Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-10-21
WILLIAM \. TAFT AND
PACIFIC COMMERCE
The Constructive Genius of Our
Oriental Trade.Empire.
Carried the Torch of Civilization to
Antipodes-Made Secure Our
Far Eastern Commercial
Supremacy.


United States has assumed a position
II, the Pacific Ocean which is destined
to give her the bulk Of the vast COM
merce Of the countries situated on the
greatest body Of water on the globe.
Some Of the things accomplished by
tho party Of enlightened freedom and
patriotism have been: The securing
Of the open door in China the preser-
walton Of the integrity Of the Chinese
Empire; the acquisition Of the Philip
pines; the esta blishment of coaling sta
tons across the Pacific and finally the
transfer of the American feet Of bat
tleships from the Atlantic to the Paci-
hc to modestly remind the Oriental ma
ton Of a world power in the Pacific,
we are prepared to maintain 1t against
al corners.
America and Japan I'm Pacific.
Two wars have caused the whole
world to realize that the Pacific Ocean
n to be the scene Of the greatest hui
man activities in the future. The war
OF the United States with Spain gave
US possessions which bring us within
speaking distance Of Asia, and the
Russo Japanese war revealed Japan to
the world as powerful and progress
sive nation, whose future sphere of &C
ton would Of necessity be within the
boundaries OF the ocean separating
America from the Orient
Taft q Constructive Statesman.
The Honorable William ii. Taft has
been one of the chief advisers and
strongest advocates Of the Republican
administration policy during this for
native and historic period. He has
been a pioneer not only along the lines
Of statecraft, which have had for their
object the development of our western
states, but he has given particular at
tention to the situation in the Orient
with reference to the future commerce
between those far away countries and
the Pacific coast of America.
In his own inimitable way and unit
Ing a unique personality with the high
est authority as a diplomat, he poured
oil on the troubled waters In Japan
ana cnanYru tire p~iitiN~i storm thesa
raging, into a placid sunshine of peace.
In China he created such enthusiasm
as the Orientals have never shown to
any other visitor and left that empire
with the belief ON their part that the
United States Is not only ready to en-
ter into commercial reciprocity, but to
still stand as China's friend and lend
its influence to see that she gets jus
tice from those who would violate her
territorial integrity.
Taft and Oriental Trade.
In his Shanghai speech. addressing
a body Of influential merchants, diplo-
mats and Chinese government officials,
Mr.. Taft spoke in part as follows:
I'VE do not complain Of loss Of trade
that results from the employment Of
great enterprise, ingenuity or attention
to the demands Of the Chinese market,
or the greater business acumen shown
by our competitors. We would have
the right to protest at being secluded
from the trade Of China by reason Of
our insistence Of the policy Of the
Open Door. The acQuiescence In this
policy Of all the nations interested has
been 30 unhesitsting and emphatic
that II IL hardly worth while to specu-
late upon the probable action Of the
United States I'm case the interests Of
American merchants are placed in jeop-
ardy. and how far the United States
would 60 In the protection Of its Chi
Dese trade. l cannot say. 1t is clear,
however, that our merchants are being
reused to the Importance Of the Chi
nese trade and they would view with
deep concern any and all political OBJ
stacles which menace that expansion
This feeling Is likely to nnd express
eminent. The United States and the
other powers favor the open door, and
II they are wise they will encourage
the Empire to take long steps in ad-
ministrative and governmental reform,
the development Of the resources OF
China, and the Improvement Of the wei
fare Of the people To do this would
add to China's strength and position
40 a self-respscting government and aid
her in preparing to resist possible for
eign aggression in the seeking Of undue
and exclusive proprietary privileges.
Thus no foreign aid will be required
to enforce the open door and the policy
Of equal opportunity for all"
Mistery Maki.s Happenings.
During recent Republican administra-
lions we have built up an export trade
with the Far East Of something like
$50 .000, 900 per year. We have landed
an army on Chinese territory, and have
boon drawn willy-nilly into the vortex
OF the Far Eastern question. During
the period policies have been formulated
which have compelled us to take hand
In momentous negotiations. We have
definitely enrolled the Far East among
the objects OF our commercial and diplo
matte solicituds. Things have changed
much during this ten years Of Republi.
can rule.