The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1908-10-10
History Making Happenings.

During recent RepuDllcaD aQmlnlStrd-
lions we have built up an export trade
with the Far East of something like
$1500O0000 per year. We have landed
an army on Chinese territory, and have
been 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 soicitude Things have changed
much during this ten years of Republic
can rule
The United States has come into pos
0ession Of the Philippines and all the
political and strategical responsibilities
entailed by this movement The particl-
patton in, and suppression Of, the Boxer
rebellion. the expanding recognition of
the supreme Importance to the future
of American trade. of the open door, the
realization that with the exception of
Japan, no country is so well situated
as the United States. industrially and
geographically, to make the most and
the best Of the development of China.
These and other events have trans
formed American Indifference to the
fortunes of the Far East into real.
live, tingling and vigilant concern.
Logical Commercial Events.
II did not need the Chinese boycott
of American goods. or the outbreak OF
the trouble with Japan over the immi-
grafton question:, to convince an Impair
tial onloolSer that Americas relations
with the powers of the Far East would,
before long. be more immediate. OF
greater moment and possibly of greater
hazard than our relations with the
powers of Europe The American feet
has foreshadowed the systematic asser-
ton of American power in the Pacific.
American interests in that ocean. com.
mercal. political and territorial have
been neglected far too long
Father of the Philippines.
Mr. Taft is in sense the father of
the Philippines 1t has been his kindly.
constructive statesman's hand that
evolved order out OF their original
chaos in his report submitted to Con
gress as a result Of his visit to the
Philippines to be present at the opening
OF their first Assembly. he made four
recommendations First-acton by Con-
gress admitting to the United States
Philippine products under such condi-
lions that they would not interfere
with American tobacco and sugar in
dustries; second. the removal of re-
strictions as to acquiring mining claims
and lands. third. further legislation
authorizing the government to carry
on an agricultural bank, which is now
authorized only as private enterprise;
fourth the repeal &C the law applying
to the Islands the ey-~twise laws of
the United States.
Philosophy of BE-. slopment.
Our nation has grown by obeying the
instinct of development We are to-day
entitled to be called Greater America,
but that greatness will be lost II we
forget the political philosophy which
has made US great-expansion Of Amer
lean thought territory, mechanical skill,
civilization and philosophy This is an
auspicous time for the creation and de-
yelopment of our export trade The m
explored and undeveloped markets of
Asia furnish the opportunity. All other
fields have been occupied, and to at
tempt to wrest them from other nations
would be of doubtful expediency In
the Orient the commercial possibilities
exceed the dreams of the optimist
Are the American people ready to
abandon such a situation and leave it
to the mercy of the Democratic party
with its failure of fifty years looking
at us from the past?