Especially will Japanese dominance of the Orient, military and
commercial, upon which Japan is determined, bring us Americans face to
face with a new set of conditions, requiring the highest order of
careful thought, the clearest, firmest announcement of national
policy. Do not fear, young man, lest all of this be over before the
time has come for you to play your part on the stage of human affairs.
The new problems which the whole Orient will propose to the entire
world, and particularly to America, will last for a century at least.
Indeed, it is probable that our relations with the East will become
and remain one of the leading subjects of American statesmanship as
long as the Republic endures. For that matter, you may go further, and
say that the great human question of modern times is the meeting face
to face of Oriental and Occidental ideals, of the white and yellow
theory of life and morals, and the gradual destruction of one by the
other, or their mutual modification and adjustment.
But we are getting into deep waters now. That is the point I am
making. They show that, dive you ever so deep, young man, present-day
statesmanship has depths which not even the plummet of imagination has
yet been able to sound.
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