The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-20

did not fail to point to the extensive coast line of the country calling for es- pecial defenses, and particularly for an adequate navy. But only since the Spaninsh-American War has the danger ito the United States from the vast eX- tent of it's coast line come to be req lized With the construction of the Panama Canal the susceptibility of the country to attack will be increased. The board of strategy has doubtless worked out the possible moves by which an en- emy would strike at this country in times of war.
 Any amount of paper demonstra- tion as to the security of the country from hostile attack will not affect the fact that geography has had more to do with history than all the policies of states and laws of nations. The history of this country from It's discovery has been a record of development and ex- pansion in lies predicated in advance by it's peopletarys1lagfrtisireIa HwsR by its geographical placement and fea-. lures.
 ANQH LlltlJ It IiCto uGpSllQG1IN4Go c14IAlOSi in stepping stones across the Western sea and coming almost to the shore of China it would be as impossible for it to escape the historical consequences of its new geographical relations as it would for the miracle of the sun return ing upon the dial of Abaz to be re- peated.
 The United States is to all intents and purposes an Asiatic power. Its possessions in that quarter and the in- evitability ofits trade make it so. As the caravan routs across Egypt gave to Tyre and sidon their commercial im- pontance and as the league of Ffansea- tic towns grew up because of the course of trade across Europe and had im- portant bearing upon the history of the countries of Northen Europe, so will the new trade routes through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific become the arbiters of this nations destiny. Japan is as vltafly interested in the trade of the east as is the United States, and she will withstand by all the approved methods of nations the movement that would tend to make the Pacific an American lake.
 These facts are indices of "a condition and arguments for policy The con- dition is one of latent danger from the resourseful people who, in defense of their national expansion. and trade eX- tension, beat back the Russian bear to its lair in the cold North. That nation
 by the force of destiny that subordi- mates international amity to national interest, must some day contest with this country the gateway of commerce to the Far East.
 The recognition of this fact need not be more startling than the constant ap- preciation on the part of proximafe European powers of the possibility of q clash which serves to keep them al ways on the dui vive, The rice this country must pay for it's world posit- ton is preparedness for the defense o1 it's outpost interests. The preparedness depends absolutely on ships. These should be acquired by purchase as wei as building The time for building ant purchase is past once the war note has J sounded. The laws of nations woulc prevent the one and lack of time tho other.
 I It is therefore rational that every eff. fort should be bent in the direction oi building up great navy. Coast de lenses can never secure the Philippines lF1awlii, or even Alaska, The vast coast exposure and remoteness of these ter ritorial points demand navy adequate to keep off the ships of a foe. Fortu- nately, the extremely critical incident of the California schools seems to havt 1 yielded to the peaceful adjustment, the nature of which may not yet be def,
 nitely stated, but history will revea how close this country was to war There is now no cloud upon the hori'
 zon, nor is it an alarmist act to point
 to the absolute necessity fir preparatir
 to the absolute necessity of preparation thrugh a sufficient naval force agains
 future attack -From the Baltimore through a sufficient naval force agains Americn.