Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1910-04-08
From Mid Ocean

nv lOiiO"lllS lcllcT from NeV.
George II. Greenfield was received
several weeks ago, but has been
held off for various reasons:
Mid Ocean, February 10, 1910.
Editor Independent:
Today is February 18th, Satur-
day. We did not have any Febru-
AIRY 18th. nor did we have any Fri
day. Today is Saturday. Yesterday
was Thursday. We have crossed
the loO,h Meridian. 1t was very
strange experience to drop a day
out Of the calendar. | believe it
is the first day have ever lost.
As resident of the Pacific Coast
by choice and not by birth | am
glad Mr.. Clark has decided to do
business on Americas principal
street, the Pacific ocean. Japan has
even expressed a modest desire to
control the Pacific To be mistress
of the Pacific has been her insistent
desire and aspiration, but the eagle
eye Of American craftsmanship is
looking across the depths that sepa-
rate Us from this interesting people
and are awake to the possibilities of
Oriental development. Our future
commercial relations must be with
the nations We are about To visit.
Dormant for centuries their ores
have remained untouched. In in
land China where natives have died
from cold and exposure there are
immense beds of the black diamond
sufficient to supply the worlds de-
mands for a century. We are liv-
ing in the transition stage when the
commerce of our land is shifting
and when international questions
are cCntcring where our steamer
sails. The miracle of the resurreC-
tion of the city from which we
sailed and the Portola display-a
city built so soon upon the ashes of
a destroyed metropolis tells of a
boundlcss faith in the possibilities
beyond. The storm center has left
the Mediterranean and the North
Atlantic and has drawn all eyes to
the Pacific. England and France
have steadily increasing interests
here and our own United States
neither slumbcrs nor sleeps in the
hum Of opportunity. In the midst
of it all however, Japan is keen,
cold and active and is coming more
and more to be recognized as a
world power.
From afar come pilgrims to Nee
ca. But the Kaabas is for the Mo
hammCdan alone. Jerusalem is the
center of interest to the jew and
the Christian. Chicago is Amcri-
can London is English Paris is
French. Today, however. the eyes
of the entire world are turned tow
ard Japan. Other nations have
achieved greatness by centuries of
experience. Egypt developed her
civilization from the subsoil of
countless ages of progress. We
have grown into what we have by
natural processes, but we must point
in explanation of our development
10 contact with nations and peoples
Of progressive civilizations. Japan
is the marvel of nations. Coming
ont of the woods at about the same
time rs the Anglo Saxons, she con-
tinucd a hermit nation until very
recent years. What she has ac-
complishcd since her ports have
been opened has surprised the most
progressive nations. The eyes OF
the world are today turned toward
Japan. Her remarkable growth
since Perry took off her swaddIing
clothes is an incxplicablc phenome-
non. She is today the pioneer Of
progress in the Orient. We marvel
not only at what she has accomp-
! lishcd but mt the limited time IN
which she has done it. Ere long at
her present rate Of progress she VIII
control the commerce of the entire