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THE UNITED STATES AND COM. MERCIAL POLICY IN THE PACIFIC,
(Daily Preen 21st April.) Tou hing recent developments in the Paci- fic Ocean, Engineering, a paper always well informed on American topics, recently said of the policy being pursued by the United States: "The Americans, however, mean to linve stations of their own in the Pacific, which will give them a commanding naval position. Already, as we have mentioned, Hawaii affords a half-way house, and there
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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down to their own sordid level. On the whole these feelings of paltry jealousy do not count for much on either side of the| Atlantic, and both are content to wait quietly till something really important, and lend ing up to some issue of profound impor. tance intervenes between the nations before pressing to nu issue n grievance. It was from feelings of this nature that the British Government, backed up by the British people, at once concurred in the abrogation of the CLAYTON-BULWER treaty; the need for the treaty had disappeared, and it had come to stand in the way of both countries. It had
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[April 28, 1800.
en he no doubt but that before long the doubtless at one time a very good renson Mr. HAY himself inter howe
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Representatives no doubtɛeems to liave b raised as to the policy of the which left the Government except as to the neutrality Sennte, usually the more two houses, has evificed a s be hardly better describe factious opposition There is no doubt whatever that, had it not been for the neutrality, neither acknowledgement of Lord SALISBURY'S nor any other British Government would have consented to the abrogation of the Trenty. This was so plain. to Mr. MACKINLEY's administration, that
unlikely which he submitted. It is, I that the Senate as a whole will accept the views of its more impracticable members, and the incident remains as an Alustration of the difficulties which sometimes arise to prevent an American statesman carrying out the policy which he recognises ns best for his country. It is curious to serve too, that in the States, the upper House, with more fixity of election, fre- quently occupies the place of agitator, which in the older country is generally considered the prerogative of the more popular As- sembly. Notwithstanding these momentary delayr, it may be assumed that the Canal - will, before long, pass into the practical stage, and that within the next dozen years we shall have, for good or evil, to accept. change little less far-reaching than that brought about by the opening of Canal. The change, as we have
is bound to be a serious one, and needs all our prescience and ability being a serious challenge
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Philippine Islands will become, not only for existence, but that reasou, whatever it an important naval station, but also a dis- was, had in the course of time disappeared, "tributing station for the Far East, which and both nations, each for its own purposes, may rival Hongkong. We need not en- desired that the work, once a bugbear to ter into a discussion of the constitutionench, should be taken in haul. But who "which has been proposed for the Philip was to do it?! This was the crucial question. pines, as a good deal might be said both Once upon a time it seemed likely that a for aid ngainst it; but of this we may be trans-Isthminn cauil was likely to be the assured, that the United States Govern- outcome of private enterprise, but the break- "ment will keep its hold on the islands down of the Lesseps Company pointed out "in some form, and while they will be that the work was too vast, nud too un- allowed a large amount of self-govern- certain, to be privately undertaken; America, ment, they will to all intents and purposes it was plain, was the first interested, and the be under the dominion of the United American people, who have still a craze for States, and their future commercial policy the gigantic, were ambitious of embarking "will be an integral part of the policy of in the enterprise. It was unlikely that the "the United States. Their influence on the people of England would so far depart from "future of the trade in the Pacific area is their distaste for permitting the state to "certain to be very great, and it is not im- undertake works not of actual national probable that Manila will become a port necessity, as to permit the government of "of call for all the most important steam- the day even to entertain the idea. The ship lines. Indeed, that port may be policy of the United States had been under "considered_the_most central port of the going a transformation, and successive gov- entire Asiatic-Pacific const, more so even ernments came to look upon the matter as than Hongkong and Shanghai, and nearer an early necessity, and matters were becom-supremacy. More especially will this be 暴露 to
the great range of southern and Ausing ripe for the issue; it was no part of the case in that important portion of our "tralian ports. The possibilities of Manila the dog in the monger, so all sections and trade which centres in the Pacific. Have
as a distributing port are great, and so also parties tacitly agreed that no opposition we, even as matters stand, taken our full. are those of the Philippine Islands with should be offered to the States, should the share of the trans-ocean traffic? And are "their vast and varied undeveloped Government at Washington seek to under-wo not already dropping somewhat astern of our true position? In this connection which offer a most inviting take the project. In order to do this it was field for the expansion of British and incumbent that the treaty should be ahrs- the words uttered by our coutemporary are “American trade. There has been a goodgated, and when Mr. Hay made the formal worthy of deep consideration; the coming "ded of talk recently about an Anglo-
struggle will be one of giants, and we may "Saxon alliance; but it is probable that
rest assured that there is every indication "there will not be much inclination on
that the United States will make use of either side for a formal alliance, or even
all means in their power to diminish the for hard and fast agreements on definite
share falling to Great Britain. With the with по points. Common responsibilites and in-
States we can sympathise, as we can other people, and were the strife one of m against man we could heartily rejoice in every forward step taken, even at our own apparently momentary loss. fortunately, in the <ince of the present g in the States, this is fiscal policy prevailing in not what we have to fear, but the more serious, and in its effects more dansaging to both countries, policy of a war of Tariff. [the That the United States are not far off th acceptance of a Free-Trade policy, as in the
themselves, end the most beneficial to are growing indications; but that the change will not come quickly, nor without a great upheaval, which will seriously threaten the well-being of the States, may be taken for granted Meuwhile all that we cangalo is to possess our souls in patience, and calmly await the inevitable.
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resources,
"terests will afford a sufficient tie to bind "the nations together, and it is to be hoped "that their influence will always be used "for the development of the welfare of hu-
manity."
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proposition, accompanying it with terms of neutrality similar to those which have stood the test of experience in the case of the Suez Canal, the proposal was formally accepted. The whole athir was an indication of the practical aspect of affairs by both govern inents. Washington felt it could rely on the business capacity of the British Minister, and at once made a practical suggestion, which Lord SALISBURY was able, without the suspicion of giving way, to accept in its This, it may be said, represents the feel- entirety; and the result was that each got ing of the best minds ou either side. That what it wanted. Sɔ matters stood, but there there will from time to time occur subjects is in constitutional procedure a slight differs of difference, so long as England and the ence between the two administrations. In States preserve their independence as nations, England the Cron, that is to say the Gay. must happen; such differences have hap ernment of the day, has the constitutional pened before, but hitherto the good sense of power to make trenties, which, however, both nations has prevented them from grow have subsequently to run the gauntlet of ing into sourees of hostility. There is indeed Parliament. In the states no treaty is of a common foundation and a common method any effect till it has been approved by Con- of reasoning which makes the two nations gress. From some reason, peculiar to the look upon affairs from a very similar point States, it has curiously been the case that of view, and this common habit of reasoning of late there have appeared tokens of very often leads, even in indifferent matters, az difference of feeling between the two to a common coucourse, This is shown very Houses and the President, and not unfre- clearly by the similar division of both coun- quently the three are found to have on im tries with regard to what in both may be portant matters divergent views. This culled the struggle for Imperialism, In divergence has been more especially appar- both there are perfectly conscientious and eût litely on questions of currency, and patriotic men, men too in the enjoyment of" legislation has fir consequence been delayed
It is not for Cheir allest faculties, who look with horror, and useful messures postpo on the
pansion of their, respective, states, an outsider to pass judgment on these nia In bot santries there is besides a minority, which concern the internal
politiciunn & whose opposition of the country itself, but the new very much more contemptible: shown how different, even on such whox
their own private the foreign relations of the State endi, would drag their ive countries | the two houses. While in the House
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*** Three Ratepayers? write to The Shanghai Mercury about the road to the Hille voted at the recent
meeting -hai! Unless the Cons at the end of the rom they 'call for
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