Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-04-07

committee similar to the Ballinger-
finchot committee? This body could
be empowered to send for persons and
papers and could therefore bring on
Cooks two Eskimos. the papers and
instruments left at Etah by Harry
Whitney and could even demand the
presence of DR.. Cook himself More
important than all, it could compel the
production of the little brass tubes left
at the north pole and on top of Mount
Mckinley or could cause the attend
ance of some of the purple SHOWS"
seen at both places.
Members of congress cannot under
stand the strange silence of the people.
There are few petitions. letters and
kilograms are less in evidence than
usual, and apparently there is either
resentment-pcssibly little of both
The only subjects that bring popular
response of any magnitude are high
prices. the tariff and Roosevelt. The
keenest observers do not believe that
this silence Is one Of apathy. yet they
are ut loss just how to account for
it. Obviously 1t Is not indicative of
active protest. at least not yet. for
protest makes itself heard. Possibly
it is only the silence Of uncertainty
The people have not made up their
minds and are waiting A few appre
hensive souls fear it is the lull before
the storm. At any rate. 1t is not a
normal condition.
The speeches Of ex-Secretary Of the
Treasury Leslie NJ. Shaw and Major
General J. Franklin Bell declaring in
effect that war with Japan is inevita-
Bile and reports from Japan of public
excitement occasioned there by these
utterances are largely discounted here
While nobody believes that there is
any immediate prospect of war be-
tween the two countries. or at least
nobody outside of Bell. Shaw and Rep
reSentative Richmond Pearson Hob
son. however, every farsiGhted man
recognizes that Il struggle must come
Pacific and that the two powers which
will make that struggle are this coun-
try and Japan. The American people
have never yet realized the magnitude
Of the Pacific question. Yet In no part
of the world has the American infiu-
ence been so powerful or American
diplomacy been so active as in the
groups Of nations surrounding the
great ocean. This is to be the theater
of the worlds future civilization. TO
this great coming empire America
holds the strategic position. Through
the Monroe doctrine. the Panama ca
nal. Hawaii. the Philippines. Alaska
and our own western coast we domi-
nate the situation. Japan is the great
power on the other side Of the Pacific
as we are on this In a gigantic war
China would probably side with ia
pan. If such Il clash should come it
would doubtless dwarf all conflicts Of
the past. II would be the struggle be-
tween the occident and the orient. be-
tween the white race and the yellow.
between the new civilization and the
old. That contest is probably far in
the future. and yet the American peo-
pie should be awake to the situation.
The action Of the senate committee
on Interstate commerce in fav0rably
reporting the Taft amendments to the
present railroad law now places the
bill before the body. and the decks
will soon be cleared for the fight Of
the session 1t is now confidently pre-
dicted that the struggle over this
measure will dwarf even that on the
postal savings bank. and it is freely
prophesed that the battle in the SEN
ate alone will last from six weeks to
two months. Perhaps the most deter
mined opposition will be made to the
proposed commerce court. The bill
was only reported for passage by two
majority in the committee. two Repub-
lican senators. Cunmins and Clapp.
joining in minority report. The
house committee on interstate COM