Read the quote from a 1900 speech by Senator Albert J. Beveridge. Geography answers the question. China is our natural customer. She is nearer to us than to England, Germany, or Russia, the commercial powers of the present and the future. They have moved nearer to China by securing permanent bases on her borders.

–"In Support of an American Empire,” Senator Albert J. Beveridge

Which best describes what this quote indicates about the US economy of the time?

A. The United States was unable to trade with European nations.

B. The future of the United States was threatened by European invasions.

C. The prosperity of the United States was threatened by the actions of European nations.

D. The territory of the United States was not secure, considering the location of Russia and China.