Arizona republican., 1908-08-16

changes on the map of the world which will result.
 The capture of Constantinople by the Turks resulted in the discovery of America. It cut off the great route to India and the Orient. and stopped the rich trade between the West and the East. Thus it was that Columbus was led to sail in search of a passage which the Turks could not cut off. It started at De Gama on his trip around the Cape of Good Hope also in search of another passageway to India and the East. The Panama canal will not lead to the discovery of another hemi- sphere, but as the closing of a line of travel did lead to the discovery of our world, so the opening of a new line of travel the canal will lead to the dis covery of new worlds of commerce.
 The action of the Turks in cutting off a route to the East ended the world supremacy of Genoa. of Flor ence, and of Venice Their harbors. once teeming with shipping from the ends of the then known world were deserted and all but abandoned. Their commercial supremacy passed away forever. And while they were losing their grip on the maritime situation other cities began to rise and figure as the centers of the worlds com mence. So will it be with the opening of the Panama canal. With a deep waterway from the Great Lakes to the Gulf the whole of the vast Mississippi basin will find an outlet direct to the markets of the world. Grain rates from Chicago. St. Louis. Kansas City, New Orleans and Galveston to Pacific points will be cheaper than a railroad could ever give. The great central plains of Canafa, with their vast out put, and still vaster possibilities, of grain, will find it cheaper to reach Oriental markets by way of the Mis- sissippi river and the Panama canal All of this will give the great Missis- sippi valley an important position in the commercial affairs of the nation even beyond that she already holds
 Sir Walter Raleigh once exclaimed that the nation which controlled the lsthmus of Darien would rule the world. The fulfillment of the pro phecy seems near. A United States waterway means a deep Uniter States interest in the affairs of the Carribe- an, and the day may yet come when the dreams of Jefferson shall be re- alized-a confederated West Indies under an American protectorate. POr- to Rico is already ours. Cuba is under our protection. Jamacai is proving no longer an important asset to England. and the growing desire of the commer- cial interests of the island for annexa- tion to the United States may yet be gratified by friendly treaty. San Do mingo and Hayti are gradually drift ing to the point where each will re- quire guardian-and the United States will not let any other nation assume such role. Even in Mexico. the wish for annexation is said to be strong. President Diaz himself being reliably reported as having said that within fifty years Mexico. with a half billion. dollars of American money in- vested in her enterprises, will be seek ing political union with the United States, Stranger things have happen ed to the map of the world than that Canada, whose interests, aims and aspirations are one with our own. should ultimately become a part of us. and so we may yet literally fulfill a