New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-09
A NON-P/RTJSdN fSSUE r..

Senator Vest, in his reply to Senator Frye's
mastery speech the Shipping bills made
an ingenious attempt to prove that the ran
American Conference was Democratic con-
cepton The scheme originated, he explained
with the Democrats as ga supplement TO the
Mills BILL" and the present Administration De-
came the residuary lcgatee Of the policy. " IL
was invented" he remarked, "by the Ignorant
and hrutal Democracy. 1t was found half
made ND when the Harrison Administration
came into existence and the restless and am
bilious spirit of the present Secretary OF state
seized upon it, and it is paraded before tho
country as a great and phenomenal exploit"
We are glad that Senator Vest has made ms
point. for it will serve to disarm the hostile
criticism of the Democratic press, TO which the
continental questions discussed al tho Confer
once have been exposed. \ large section OF
that press has boon assuming for six months
that Secretary Blaine was pursuing policy OF
adventure in dealing with the Southern repuD-
lies. and that it was the duty OF Democrats 70
ridicule and oppose it. If Senator Vest Is TO
lie believed the Republican Administration has
hnon carving out not its own ideas, but
nolicy sanctioned by the Cleveland Admins
tration and invented by the Democracy The
Democratic press would have been moro Ju-
dicous and less censorious in It's structures upon
"BIaine Jingoism" if ii had appreciated the
responsibilities of It's own party in this matter
1t is not our purpose TO analyze senator
Vests assertions and u determine whether or
not he claims for his party larger share OF
credit for this policy than rghtfully belongs
10 it, Ii is undoubtedly true that while inc
bill authorizing the State Department {" issue
invitations to the Conference was heartily adj
yocated by Republican Senators, Democratic
House also passed it and a Democratic Ad-
mini>trItion sanctioned it, What has been
thouehtlossly and malcvolcntly lampooned as
" Blaino's lingo diplomacy" III reality Is a non
partisan American policy favored IN the pre-
liminary stages by both parties in Congress
and by two successive Administrations. Why
should not that policy be carried out IN the
same patriotic and statcsmanlike spirit III which
il was entered upon in the beginning? There
is a great range Of National issues on which
political parties arc sharply divided. Can it
be ANYTHING but substantial gain to the Ma
ton to have at least one issue, and that ono
continental policy, for which both parties are
responsible?
IL is necessary 10 lay stress upon uhis
point because Democratic leaders like son
ators Vest, Morgan and Reagan, while loudly
claiming for their party the credit Of originating
the Pan American Conference, are practically
blocking the passage of measures which are
jmpcrativoly required for completing the work
Of that body Every one OF these leaders pro-
fe,scs to be heartily in favor of the extension
of American trade and the establishment OF
intimate relations with the Southern republics :;
but each in his own way is opposing the passage
of measures by which tho commercial marlno
can be restored and regular and rapid steam
communications be opened between Ncw-fork
San Francisco and ewOrlcans and the ports
of Central and South America. The Confer
encc. which they assert WAS An invention OF
their party. made uncquivocal recommendations
for the establishment of subsidized steamship
lines; vet they cannot bring themselves TO the
point of voting for Legislative measures which
will enable the Government 10 carry ont that
policy successfully.