New-York tribune., 1901-03-19
THE PACIFIC.
NEW CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRIES
WASHED by ITS WAVES

WASHED B1 1lS N<AN T..
THE NEW PACIFIC by aubert How 1.a1TaT Bancroft
octave. PIP. IN, 1ss. The Bancroit 'ohpai's-
The title OF Mr. Bancroft's book is significant
OF tho conditions and possibilities that have
been recently created in the countries washed 10y
Tho great Western ocean. The closing years OF
the nineteenth century brought no greater
changes Of relationship and prepared for no
more momentous Developments and awakenings
than in this quarter OF the globe. 1t is large
subject. and Mr.. Bancroft is ready 10 meet it
with an inexhaustible collection Of facts, hstori-
cal descriptive statistical and other as Wen
as theories and deductions. His book rs. IN
fact "A mine Of information; but IL Is one IN
which considerable industrious excavation is
necessary, for he has apparently thought that
all facts bearing upon the Spanish war, the inn
mediate cause Of most Il the new American IN
terest in the Pacific well as all other avail
able matter relating 70 its shores and history
were essential 10 his purpose Greater breVity
and mere rigorous exclusion would have added
To the weight Of his book Because. for IN
stance. the war brought about changed condi-
tons. we have a history not only Of the opera
lions I'm the Pacific but in Cuba we'll, and
OF the events that led up to IT, The arguments
for and against imperialism" are submitted
at great length. Mr.. Bancroft. with his large
view Of the Pacific and its possibilities for the
United States. IS an eager eXpansionist and as
ardent an American in feeling as can be imas-
inca His arguments as robust and NiGor-
Gus as they sound; but We cannot help wish
ing that his feelings in the matter would allow
a little more generosity TO Spain and a little
more tolerance of the other peoples of Europe
j is rot tin page 253 Of the book that We
COKE to the Far East. and then it is not as
present fact but as an historical subject. Mr..
Bancroft discusses nothing till he has told rs
its history. Even he. however, declines 10 go
back 10 the mythical era of China. and begins
his account with Marco Polo. He has an inter-
esting though somewhat disjOnted chapter on
Europe in Asia" recounting the steps by which
The present industrial invasion Of China has
been brought about and the extent TO which IT
has advanced, and in The Pacific Ocean and
Its Borders" and Tine Resources Of the Pacific"
he discusses the other countries situate upon
that sea, what they are and what they may
become. In such chapters as these are con-
tained the most important fruits OF Mr.. Ban
oroft's investigation. The great possibilities that
exist here are dependent upon the right kind of
men:
Never was a grandcr opportunity for
having the energy and ability-for men Of the
kind that built Chicago and are now building
scores OF cities and hundreds OF railway lines
in various paTts-tO come forward, take possess
sion of the Pacific Ocean industrially and COM
mercially. and dominate the Western sea-
hoard Of the United States to make IL abSO-
lutely the greatest country in the world. and
themselves the wealthiest and most beneficial
of men.
As for the justice and necessity Of the right
kind OF men-the kind that built Chicago-ful-
filling their inevitable mission there be
doubt:
1t has come to be doctrine of orthodox civil
fh2r ic r1pbf hmm and inst for
people Of culture and nOmnally good morals
TO take in hand the affairs of any weaker people
OF low intelligence occupying lands which the
stronger nation would like TO possess; that in
law and equity il is not proper for savage or
half savage races TO take up the room on this
earth which can better BE filed by better people
-.-. As il is the destiny Of all savage peoples
10 give place To civilization 50 these half or
wholly savage islanders must be content 10 have
their affairs managed by those stronger and
more intelligent than they.
In truth, the history Of civilization bears out
lhis statement Of the case. and there is much
pertinonce in the question thus put by Mr..
Bancroft:
II. in place Of a long line Of Asiatics on one
side and a long line Of Spansh-Amercans on
the other, we had all around the Pacific Euro
pean ana American Anglo -SaNons what wolld
not the difference be worth tG the Anglo -Saxons
at present in NORTH America?
In a chapter on The Commerce Of the Pacific"
enc Of the most valuable in the book. the
SGIhor touches on a matter now uppcrnOSt in
the public mind in strong advocacy Of shipping
subsidies. As he forcibly puts il:
III the authorities at Washington are not
familiar with the business. have not the intel
hgence or energy money to do this let them
learn methods from the japanese and borrow
money I'm China and man our ships with Malavs
only let us have a merchant marine worthy of
our position among nations and our pretensions
as sea power
He has too. advice for American merchants
and manufacturers in regard to their methods
OF trade with the East which they might DO
worse than 10 follow. Mr.. Bancroft's historical
chapters are full of interesting details such as
ms ''Glance backward" tracing the develon-
ment OF American commerce in the Pacific.
Notable Voyages Into the Pacific" from Magel-
lsns tG DarNin's: an entertaining account Of
Crusoes Island" and the facts about SellirlS
ana Defoes great story; and The Pirates of the
facihc, from those Of the sixteenth 10 the even
more interesting of the nineteenth Then
MI Bancroft leaves the realm Of history and
industrial problems 10 close his book with q
chapter on cslafa, Queen Of California. and her
bach amazons. who went 10 war and rom
quered men and monsters, feeding their male
prisoners and their male babies TO the erir1ns
-S