Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-01
Partizanship versus patriotism.


The manner in which the organs of
the Republican party are treating the
Sackville episode shows that the dignity
of the Government and the self-respect
of our Nation in its attitude toward an
other power are of much less moment to
them than to secure for the time being,
as they suppose, q small party advantage.
They had predetermined to find acri-
monious and factious fault with the
Administration, no matter what course it
might pursue, with reference to the Brit
ish Minister'S impertinent interference
in our political affairs. The President
and his Cabinet found that the ofense
was gross breach of diplomatic etiquette
and advised the British Government
that the Minister'S recall would best
subserve the continuance of amicable re-
lations between the two countries. The
English Premier, taking his own time to
act upon the hint, our Government very
properly sent Sackville his walking
papers. The Republican press and the
leaders of the party are naturally no more
satisfied with this course than they would
have been with any other course the Presi-
dent might have pursued. The New York
tribune says the dismissal of Sackville
was harsh and unjustifed by the petit
ness of the offense, and treats his i'm
pertinence as a peccadillo that only
merited prompt "rebuke." Well,
Lord Sackville has got his prompt
rebuke, so that after all the Tribune's dis
gruntlement only expresses difference
in the degree of the punishment merited
by the ofense. Now, had the ad-
ministration only administered a mild
rebuke, we would have had the Tribune
laundering against Cleveland's Admins
tration, charging it with cowardly
fear of Great Britain and the dragging of
American dignity in the dirt at the be-
hest of Lord Salisbury. Of course every.
body knows this would have been the
tune of the Tribune and of the whole
press and declamatory pack Of the party
that is run on the principle of anything
to-best- Cleveland.
Let US for a moment review the mean
ness and false -pretence of the Republi-
can leaders on this and subjects leading
up to it from the beginning. In the first
place the Administration secured con-
vention with Great Britain to formulate
a treaty to settle the fisheries question
on fair basis. The Commissioners met
in Washington, and after a long
and earnest session a treaty was
agreed upon which the administra-
ton approved. At once the Republican
majority in the Senate set up howl of
denunciation; declared that the treaty
was one-sided in the interest of Canada.
and prejudicial to the fishermen of New
England. Nor did it hesitate to raise
the demogogic cry that the Government
was trucking to Great Britain. These
men placed party advantage above
patriotism when they rejected .
treaty which made concessions to us
such as We had never had before
without paying round sum for
them, or without granting one-sided re-
ciprocity to Canada. The Republican
party, through Hayes, in 1873, paid 9
fine of $780, 900 to Great Britain for
temporary privileges not as great as this
treaty secured to the fisherman for all
time. Those privileges we're to take
and cure fish inside the prohibit
ed limit for twelve years, a privi-
lege of no value whatever. The whole
value of the inshore catch during that
time did not actually exceed $500, 900.
In addition to this the Canadians had a
remission Of duties amounting "a, ,200, 900