peak of
the Rocky mountains IN his hunt for a
railway route across the continent
The Yankee babe that was named after
Fremont in 1856 is now In the primo of
life, and finds his country supporting an
army of So, 600 soldiers in the extreme OH
ent, watch upon the breakup of China;
while one OF the early Western congress-
nen, John A. Kasson, is vigorously press
ing the trade relations Of the United
States with the Western nations into re-
Ciprocal customs treaties that must yield
large markets for all our products Of for
est, field, mining and. manufactures.
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippines, without reference to popu-
lation, may reasonably be expected to
sell to US within the coming ten years
the bulk of all cur demands for Coffee
sugar. tobacco, fbers and tropical fruits.
These items alone win cut off from Us
a bill in London each year Of not less
than $20O0O0,OOO, not to mention the
freights for the carriage Of the goods,
which are now paid to foreign vessel
owners, and which cannot amount to less
than $25, 0OOO 900 per annun and might easi-
ly reach $500O0,O 600.
In exchange fer so vast a purchase we
can reasonably hope to add to our sales
to these island possessions more than
purchased by them in merchandise from
other nations, which, in like time, will
result in our making their hands wash
our hands-as row happens between Min
resota and Ohio, or Missouri and New
York. Our bill to London, Berlin and
Paris, on account of the balance Of trade
aoainst 1Is for coffea cu1ar opd +AJlaooO
and the tropical fruits purchased from
South American countries, We may thus
hope to see Topped off by the accession
of the new possessions. For South Amer
lea must soon sell her coffee to Europe,
or else buy our cottors and our steel
and our canned goods in exchauge-and
carry the freights both ways in American
vessels. And that brings US to the Asiat-
ic question. For the result of the Span
iSh war settled at one stroke the problem
of South American trade South Ameri-
can states will within year tumble over
themselves to get into cur markets free
OF toll, and will make almost any conccs-
sicn of trade for the purpose.
But Asia! Besides Japan, Siberia and
the Southern peninsula, 100000, coo of pep
pie swarm in Eastern Asia. Five times
the population of North Manufacturing
by agriculture, on lands as thickly set
tilted as Western villages-20o 800, 400.
500 people to the square mile, according
to the wealth and fertility of the soil In
the particular province. And all waiting
for the galvanic shock of Western life
to produce in them something Of an af-
firnative character. A people without
stomach for any great enterprise, or
they would hundreds Of years ago have
inundated America and Europe-thev are
that receptive that the Pacific coast
states and those Of the Mississippi valley
may reasonably look to them TO absorb
within the coming decade some hundreds
of millions of dollars worth of Ameri-
can products per year.
Under the hint of $1,000 Yankee soldiers
and forty-fve war vessels across the bav
from Hong Kong, fury of vessel build
Ing should attack the Pacific coast shin
yards, as it has emigration to Alaska In
gold seeking, for there will be cargoes
Gnd cargces to be carried under some