Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-02
A CRIME IN DIPLOMACY.
EGAN RESPONSIBLE FOR BAD FEELING IN
OHIII.
Els Retention as Minister an Administration Blum
dsr-Ths Insult to the American Flag, How
ever, Must Be Rsssnted-Ths President
to Make Political Capital


apparent that it is the purpose OF Mr..
Harrison to make foreign policy play
by attempting to make political capital
by getting up big hurrah about the
firmness of the administration in de-
Tending American dignity. The Amer
lean dignity must be defended, OF
course. The United States cannot
afford to permit themselves to be
subjected to indignity and discourtesy
from any nation in the world, and be-
cause Chilli is as small as she is impert-
inent is no plea for magnanimity and
forbearance. Whatever sights and
haraosments and demonstration OF hos
tility toward the United States the jun
ia has engaged in will necessarily be re-
sented. At the bottom Of the whole
trouble, however, lies the fact that the
administration is responsible for the
hostile feeling between the two coun-
tries.
In sending Minister Egan to Chilli a
grave blunder was committed; In retain
ing him their after 1t became evident
that he was utterly unfit for the
place; that he was meddling with the
affairs of the country, taking sides in
their quarrels and apparently trying to
make capital for himself and friends
out of their disturbance; that he has
provoked the hostility OF the whole
nation and cultivated their contempt
it was a crime in diplomacy, an affront
frin n
insist that he should remain there, and
that he should be protected and sustain
ed in interference with the dometic af-
fairs of Chilli. Our friendly relations with
that country have been only on the sur
face, foreign influence there being ex-
erted in manner hostile to America,
and it was important that trained dip
Tomato, fully understanding the delicacy
Of the situation, and having only the
interests of his country to look after,
should be sent there. There Is rivalry
between the British and American COM
mercial interests in Chill, ard it ap-
pears that Mr.. Egan's course was such
as to involve the Americans In behalf
of Balmaceda in the late revolu-
ton. 1t is not to be expected that a
people who feel that Egan is, In a
measure, responsible for the bloody
revolution they have just passed through
| by reason of his following encouraging
the man whom they regard as usurper
in his scheme for military subjugation
of the country and aiding him in pro-
longing the war should be complacent
when they see him seeking now to pro-
tect from punishment those persons
who have committed offences against
the law of the nation.
1t is very clearly set down in Whar-
toms Digest Of international Law that
the right Of asylum, so called, is mere
ly custom, sometimes allowed, but
does not exist in international law and
cannot be maintained. Even American
citizens who have violated the laws OF
Chilli may, by the proper legal process,
be taken from the legation and tried
for their offenses. There is no right of
asylum which will protect anyone from
the responsibility for violation OF law.
If the CHILEAN Government were
friendly disposed toward the United
States it might be expected that
every courtesy and consideration posi-
bic would be extended to our represent
atives and that there would be no dis
pute over the question Of offering asy-
lum to refugees. But feeling as they
have been led by Minister Egan's con-
duct to feel towards the United States
the government may be disposed to
stand to the strict construction OF the
law, and within its scope they can
harass the American Legation. BY try
ing to compel the CHILEAN government to
swallow Mr.. Egan without salt the Presi-
dent himself is responsible for the feel
ing of hostility which has IN
necessarily been provoked. Whether
their complaints were we'll found
ed OIL not, the United States
has no right to maintain in
foreign country representative whose
presence is distasteful to the people
with whom he has to communi-
cate, and even aside from the mere
question of international courtesy, it is
bad policy to keep representative In a
country when his very presence pro-
vokes hostility. This, Of course, does
not excuse Chilli for an insult offered to
the American flag. 1t furnishes no
justification for hostile demonstration
and their affront must be resented,
though the occasion for the trouble
arises out of the stupidity, or worse, on
the part of the officials at Washington.
There will probably be no attempt on
the part of the United States to force
the claim of the right to asylum, but
the claim is made directly on the charge
of hostile discrimination against the
United States. After the receipt of
Minister Egan's dispatch detailing the
indignities to which he had been sub
iected, dispatch was sent to him from
the State Department asking II the
same police restrictions had been placed
around other foreign legations in Ckili.
and IL the question of their right to offer
asylum for refugees had been raised, or
If any of them had been refused safe
Transportation of refugees to the bor-
ders. Mr.. Egan replied this morning
that the discrimination had been against
the United States solely, that refugees
had been protected In other legations
and that their action had not been
called in question, nor had they been
subjected to any sort Of indignity. The
hostile demonstration was aimed,
he said, at the United States
only, and in such a pointed
manper as to leave no ques-
tion OF their intent to insult the Ameri-
cans. This makes the issue. The fact
that the United States Legation alone
had been put under police surveillance
for doing that which is done by all 9TH
ers in that country gives the insult d.
rect, and regardless Of any strict con-
struction Of international law. The
limited States will insist upon the Amer
lean Legation receiving exactly the
same treatment and privileges which