The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
A TRUE AMERICAN POLICY.
Secy. Bayard Thinks "a Martial Spirit Out
of Place In a Republic.

of Place In Republic.
BALTIMORE, Feb. ia Washington special
to the Sun, based conversation with Mr..
Bayard, gives an outline OF the policy which
has controlled the department of state during
the past four years, and says:
ct has been frequently asserted that Mr..
Bayard has had no policy, whereas he has all
along had a very definite and peculiarly
American policy. He believes that the Ameri-
can people have higher and a nobler destiny
than that of staggering about among the
nations OF the earth daring somebody, to use
a homely expression. to knock a chip of
their shoulder He thinks it is their
mission to take the lead among nations in
substituting pacific methods for force in set
ting international disputes. Mr.. Bayard's
theory OF craftsmanship is that nothing should
be done to disturb imperil our peaceful
conditions, but that on the contrary the high
est duty Of the patriot is to 60 as far as he can
10 their development His idea is that the
military spirit is to be discouraged in a repub-
lie, except so far as it is necessary for purposes
of defense. Encourage the military spirit in
this country says Mr.. Bayard, and you
would soon have a war War necessarily
means army and if once the military spirit
got thorough possession Of the people this
army would become a permanent establish
ment."
Mr.. Bayard, commenting upon the clamor
in certain quarters over the Samoan episode.
said: what is it they want me to do-to pro-
woke war? don't believe the people want
me to plunge them into war If they want
war they must get another secretary of state. -
Apnfhor favarffo fdna of NJ PovorI ss H.
naturalization OF certain territories which are
useful TO all the powers and incapable of de-
Tense, without disprOport.Onate cost, by any
one of them. He instances the naturalization
OF the Suez canal by the common consent of
the European powers rs an example OF the
benefits to be secured by the application of
this principle. Some similar arrangement
would have to be entered into to protect the
interests OF this country ii ship canal across
the sthmus of Panama be built il would not
be sufficient protection for the L nited States
TO have control OF such canal. The only ade-
quate protection is 10 be secured by neutraiza-
ton of the canal by consent of all the powers.
Mr.. Bayard Sought TO apply this principle OF
naturalization by international agreement to
the Samoan islands. A proposition that the
United States should guarantee the independ.
ence of these islands seems To him to be unwise,
for the reason that to guarantee the neutrality
OF an Independent sovereignty, especially one
as weak as Samoa, would be To expose this
country to the constant risk OF embodiment OF
relations OF Samoa with other powers. We
would become responsible for whatever Samoa
might choose to do without the power to
regulate her conduct. Ii would be the cheap
way to annex the island at once, for in assum-
ing the responsibility of guaranteeing their in
dependence would be to assume that of govern
ing their actions toward other nations. To do
this would require great forts in Pago-Pago and
large fleet, in the Pacific ocean, of American
men-of-war. and then Samoa would not be as
safe as by the naturalization policy"
The secretary looks upon the rejection of the
fisheries, Chinese, and other treaties as unfor.
tunate to the country. He does not regard the
action OF the senate in these matters as involv
ing any discredit upon his action,