The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1903-11-24
THE NAVAL DEMONSTRATIONS.

HE NAVAL UEWONSt tkAliONS.
The orders given the Battleship and
Cruiser squadron on Asiatic service to
rendezvous at Honolulu is, of course,
a move in world-poIitics. Doubtless it
has reference to Panama affairs. That
any trouble with Europe is impending,
does not strike us as tenable theory.
Europe wants Panama canal; and
the prompt recognition of the new 18TH
mian republic by great powers shows
that there is no disposition in the Old
World to challenge the claims of the
Panama insurgents or of the United
States as their protector.
But what of the New World? When
the news came about the Panama revolt
and the American part of it, the Adj
yertiser remarked upon the bad effect
it was certain to have upon the Latin,
American republics. At last the North
Americans had resumed their southern
march, First they had wrested an en-
pire from Mexico; now they were max
AnS tIOuDlC SO0Jtl VI MCAlCO 6SbSiliE
sovereign position on the soil.f What
next? Might not these land-hungry
expansionists-men who had even
crossed the widest Of oceans to wrest
provinces from Spain-might not they,
with all their talk of Manifest DESTINY,
go on to some more imperial conquest
than Panama? Having the New World
to protect under their Monroe doctrine,
might they not choose to own it and
command it's trade? A strenuous Pres
ident is in power at Washington; to
what far regions might his ambitions
not extend?
We may be sure that these ap2re-
tensions were felt by every Latin
American when the full story of the
Panama revolution went abroad. Here
We're the Yankees at last, come to their
very doors. Foreign traders, uneasy
over the prospects and anxious to en-
bitter South America against North
America for trading purposes, played
as best they could and are still play
ing, upon the chords of prejudice and
passion. Without doubt the Presi-
dent of Colombia has been and is now
appealing to all South America to en-
ter into an offensive and defensive al
lance. Some understanding, leading
that way. was reached long ago wher
the Diaz Monroe doctrine was proposed
"a South American pact against any
and every interloper. The latent hostil
ity of Chile to the United States may
be counted on. Venezuela, owing to oul
claims against her and our failure tt
interfere when Europe pressed hers
does not love us. Ecuador, the othe
day, expressed official sympathy 70:
Colombia. Is it not probable that thu
in every South American capital to Sc
cure the enunciation of a policy for
bidding any foreign state to accuir,
sovereignty over Latin-American sol
and to frame a joint ultimatum to tn
United States? What more natura
under all the circumstances? Wha
else is there left to Colombia to do il
her own defence save, single-hande
and alone, to enter disastrous war?
Assuming that matters are so shap
ing themselves in South America. w
have a fair explanation of the lates
naval news. A powerful squadron i
ordered here to await a summons I
join the fleet of Rear Admiral Glass a
Panama, thus making a large enough
naval force combined to threaten ever,
Spanish-American port on the Pacifi
side. Two battleships, carrying anoth
er Admiral have gone to Colon ant
back of them, conveniently stationed il
the West indies is the North Atlanti
fleet to which they belong. At wore
the whole of the South American coast
may be patrolled by the strongest flee
|. ever seen in those waters. There ca1