The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-14
CURRENT TOPICS.
Discussed by an Independent Demo,
cratic Congressman
John EiReFty on the Lasker Incident.
1:he Navy and Our Foreign.
~ Relaiions---T Tariff
The Alert,

CHICAGO, March a. Representative Fin
erty is at home for a rest He was asked
about the Lasker incident. "The Lasker reso-
luton, said no, was passed in good faith,
anil c ngressnen are indignant that Bis
mark should interpret It as an unwarrantabie
interference in the affairs of Germany. They
feel outraged by his bluff return of the reso-
luton sent there in all courtesy and fra
ternal Intentions. | wou'd not presume to
speak Cor the house nor can | say What the
result will BE-, but my impressions are that
the house will favor resolutions defiant Of the
attitude of Bismarck, but complimentary to
Germany as a people. We have no quarrel
with Germany and want none, but we can
not overlook a snub by any foreign nation,
and no people are SO prone to express this as
the congressman Of German birth, among
whom are Deuster, Guenther and Breitung."
And about the naval billH
Il am in favor of increasing the strength
Of our navy to assert the rights Of this coun-
try. The Panama canal has been COM
meneoI l am firm believer in ex-Secre-
tory Blain2's policy in regard 10 the assey-
ton # the United States. l don't say this in
any political sense, bnt as a part of what
the policy Of this country ought to be in
c.satiantie affairs. l regard The digging of
line canal as a casus belh ia the future.
! America. in se,i-dereHce and self respect
should not allow this canal TO Ge controlled by
any European power. Is guarantee of neu-
trality and peace, the canal should be under an
I American protectorate. If she cannot ac-
quirs by purchase she must by forcs 10 pre-
serve her supremacy and IS the natural
arbiter of the cisatiantic worl!. 1t is inn
( possible to have any moral influence with
| European powers unless this country can
manifest this in her navy. For this reason /
am u favor of putting the navy in such a
condition that america eau assert her rights
il the two Americas, ami I consider the sur
plus fund IN the treasury, which is the ilnan-
cal declaration OF the wondrous prosperity of
this country, cannot be put to better use than
striking at what IS a menace to ths interests
/ of the Unitei States
How do you regard the Morrison tariff
| hiHg
Il am opposed to the bin because don't
think OF believe that a horizontal reduction
is just to the manufacturing interests Of thig
country that are just struggling into exist
enCe. ! am not uPpo FL to rational reduc-
ton Of indirect taxation, but don't consider
q al the Morris Il bill meets The case. l don't
think that it CvEht to be brought into the
/ house as party issue, or that the Democratic
/ party should be committed to it in any man,
ner. Individually, l consider free trade An
! anti-American doctrine, and everything that
/ tends in that direction viii create a suspicion
! in the public mind under the existing cir
I cumstances that where revenue reform is ex.
! pressed free-trade is intended am opposed
| to native monopoliSt, but as between him
/ and a foreign nonopolist | give him the
| preference. If he does build a palatial resi-
| dence he spends his money here, and gives s.
! much employment at home
! That breeze about the Alsrt}'
y obj ctei to the resolution Of thanks by
the senate for the reason that when Presi
! dent Pierce redeemed and returned the Rsso
Lutte which was abandoned at sea by order Of
Admiral Bslcher, Queen Victoria, by her
secretary, expressed her thanks, while tht
British parliament took no notice or action
In tae matter Of the Alert, the executive o.
this country had accepted the gift ana
thanked the British government, aud thel
sent message which implied thanks As VT
sra 50 fond Of initiating British manners,
think we might initiate British diplomacy
| and that congress ought not to be involved