New-York tribune., 1884-03-31

rs THERE 10 BE A NEE FOREIGN



The capdition of affairs i'm Peru has become
so dcplorably wretched that England, France
and Holland are taking the subject into consid-
Grafton, and are protesting vigorously against
the cruel and arbitrary exactioDs OF Chiii' IL
tends to heighten the pride OF an American 10
read in one of the recent dispatches from LAMA
that the European Powers "expect tue Minister
from the United States TO second tbs efforts
of their Ministers in securing relief to Perm
Second is q pleasant part for the bhitea
States TO play in questions. which are excius-
lively American" Tie diplomacy which has
brought this about is praised Ia certain Jour
mails for its /" wise moderation" We observe
that Senator Hawiey's paper has lately referred
to policy inaugurated in the Garfield Admin
istratiOn with the view of making the United
States first instead Of second in American
affairs. as a policy of "brag and buster
Whatever NAV have been the character OF the
nolicv thrown forward under President Car
field, certain it is that at no time in the last fifty
wears has the influence of the United States
been so small in South American affairs as 1t
is to-day. No one will deny that the policy for
two years past has been one of moderation"
Has il been wise
President Arthurs Administration is begin
ming to doubt the wisdom OF this moderation II
the r1mors which reach us are well founded.
Ii comes to us through channels friendly to the
President that he is about TO take new depart
ure and launch a very vigorous polcy III
regard TO the Inter-Oceanc Canal. III Is said
TO be no less than a proposition for Congress 10
make direct appropriation of one hundred mil
lions of dollars to build ship canal through
Nicaragua, to be owned and maintained by our
Government, to be entirely free OF tolls to
vessels of the United States while other nations
shall pay tolls. This Is to be done at once, as
the story goes, without any adjustment from
obligations under the Clayton -BulWer Treaty.
In the policy of @brag and bluster "put forth
under Secretary Blaine, it was distinctly an
nounced that the United States would seek no
advantage in the matter of tolls, but merely
demanded the political control of the canal so
that il could not be used against us or our COM
merce in time of war; 1t does not require the
penctraton of a child TO see that if we build a
canal with freedom to our own ships and tolls
for the ships of other nations, those other
nations may build n canal of their own rlght
alongside of ours. We cannot exclude the
maritime nations from an equal participation
in the commercial privileges OF the canal, ana
ot the same time exclude them from the right
of building their own canal. The United
States Government is very powerful, but not
powerful enough to play international dog Ill
the manger
If it be really true that such scheme is on
foot, it will meet with failure and with rideale.
The policy announced by Secretary Blaine with
President Garfields special approval would
have long since secured us all tAlt we need IN
the matter of controlling the Intcr-oceanic
Canal. Mr. Frelinghuysen began his career in
the State Department by retracting and annul-
ling everything done under the Garfield Ad-
ministraton. Perhaps with General Hawiey
he thought it brag and buster" He brought
on the country the contempt ot some Powers
and tn, distrust of others. Any extraordinary
scheme announced just at this time TO cure the
voluntary abaSement and humiliation OF the
past two and o half years will be viewed with
distrust, and will certainly meet with criticism.
Tt is hard to make old bottles hold new wine.