New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-15
AMERICA IN THE PACIFIC.

Some recent remarks OF the Presidents con-
corning American predominance in the PACING
Ocean appear 20 have disturbed the susceptible
ties of some Of our European friends, especially
\ those OF the German persuasion, and it is not
at all improbable that what be said at San
Francisco Oh Wednesday viii add TO that dis
turbance II is g pity that 1t should be so.
There is no valid reason for Il There is In such
American utterances no menace and no un-
frfendliness TO any European country. There is
10 thought Of such preposterous ambition as
some have charged Us with, the extension Of
the Monroe Doctrine over the Pacific Ocean.
America recognizes the free international status
Of that sea and OF its western shores, and seeks
therein nothing more than the open door for
which she has been strenuously striving in one
Of the greatest lands fronting upon the Pacific
Nevertheless, American predominance there IS
TO be expected, and is TO be str1Ven Tor as q
legitimate aim of this nation.
Nature dictates it, and neither man nor ma
ton can successfully fight against nature. The
salient fact in the case is that America Is the
only great power In the world fronting directly
upon the Pacific. Great Britain fronts upon It
only through her colonies, and, great as they are
and VIII be- We have no 3dea that Canada and
Australia put together will ever seriously rival
the United States. Germany IS distant from
that ocean thousands of miles and her colonies
AUDITING upon Il are inconsiderable and in
capable Of great development The same Is to
be said OF France. Russia has long frontage
upon It but for obvious reasons Russia is not
likely IN this generation or the next TO be
rival Of the United States In industry and COM
merce. Japan is a purely Pacific power. and
great one, but with all our admiration for her
fine genius we must remember that she is
closely circumscrfbed and cannot hope to ex-
pand as America has done and Is doing. Be
yond question, then, our direct proximity TO
that ocean OF the future and our frontage
upon Il superior to that Of any other nation,
indicate for us commercial advantage which
no rival country can hope to overcome.
To look for American supremacy In Pacific
trade is 70 look, then, for nothing more than
the execution Of natural laws. II is, indeed 10
look for nothing more than the continuation Of
present conditions and tendencies for at the
present time our trade with China and Japan
exceeds that Of any European country save
Great Britain, and is growing ar q rate that
forecasts fits absolute supremacy over all in the
near future What then? 1t is truism that
"trade follows the fag." and it is equally true
that the flag follows trade Wherever our ships
OF commerce CO. there viii our warships go 10
safeguard them If we lead In Pacific COM
n,erce Il Is only natural that we shall lead in
naval power on the Pacific. The same geo
graphical conditions that give US enormous
trade advantages over other countries also give
7,s naval advantages We have great ports,
shipvards and arsenals right on the Pacific and
ret right in our own fatberiand. The Oregon
was built in Pacific shipyard and launched in
Pacific waters. These facts give US q Lead that