Part 17 (1/2)
The twenty-third day of May, 1898, is a day to be remembered in the history of our country, for on that day went out the first home regiment from the mainland of the United States, to fight a foe beyond the sea.
When the twelve companies of California Volunteers marched through the city from the Presidio to the docks of the Pacific Mail and Steams.h.i.+p Company, two hundred thousand people accompanied them. So hard was it for our peace-loving people to understand the real meaning of war that it was not until the brave lads and earnest men were actually marching to the steamer which was to carry them thousands of miles to meet danger and death, that many quite realized the sorrowful fact. Men cheered the regiment as it pa.s.sed, but the sobs of the women sometimes nearly drowned the hurrahs. Said one officer, ”It was heartrending. If we had let ourselves go, we would have cried our way to the dock.” But in the war the record of the California troops was one that gave new honor to their state.
Annexation of Hawaii
”The Hawaiian Islands,” said Walt Whitman, in the Overland Monthly, ”are not a group. They are a string of rare and precious pearls in the sapphire center of the great American seas. Some day we shall gather up the pretty string of pearls and throw it merrily about the neck of the beautiful woman who has her handsome head on the outside of the big American Dollar, and they will be called the beautiful American Islands.”
In 1893 the native queen of the islands was deposed by a revolution conducted in a great measure by Americans living in Hawaii. A provisional government was formed and an application made for annexation to the United States. Through two presidential terms the matter was discussed both in Congress and by the people all over the country.
Many were against extending our possessions beyond the mainland in any direction. Others thought it unfair to the natives of the islands to take their lands against their will. It seemed to be pretty well proved, however, that the native government was not for the advancement and best interests of the country, and that in a short time these kindly, gentle people would have to give up their valuable possessions to some stronger power.
Captain Mahan, writing of these conditions, said: ”These islands are the key to the Pacific. For a foreign nation to hold them would mean that our Pacific ports and our Pacific commerce would be at the mercy of that nation.”
In the early part of the Spanish war (July, 1898) the resolution for the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands was pa.s.sed by Congress and approved by President McKinley, and the string of pearls was cast about Columbia's fair neck.
Pius Fund
It seems strange that the first case to be tried in the peace court of the nations at the Hague should have been in regard to the Pius Fund of the Californias collected by the Jesuit padres two hundred and thirty years before, to build missions for the Indians of California. The way in which this money was obtained is described in Chapter IV of this history. It grew to be a large sum, of which the Mexican government took control, paying the interest to the Roman Catholic Church in Upper and Lower California. After the Mexican war, Mexico refused to pay its share to the Church of Upper California. The United States took up the matter, claiming that according to the treaty which closed the war, the Catholic Church of the state of California had a right to its Mexican property.
In 1868 it was agreed by the two countries to leave the matter to the decision of Sir Edward Thornton, English amba.s.sador at Was.h.i.+ngton. He decided that Mexico should pay an amount equal to one half the interest since the war. Mexico did this, but had paid nothing during all the years which had pa.s.sed since that time. To settle the dispute finally, it was decided to leave it to arbitration by the Hague court. The verdict given was that Mexico should pay the Roman Catholic Church of California $1,400,000 for the past, and one half the interest on the fund each year from February, 1903, forever.
Panama Ca.n.a.l
The natural result of the nation's need in the Civil War was the overland railroad. The danger to the Oregon on its long journey, the difficulties in getting reinforcements to Admiral Dewey, and the possession of new lands in the Pacific led to decided action in regard to the building of a s.h.i.+p ca.n.a.l through the Isthmus of Panama.
For years the plan had been talked over. In General Grant's first term as President he saw so plainly our need of this water way, that he arranged a ca.n.a.l treaty with Colombia, and it seemed as though the work would soon begin, but the Colombian government refused to allow the matter to go on, hoping to make better terms with the United States.
This was not possible then, so the plan was not carried out. Later, a French company undertook to build a ca.n.a.l across Panama, but after several years of work failed.
Many of the Americans favored the route through Nicaragua, but after the government had spent much money and time in considering carefully both propositions, the preference was given to the Panama route. In 1902 an act for the building of the ca.n.a.l was pa.s.sed by Congress and approved by President Roosevelt. It provided, however, that should the President be unable to obtain a satisfactory t.i.tle to the French company's work and the necessary territory from the republic of Colombia on reasonable terms and in a reasonable time, he should seek to secure the Nicaragua route. The matter was almost settled, when again Colombia's greed got the better of her judgment and she refused to ratify the compact.
When the people of the province of Panama saw that they were likely to lose their ca.n.a.l through the action of their government, they promptly revolted and declared themselves independent of Colombia. The United States recognized their independence, and a satisfactory treaty was at once concluded with them. In March, 1904, the commission appointed by the President for building the ca.n.a.l sailed for the Isthmus.
Nearly one fourth of the work had already been done by the old company, but there was yet a great deal to do. Besides the actual building of the ca.n.a.l, its dams and locks, the fever district had to be made healthful enough for workmen to live there, marshes had to be drained, pure water brought in from the mountains, and the fever-spreading mosquitoes killed. In addition to all this, the natives of the land and the many bands of workmen of different races had to be brought into an orderly, law-abiding condition. In less than a year it was found necessary to alter the commission, the President choosing this time men particularly noted for their energy and power to make things go. The work progressed with great rapidity, until, in August, 1914, the ca.n.a.l was opened to navigation.
The Orient
In the latter part of the nineteenth century the eastern portion of Asia began to stir itself, rising up from the sleepy, shut-in life it had led for hundreds of years. The eyes of the world watched in wonder the progress of the war between China and j.a.pan (1894-95). In it was fought the first battle in which modern war vessels were engaged. It was found that the j.a.panese, of whom so little was then known, could fight, and fight well.
As a result of the war, China ceded to j.a.pan the territory of Manchuria and the right to protect Korea. Russia and Germany objected, however, and France agreed with them, so j.a.pan had to give way. Soon Russia began taking possession of the disputed territories, but she had constant trouble with j.a.pan, and early in 1904 war broke out. Before the close of the year the civilized world stood astonished not only at the wisdom, patriotism, and fighting qualities of the j.a.panese, but also at their humanity, which would not have discredited a Christian nation.
There took place a series of great battles, both on land and on the sea, in which the j.a.panese were generally victorious. The terrible loss of life and destruction of property led the President of the United States, in the spring of 1905, to urge upon the two countries that fighting cease and peace be arranged.
Few statesmen believed that Mr. Roosevelt would be successful in his humane endeavor, but he pushed his suggestion with patient perseverance until, in September, 1905, Americans had the satisfaction of witnessing upon their soil, at Portsmouth, New Hamps.h.i.+re, the signing of the treaty of peace between Russia and j.a.pan.
j.a.pan's methods of conducting the war had advanced her to a standing among nations which she had never before occupied, and all realized the wisdom of securing commercial relations with her people, who were so rapidly adopting the habits and customs of the rest of the civilized world. In this compet.i.tion for her commerce, California, by her position on the western sh.o.r.e of the United States, has unusual advantages, a fact which was soon proved by the amount of money invested in increasing her facilities for production and manufacturing. Unfortunately little has yet been done in the matter of s.h.i.+pbuilding, and few vessels which enter her harbors have been built in the state.
Some Recent Events
”I'll put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes,” prophesied Puck in ”Midsummer Night's Dream.” The boastful fairy did not succeed in accomplis.h.i.+ng this wonder until midnight on the Fourth of July, 1903. On that day the Pacific cable from the United States to Hawaii, to Midway Island, to Guam, and to Manila, began operations. The men worked hard that last day of the cable laying, and by 11 P.M. the President of the United States sent a message to Governor Taft at Manila. Soon after was the old prophecy fulfilled, when President Roosevelt, no doubt with Puck at his elbow, sent a message round the world in twenty minutes, thus bettering Puck's idea by half.
The saddest year in California's records is that of 1906. On the morning of April 18, a great and overwhelming calamity overtook the beautiful region around San Francis...o...b..y. A movement of the earth's crust which began in the bottom of the ocean far out from land, reached the coast in the vicinity of Tomales Bay in Marin County. Wrecking everything that came in its direct path, it s.h.i.+vered its way in a southeasterly direction to a point somewhere in the northern part of Monterey County.