Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-27
The question Of the present in the republics

Ths question Of the present in the republics
foreign relations 10: "Has Secretary Bsyard,
representing the United States, been snubbsd
b. Salisbury" The alleged snubshas been sub
tected to qualitative and cumulative analysis,
but the Observation-Disclosures differ in their re-
ports. 1t 10 stated that the failure of the Eng
lish government to appoint . successor to
6ackville and Salisbury's virtual refusal to do
% b viewed in Europe % . marked afront to
America, clearly indicating diplomatic resent
msnt which would be followed In any Euro
psan country by the immediate withdrawal Of
the ambassador or minister to Great Britain;
and the alternative Is presented to our govern
nent Of recalling Mr.. Phelps or Of pocketing an
insult and sacrificing self-respect. The State
department view Of the matter is that while
the United States can refuse to receive an often
sive minister, it cannot dictate how or when q
foreign government shall be represented at
the capital; that our representatives in foreign
countries are there mainly to protect the ma
tiens business interests, and that it is q matter
o. indifference to our government whether or
MT Great Britain neglects to look after her
ewn business interests in this country for the
Lext few months by failing to appoint sue
cessor to Sackville. The English minister, as
such, viii never be missed, and undoubtedly
few Americans care q rush whether the place
is filed next week or not till several months
from to-day; but the people viii be apt
to become FESTIVE II once thoroughly
convinced that Q snub has been intended
and, in the eyes Of Europe given, to
which the administration has quietly sub
mitted. Certainly If England bites her thumb
at as, and all Europe perceives the significance
Of the insult, Uncle Sam must enter upon
vigorous policy Of retaliatory thumb-biting.
And no more harmless method Of indicating
dissatisfaction could probably be devised than
that of leaving vacant the positions of foreign
minister to the countries in controversy. There
Is still another form Of opinion in the United
States which views the snub az q personal one
from. Salisbury to Cleveland and Bayard, in
which the nation is not interested. According
to this opinion the manner in which Sackville
was given his passport without notice to his
government and pending negotiations, imply
ing reasonable delay, between Salisbury and
Phelps, was rude and laundering, and to be
accounted for only by the political exigencies
OF the administration, and delay in filling the
position until after Secretary Bayard and the
President are out Of Office is viewed as a per-
sonal affront to the latter, which the State de-
partment may resent or not as it sees fit, with
out causing any special concern to the nation.
Popular opinion is not in sympathy with the
movement to include actors in the provisions
Of the contract labor law and thus exclude
European actors from competition with the
American product. The contract labor law
needs to be changed, but the necessary al
terstion il in the opposite direction from that
suggested by the committee of actors. It's
scope should be defined and limited, instead of
being extended to cover classes now excepted.
The public was surprised and in part amused,
In part annoyed to discover that the terms of
the law were 30 loose and comprehensive as to
exclude the employment under contract of for
eign clergymen. The special evil to be met
by law prohibiting the employment Of for
eign contract labor is the hiring Of gangs of
cheap manual laborers like the Chinese coolies
who enter by agreement into q condition Of
temporary slavery. Europe as well as Asia
furnishes these voluntary slaves. Any law di-
rected against this evil should limit itself to
the protection of the mere manual laborer, and
should not shut out the refining and elevating
influences Of the words or works of the foreign
clergyman, actor, painter or sculptor, whose
country is the world. Public opinion in this
matter is with Jefferson and Florence, who dis
approve the plan Of excluding foreign actors,
and against Barrett and Booth who indorse it.
The Chicago police have refused to let Mrs.
Lucy Parsons make an exhibition of herself and
incite her fanatical associates to riot, and she
is terribly agitated in consequence. She won
ders how anybody can call ours a free country.
'They would not think Of trying to stop such
meeting as this in London or in Scotland" she
declares. Possibly not. But woman who had
borne as close relation as Mrs. Parsons has to
such fendish act Of butchery as that Of the
Chicago haymarket, would have been taken in
hand long ago by British jury and either con-
demned to share the gallows with her husband
or given a term of penal servitude long enough
to take the keen edge of her ardor. This may
not be SO free a country as England or Scot
land, but its authorities are vastly more mer-
ciful to women.
For some reason, all the persons whose legs
were broken by the fall Of the floor in the
town hall at East Prospect, Pa, on Christmas