Evening journal., 1914-08-26
New News Of Yesterday
Stewards Views on Terri
tOrial Expansion
By Holland.

Early in the public career Of Will
liam H. Seward he began a friendship
Gen. James Watson Webb, which was
probably the most intimate personal
relation which he established with
any one, even closer than was his
association with Thurlow Weed It
was due to Mr.. Stewards influence
that Gen. Webb was nominated Min
lister to Brazil. Had he been willing
to accept other appointive Office after
his term in Brazil had expired, Webb
could have secured anything he
wanted which was within the power
of Mr.. Seward as United States sena-
tor or Secretary Of State to obtain
for him.
Gen. Webb highly priced his friend
ship with Gov. Seward, partly because
the latter represented Webb's views
upon the tariff and upon the slavery
question and partly because in their
frequent exchange OF visits each
learned from the other many things
which were of the highest importance.
It was Cen Webb who was one of
the first to learn what Governor Sew
ards views were respecting the par
ticular course of empire which would
distinguish the United States as soon
as railroad communications west of
the Mississippi were established.
Gov. Seward once told Gen. Webb
that he was persuaded that the little
village of Minneapolis, as it was at
the time of this conversation, would
become before the end of the nine
teenth century one of the great com
mercial and financial centers Of the
United States.
Gov. Seward was inclined to think
at that time that the influence OF
Minneapolis and the growth Of that
city and of its suburbs might be great
er than the influence and growth even
of Chicago" said Gen. Webb.
Gov. Seward was always greatly
interested in the study of the future
development of our two neighborine
nations, Canada on the north anC
Mexico on the south. He believed
that had we secured the entire Pa
cific coast line from Lower Califor'
MIA to Alaska, Canada would ultimate
" have been compelled to seek close
alliance with the United States.
Gov Seward once said, wher
speaking of these two neighbors, thai
there can be only one great natior
built upon one continent at one time
So far as Canada is concerned, hel
climate and her natura resources
are, he said, Of kin TO the United
States. He did not believe that Can
ada would ever become politically as
simulated with the United States, al
though he said that no one could pre-
dict what conditions might be deve
loped by the middle of the twentieth
century. But he did believe tha
there would be established reciprocal
relations, which in time would be
come so close that there would be in
evitably a sort of commercial, indus
trial. and even financial kinship be
tween the United States and Canada
"On the other hand. Gov. Seward
at least after the failure Of the at
tempt to establish a European dyn
asty in Mexico, was convinced tha
ultimately, and in a future not dis
tant, Mexico would be brought withii
the so-called sphere of influence o
the United States. Only in that way
he asserted, could the great possibili
ties and opportunities which MeXic
offers for development be realized.
"These were the views of states
man." said Gen. Webb, "but they wer
at the time opinions which Sewar
held alone among our statesmen"
Copyright. 1914. by E. J. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tel
"How a Bondholder Maintained Hi