verse the order, for is not Mr. Booth Tarkington—tyro though he be in politics— thought to have his eye on the Governor ship of his' State? But to return to General Foster. The Centur of American Diplomacy—an excellent outline, although faulty on the Whitman question—was a book that one might ex pect from a former Secretary of State. His present work—American Diplomacy in the Orient— springs as naturally from the au thor's experiences, for Mr. Foster has long been interested in the Orient, and was at one time—and that a very important one— legal adviser of the Chinese Government in its foreign relations. Mr. Foster knows, therefore, the Oriental from frequent and practical contact, and the present book shows that he likewise knows the Oriental's history. Add to this that the author has a thorough grasp of American diplomacy and history; that he has represented the United States in both the new and old world, and it will be seen at once that ideal conditions of authorship obtained in this case. The appearance of the book is timely, as well as fortunate: for the American people have been moving westwardly with feverish rapidity ever since the independence of our country. The Pacific cannot be said to have opposed a barrier, for Caleb Cushing had negotiated a treaty with China in 1844, be fore California had been added to the Union and Commodore Perry opened Japan to the world in 1852, before the Pacific coast had more than a handful of settlers. The Far East fascinated and dazzled the imagination half a century ago. Senator Seward gave expression to a general feel ing in the following glowing and prophetic utterances: "The Pacific Ocean, its shores, its islands, and the vast regions beyond, will become the chief theatre of events in the world's great hereafter. (Am. Dip. p. 135.) And again, in 1852, he said: "We are rising to another and a more sublime stage of national progress—that of expanding wealth and rapid territorial aggrandizement. Our institutions throw a broad shadow across the St. Lawrence, and stretching bevond the Valley of Mexico, reaches even to
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the plains of Central America; while the Sandwich Islands and the shores of China recognize its renovating influence. . . . Expansion seems to be regulated, not by any difficulties of resistance, but from the moderation which results from our own internal constitution. No one knows how rapidly that restraint may give away. Who can tell how fast or how far it ought to yield? Commerce has brought the ancient continents near to us, and created necessi ties for new positions—perhaps connections or colonies there. . . . Even prudence will soon be required to decide whether dis tant regions, East or West, shall come un der our protection, or be left to aggrandize a rapidly-spreading and hostile domain of despotism. Sir, who among us is equal to these mighty questions? I fear there is no one." (Am. Dip. pp. 401-402.) The outlook that gave the father pause has failed to impress the son, who finds him self securely possessed of Porto Rico and Panama in the East, the Sandwich and Phil ippine Islands in the West. The SpanishAmerican War of 1898 has resulted in ex tensive acquisitions of territory, notwith standing the solemn statement that the war was one of humanity, not of conquest. Had it not been wisely restricted at the outset or had it degenerated into conquest pure and simple, we might probably have added a continent or two to our domains instead of contenting ourselves with a few insigni ficant islands. But whether the policy of expansion be wise or otherwise, it is a fact, and motives of self-interest, as well as curiosity, demand that we inform ourselves of our new neigh bors. Hence it is that the appearance of General Foster's book is so timely alike for author and nation. As to the book. It consists of thirteen chapters dealing with American and (in a lesser degree), European relations with China, Japan. Korea and its neighbors, Hawaii, the Samoan complication and the results of the Spanish War. An appendix of some thirty-five pages gives the various treaties and documents necessary to a cor rect understanding of the text.
