The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-03-13
WHAT ARE THE WAVES SAYING

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questions regarding the freedom of
the individual and the unity of the
nation have been practically settled,
and no longer attract the attention of
the citizen But in their place have
come a different set of problems which
have to do with the social and bust
ness welfare Of the people at home and
the relation of America as a world
power to the balance OF humanity.
At the present time there is NOV
ing northward along the South Amer.
lean coast a great fleet OF American
battleships. They were sent into the
Pacific on a mission Of peace. This
assurance has been received from
Washington and there can be no ques-
ton of the truthfulness of the state
ment. But the destiny of nations can
not be foreseen in mathematical
terms and, although the great heart
of the nation is not alarmed and the
war scare which certain journals, both
in this country and in Japan, under
take to promote is discounted in ad-
vance and receives little notice,
nevertheless, disregarding all lingo
ism the situation in the Pacific is one
that calls for the most careful consid-
GRAFTON and has in it such tremendous
possibilities for good or for evil for
the people of this country and the
world that about it centers a problem
which is liable to prove the greatest
and the gravest that this country ever
confronted.
1t was not many years ago that the
waters of the Pacific, which bathed the
California, Oregon, and Washington
coasts touched the western border of
the United States, but today way out
beyond the horizon, as one looks from
the Golden Gate, thousands of miles
westward the American flag floats
over the Hawaiian islands. BY the
arbitrament Of war and the considera-
ton of few millions, the flag of
America, since 1898, has fioated over
another group of islands, way over in
the Orient. These island possessions
are rich in resources. populated by
ten millions of people of strange and
different races. They came to us I'M
eXpectedly, unsought and undeslred,
through the mysterious events of a
war undertaken for humanity. Never
theless, they are ours to care for and
upon this rests the tremendous obi
cation of their peace, safety and wei.
fare.
We had no sooner obtained Hawaii
and the Philippines and entered upon
systematic plan for their develop
ment than events in the Orient began
to change rapidly. Out of discord,
misunderstanding and the avarice and
greed of nations, came a great war
between Russia and Japan. Just what
II was all about it is difficult to COM
prehend. This much is evident. japan,
aroused from its slumber and apathv
which had prevailed for centuries mast.
catchlnS the spirit of the age mani |
Testing marvellous capacity as an imi |
tator and still more marvellous ability !
IN initiative, became possessed with
a lust for more land on which to give
room to her crowded population and
expand her latent resources. The his |
tory which records her success in
Manchuria and Korea is so fresh that
it needs only to be mentioned.
The question which concerns Ameri |
ca today regarding the Pacific is |
What are the intentions and purposes
OF Japan?' Will that country be con-
tented with what it already has or will |
1t reach out its hand, flushed by its
brilliant victories of the recent past
and attempt to gram the Philippinesp
ms is the Interrogation which is the
most potent, perhaps, America has to
race, at least in regard to foreign
aHalrs. 1t is true that the Japanese
statesmen and scholars continually
give the most profuse assurances of
their friendship for this country and
thelr disposition to be at peace with
all the world, but it is doubtful IL the
Japanese know their own minds. They
are admittedly adroit, cunning, and
,reacherous by nature. They have lust
at that point in their national
history where self consciousness
breeds in them a contempt for other
nations and is apt to blind their ewes
10 their real strength. With a tremen.
1ous and magnificent navy, a people
whose military discipline is perhaps
lnequalled, soldiery who hesitates
not a moment to give up life for their
country and a great business class
fred with an ambition to acquire more
erritory that they may work out a
great national career-all this. added
% q self COnCait whiob oo,,or &c..