Fergus County argus., 1889-02-28

The Belief That the United States Should Set
Other Great Nations an Example Of Peace.

A Washington special to the Sun,
based on a conversation with Mr..
Bayard, gives the outline OF the policy
which has controlled the actions of
the department of state the past four
years. The Sun says: ut has been
frequently asserted that Mr.. Bayard
has no policy, whereas he has all along
had a very definite and peculiarly
American policy. lie believes the
American people have a higher and
nobler destiny than that of swagger-
ing about among the nations OF the
earth, daring, to use u homely en-
preston, to knock II chip off their
shoulders Hethinks it their mission
to take the lead among the nations
in the substitution OF pacific methods
for force in settling international dis
putes. Mr.. Bayard's theory of states
manship is that nothing should be
done to disturb or imperil our peace
ful conditions, but that on the con-
trary the highest duty of patriotic
statesman is to contribute, as far as
he can, to their perpetuatiOn and
development. His idea is that the
military spirit is 10 be discouraged in
n republic, except in so far as it is
necessary for the purposes OF defense.
Encourage "A military spirit in this
country, says Bayard, and We should
soon have war. lie instances the
naturalization of the Suez canal by
the common consent of European
powers as an example OF the impor-
tant benefits to be secured by the
application OF this principle.
War necessarily means an army,
and if once the military spirit got
thorough possession of the people, this
army would become a permanent es-
tablishment. Mr. Bayard, comment
ing on the clamOr i'm certain quarters
over the Samoan episode, said: What
is it they want us TO do? To provoke
war? lido not believe the people want
to go to war about Samoa. There is
no occasion for it. II they want war
they must get another secretary of
state Another favorite theme with
Bayard is the naturalization of GER
tain localities which are useful to all
the powers, and incapable OF defense
without disproportionate cost by any
one of them. Some similar arrange
ments would have to be entered int
toprotect the interests of this country
i'm n ship canal across the isthmus of
Panama. II would not be sufficient
protection for the United States 70
have control OF such canal. The only
adequate protection is to be secured
by the naturalization of the canal by
the consent of all the powers.
Bayard sought to apply this prin- |
ciple OF naturalization by interna-
tiOnal agreement to the Samoan
islands. The proposition that the |
United States should guarantee the |
neutrality of those islands seemed to |
him to be ulwse, for the reason that |
n guarantee of neutrality of an inde- |
pendent sovereignty, especially one as
weak as Samoa, would be to expose |
this country to the constant risk of |
in the erelations of Samoa |
with other powers. He would he respon- |
sible for whatever Samoa might choose |
to do without, however, being able
to regulate her conduct. II would be |
cheaper to annex the islands at once,
for then in assuming the responsibility |
OF defending them against all cOmers,
we would acquire the right to provide
them with safe and stable govern
ment. To do this it would he neces-
sary TO build great Notifications at |
Pago Pago. to maintain a strong fleet |
in the South Pacific. The cost would |
be enormous and after all expend-
iture American interests i'm Samoa
would not he as safe as under guar
antee by the powers interested in the
of the islands.
Bayard looks upon the Chinese, the
fisheries, and the extraditiOn treaties
rs UnIOrtunate Tor The country. He /
does not regard the action by the
as Justly involving any reilec-
tions upon the actual merit OF the
treaties themselves.