The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-08
THE PACIFIC FLEET.

THE PACIFIC FLEE
AS a matter of fact It 10 impossible
for anyone outside of the adn1inistra-
ton to give surely intelligent 1udg-
ment as to the wisdom or unwisdom Of
the proposed visit of battIeship feet
to the Orient. Governments cannot
take the public into their confidence in
the distribution Of ships Of war, and
not infrequently when the general pub
lie thinks that certain ship is dis
patched to foreign waters as g mark Of
courtesy It is sent there for political
reasons Of considerable import.
The disturbing feature Of the pro-
posed dispatching to the far east Of q
formidable battleship fleet IL its sud
denness. The public mind. while it has
been more or less instructed in the
need of ships Of war wherever Ameri-
can possessions lie, has not been edu-
Gated in the policy of making the Pa
ciflo coast and the waters to the east
Of 1t as important as the Atlantic sta
ton and the waters to the west Of It.
The change in policy involves the main
tenance Of the ships under more or less
distressing conditions, owing largely
to a lack Of facilities, and 1t involves
new idea Of our responsibility in the
distant islands of the Orient. an idea
which is necessarily disturbing, 1t
would appear to remove the impression
80 carefully spread about that our
| Christian duty there was 80 easily done
and so sure of local appreciation that
benevolent assimilation was like taking
candy from little children, 1t would
further appear to deepen and strength
en- the unpleasant impression that the
California misunderstanding with Jap
anese school children was and stih is
mere serious than had been supposed.
OF course we are bound to believe
that everything is quiet and Sunday
like In the Philippines and that our
mission there is proceeding finely; that
a brave show of warships, which cal
up opposing warships alive, will further
improve the love the little brown man
has for u.s. We certainly do not wan
TO believe that Japan, flushed with her
victory over Russia, has her eagle eye
on the Philippines and the islands W.
own IN the distant seas. we are quite
sure that this country does not wan
war with Japan or anybody else, ever
though there might be political capita
to be made, and even though ther'
should arise a dispute over the pos
session of the islands. So sure are ",
Of this popular feeling at hons that W
can understand the apprehension thu
news of the battleship expedition ha
provoked, though we have no under
standing Of the need there must be foI
considering the expedition at all, w
have been thoroughly educated to be
lieve that In the possession Of
big navy always ready for bushes
lies the key to peace, but somehow tn
impression will not down that tn
presence OF battlestip feet In water
supposed to be quieted by the oil o
benevolent assimilation may make 70
:, peace but for that kind Of peace whic
exists when one chap is atop Of tn
other.
. There Is no prospect Of the countr
learning any more than 1t knows no
Of the real object Of this feet in goin
to distant waters in command {
Fighting Bob Evans. All we can do
Q to watch the enterprise with fat
$ In the Judgment Of the adrninistratio
/, and while we support 1t In its policy
D. arming in order to enforce peace, "
n must support, too. the State In its po
o Icy of individual disarmament In ord'
g to shut ultimately the doors Of the pS
n lice court It Is all a bit coufusin
: but 1t is bad manners to be confuse
t. when the national honor appeals to u
n and that II is the national honor white
/ is humping things at the navy yart
n we have no alternative for belieV
II Ing.