The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-23
WANTING CRAFTSMANSHIP.

There has been quite a sputter in |
political and diplomatic circles over a
reported alliance, offensive and defen-
sive, between Germany and Mexico.
The reported alliance is denied, how
ever, by the best posted authorities,
and it IS now regarded as merely
creature of the most fertile magma
ton. But the first thing which pops
into the mind of the ambitious Amer
lean, whenever the future of Mexico
or it's adjacent Spanish-American
neighbors are considered, is, what is
to become of the Monroe doctrine ?
A cotemporary calls attention to the
fact, while this is being consid-
cred, that it must be borne
in mind the Mexican repub-
lie is really an independent power
like our own, and that because it is
the lesser power, the respect of the
civilized world is due 1T as much
even as the United States. Mex
leo has as much right to make treaties
and to declare war as the United
States, and its acts in either respect
are not to be questioned, unless there
by systems, antagonistic to what are
known as american institutions" are
to be brought Extensively in contact
with our form Of government. Prece-
dent appears to have initiated against
us in this respect, for the establishment
of the empire under Macmillan
was looked upon with ap-
parent indifference by our federal
government. But the country was
in the throes of great revolution of
its own, taxing the power of federal
ism to sustain itself, and, besides, the
political party at that time controlling
our government was not special adj
vocate of the Monroe doctrine. But it
is fixed principle of our government
that European powers will not be
permitted to extend their systems to
any portion of this hemisphere. How
far treaties might go without treading
on this principle is not fixed, since no
treaty has ever been touched by
which the benefit of assumption
might be fixed. AS to German
or other foreign intervention in Next
co that could not be permitted, but
until some such step is attempted
the United States will hardly be
called upon to take hand in Mexi-
can affairs. The relations between
the two republics are most friend
ly, and the natural inference
would be, because of similarity
of governments, that any
treaty, offensive and defensive,
would be effected sooner between
Mexico and the United States than
betW cen Mexico and any other coun-
try. The rumor about the treaty re-
ferred to grew out of the fact, pT01ba-
bly,, that the commercial treaty, be-
tween Mexico and Germany, as Just
been effected. No later than last
year. steps were taken to place trade
between these two republics on the
basis of reciprocity. Gen. Grant and
Senior Romero were empowered to fix
the relations, but like all things en-
trusted to the powers controlling at
Washington, nothing was done. Instead
of a free list being established, trade
between the two countries continues
to be INSTRUCTED by wall of 80 per
cent duties on one side, and Is or 100
on the other, What our government
needs is craftsmanship to control
it's acts. Instead of tax
ing the step looked forward to
last year it was abandoned for merS<
party matters at home, and it
probable that what the United
then failed to do has now beg
by Germany. This she hasa d
right to do, and any mNrmuri d
our part is simple folly. The inns
of this treaty are soon to be made
pebble. Not long ago England made
an effort to seeNre some such treaty
but failed. fhe United States had
the first Chance to benefit itself, but
statesmanship is at present unknown
in diIeeting federal affairs, and hence
falklra was the result