Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-12
OUR INTERESTS IN ASIA.

Mr.. Charles A. Conants paper In the
International Monthly, on American in
terests in the Orient is well worth
reading. When that part OF the world
is opened to civilization, progress VIII
be made rapidly and the country that
does not fully appreciate It's opportuni-
ties, or that neglects them at the start.
win be left far behind for a long time
Mr.. Conan points out that there are
undeveloped countries enough In the
world TO tax, for many years, the sur
plus capital Of the old countries with
canals to be constructed, railways pro-
jected from Cairo to the Cape In Afri-
ca. across Arabia to India, across the
Sahara desert, and with China's Inn
nile possibilities. there win be no lack
of opportunity for investment and the
United States must necessarily be In
the field, particularly in the Orient.
The writer in the international puts
the matter In figures, and supposes
that a billion dollars are Invested In
China. The interest Of this sum at four
per cent would be S4OoOO,OoO annually,
which means that goods 70 that
amount would have to be produced In
China to pay for that interest, The ef-
feet Of the investment and relnvestment
of American capital in China would be
a benefit TO both countries, The capita
would be spent in this country and
cause increased consumption Of Amerl-
can products Those at home who have
savings, would find profitable use Tor
them abroad instead of being under the
necessity Of duplicating at home the al
ready sufficient machinery of produc-
ton and exchange
The amount Of capital needed for the
development Of China alone, Is hnted
at in a statement as to the cost OF some
OF Europes manufacturing and trans
portation enterprises. The railroad
plant alone costs sixteen and a half bill
lion dollars. The cotton mills required
an outlay of over one billion dollars
The iron investments aggregate APP
proximately sl,SOO,OOO,O0o. And Chi
ma has $4,000 900 more inhabitants than
Europe. To reconstruct that country
on the lines OF western civilization
would require vast capital, and II Is
clear that the United States cannot af-
ford to stand idly by, while other world
powers cover the field, and utilize the
opportunities they evidently are about
to create there for foreign investment.
1t should be added to this that the
United States, Of all countries In the
world, should have a mission TO fulfil.
Else why has, by the aid Of Providence,
the standard Of human rights been
raised on this continent7 Not, surely,
to be enjoyed only by one people but
to be a pattern, In due time, TO all the
nations Of the world. II with CONNER
cialism" and commercial interests. go
American principles OF government this
country may be said TO have double
obligation to discharge No matter, II
there are some abuses at home, and It
sometimes appears as II autocracy and
plutocracy were about to take the place
of popular government. Those abuses
are passing The principles OF human
freedom abide, and they obtain wher-
ever American influence is felt. There
is. therefore. a double mission before
this country; TO go out into all the
world with the gospel Of prosperity and
the message OF human liberty
The United States needs no col
onles," but It needs open markets, and
perhaps bases OF defense for those
that have been opened. 1t has been
forced to the front ranks among ma
tions, and It cannot honorably with
draw to the rear. That much seems to
be clear. whatever else may be in
the dark. as regards the future course
Of this country.