New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-22
SENATOR EDMU1DS'S RESOLUTION

| SENATOR EDMUADSS RESOLUTION
Washington dispatches inform the country
that Senator Edmunds on Wednesday last in
troduced the following resolution, and had it
roforrod n the Committee on Foreign Rea-
| tons:
| That the Government Of the United states Will
look with serious concern and disapproval upon any
| connection Of any European Government WIN the
construction or control Of ship canal across the
| Isthmus of Daricn or across Central America and
| must regard any such connection or control as In
furious to the Just rights interests OK the united
| States and as a menace to their welfare that the
President be requested 10 communicate the expression
of the views of Congress TO the Governments OF the
| countries of Europe go
We need not say that we highly approve this
| resolution, and regard it as defining the proper
and patriotic ground for the Government oil
the United States to maintain. In reading II
every one must see that it is but the condensa-
tion of n full discussion of the whole subject
| contained in two dispatches of Mr.. Blaine when
| he was Secretary of State. One was diplo-
matte note sent to all the Powers OF Europe
protesting on behalf of the United States
against the rumored agreement Of those Powers
for a European guarantee of the canals neutral
ity The other which was addressed to Great
Britain. fully set forth the attitude OF the
| United States toward the Isthmus questl on
under the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty.
| Mr.. Blaine objected to European nations
having any connection with the matter, even
| if they were only contemplating course which
| the United States would voluntarily ADOPT.
He did not desire the European Powers to JON
with the United States in neutrallzlng the
canal for the worlds commerce, because, as he
said. "the right to assent implies the right to
dissent. and thus the whole question would be
thrown open for contention as an international
! issue3 Mr. Blaine added that it is the hXed
purpose of the United States to consider the
question as strictly and solely an American
oucStion. to be dealt with and decided by the
American Powers We are glad that so en-
inent Senator as Mr.. Edmunds is reaiiirmng
Mr.. Blane's position. Should the question be
debated. Senators will do well to consult the
DISPATCHES of MIR. Blaine on this subject, which
will be found in "The Foreign Relations OF
the United Statesn for 1881, under the head
of Great Britain.
| II NAV be well to recall also that last winter
a Republican Senate and Democratic House,
| by large majoritieS in both branches, agreed
to summon Congress of American Nations to
meet in Washington during the coming year,
| for the mutual strengthening and helplulneSS
of all who inhabit North and South America.
That was also singular vindicahon oil Mr.
Baine's policy while Secretary of State. IL IS
well to recall that he issued with the approval
Of both President Garfield and President Ar
thur. an invitation to all American nations to
meet in a Congress at Washington in 1857.
More than one-half the invitations had been
accepted when Mr. Frelinghuysen succeeded
,Ir Ploina in the State Department. Mr..
Frelinghuysen's opinions were adverse to such
a Congress, and he induced President Arthur
to reverse the policy and to recall the invita-
tons. We plainly expressed our views at the
time as to the great mistake thus committed
We are glad that, though tardily, Congress has
reaffirmed the wisdom of this policy.
Whatever of merit there may be in these
diplomatic movements belongs of right to Mr..
Blaine. And now, when they meet with the
general approval of all parties, it is an in
structive lesson to recall that in 1881 and 1882
they were warmly denounced as specimens OF
adventurous diplomacy" and as embodylns
the very spirit and essence of Jingoism"
Perhaps this ground was largely taken as a
makeweight against Mr.. Blaine's candidacy
for the Presidency then impending. AS he
has now definitely retired from the Presidential
field. it seems that he can have credit for what
he did in the field of diplomacy.
Time does make all things even