The Daily News FRIDAY, JULY 31. THE AMERICAN FLEET'S VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 189, 31 July 1908, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, JULY 31. THE AMERICAN FLEET'S VISIT.

We cannot say we have inueli sympathy for .Mr. W'Uford ami his small group of supporters ill objecting to the expenditure of .1111,1)1)0 to eiilerlain the American Navy. There may be something in the contention that as a class the rank and Hit- of the United Slat.;s Xavy is not over-wholesome. There is no reason, however, why -New Zealand's welcome to the lleet ol' a great country should be any less cordial on that iceount. The sickly sentiment that wo ilil allow itself to decline hospitality to the | lighting representatives of a great _n:i-I lion is utterly unworthy of a New ZeahuiuYr. Those who object to according a lilting welcome to the Americans would probably be the very first to lavish hospitality on our brown allies ol Japan were the opportunity all'orded. The motive that, should actuate New Zcalauders in extending the right hand of fellowship to that great brunch ol' the Anglo-Saxon race, our Trans-Pacilie cousins, is that of combination and cooperation to promote the protection of ourselves against the encroachments ol aggressive nations.

There is no foretelling what the present centurv may have in store for the I'.icilie, but ibis we do know, thai as vt people wo would infinitely prefer the American English-speaking nation lo the Japanese as neighbors. The oneness of the American and Ifritish poopi'S would not fail to operate as a deterrent of war where mutual interests were involved. There may be nothing in -the theory that newly-awakened and amnions Eastern naf'ons have set covetous eyes upon Australasia, and lint they are onlv awaiting an opportunity | to swarm them with hordes of people whose ideas and habits are totally at variance -with ours, and with whom there can be no consanguineous or even social reciprocity. The establishment of the' United States in the Philippines should be a circumstance of the greatest satisfaction to New Zealand and Australia for a buffer has been interposed ' between us and the only peoples who might, in a war of the future, essay to overrun our country and subjugate its inhabitants.

From every standpoint the maintenance of friendly relations between the United States aiid Australasia is a matter of supreme diplomatic importance. But, beyond that, there is the obligation to be neMiborlv and to recognise by every means in our power the greatness of the nation whose representatives are about to pay us a friendly visit. As indicated above", we do not envy the mental condition of those Jew Xew Zcalandcrs w 10 would approve of our allowing these emissaries to come and go without exhibiting to them our extreme pleasure at being afforded an opportunity or showing our friendliness. We have a ri»ht to treat our visitors as representatives from our country would be treated if they went on a friendly visit to the Land "of the Stars and Stripes As Britain and America have exhibited brotherlv solicitude for each other's interests in times of comparatively recent stress in the Atlantic, so should our relations with that great country be cultivated in the Pacific.