Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-28
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
Ex- Minister Phelps Delivers an Address on
Our Foreign Relations.


Our Foreign Relations.
BosToN, June 27.-At the meeting of the
Phi Beta Kappa fraternity at Harvard to-day
Edward ]. Phelps. late minister to England, de-
hvered the principal address. Mr.. Phelps ora
tion dealt largely with International affairs.
1t was closely listened to and frequently in
terrupted by applause. The speaker COM
batted the theory of the Earl of Lytton that
principles of morality have no control
in the intercourse of nations; that
governments are neither capable of nor amen
able to ethical rules, and are to be guided only
by consideration of expediency, and that obli-
cations based upon the material rights of man
have no place in determining the rules of inter
national action. He declared that the time
had come when a consistent, distinctive and
definite American policy in international rela-
tions should be established, one that would not
change with the exigencies OF politics 1t
should prefer right to e6pedient. should be
neither aggressive nor offensive, fair toward
others while Just to ourselves, invading no
right We ourselves would not surrender, and
establishing no precedent we may afterWard
wish TO evade.
Upon the line thus deliberately adopted the
stand should be absolutely firm and unyielding.
Said he: Il do not say an administration may
not be beoverthrown for the defects and features
of Its foreign policy, its ineompetency, its neg
lect, its blunders. That might well occur in
the conduct of foreign war, and yet every
citizen is bound to support, as against the enc
my, the very operations he dIsproves. All
contend for is that questions relating to exter-
nal affairs should be judged on their own
merits and not upon party grounds; that the
Government should be sustained abroad until
better one can be put in its place, ana that it
should be sustained in this particular at home
%p6nr TP We is can%os 1Hnaa afford be to in oDtan ahe
party advantages at the expense of just
foreign relations. But for the maintenance of
al foreign il not enough ugh
that we should be united In support of it at
home. We must likewise he known to be strong
enough to enforce it. At home we may safely
defy the world in arms. But by land we shall
never be attacked If we are ever SO unfor-
tunate as to be involved in war with any coun-
try great enough to go by the sea- the issue
must be determined upon the sea and not upon
the shore. Iwould propose, therefore as one
of the first steps toward such an international
attitude as it seems our country should assume,
and having assumed maintain, that a naval
force should be created that should leave us
nothing to fear from collision with any other
naval power in the world.
Arbitration is one of the most plausible
words in the English language; but it means
one thing to those who have had much to do
with it and quite another to those who have
not. Nevertheless, unprecedented that it is,
it will continue to be sometimes employed in a
certain class of international disputes, espe-
cially adjustment of money claims, public and
private. But the idea that it can ever be made |
important quarrels that involve questions of |
principle or honor, or that have stirred the |
blood and moved the passions of men, appears |
to me altogether chimericaL"
In referring to the position of our Ministers |
abroad, Mr.. Phelps said that representative |
in great capital of Europe should not only |
have his proper rank among his diplomatic col |
leagues, but should be provided with an official |
residence becoming to the dignity of his |
country. and be provided with sufficient |
pecuniary allowance to enable him to maintain |
with credit the position in which he is placed |
and to return suitably hospitalities which he
cannot decline.