The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-04-04
4 False Position

\ ~AeSO O0AS~~N~
In An article in the current number o.
Harper's Monthly ex- Minister to England
Phelps supports the position held BY
Mr.. Blaine in the Bchring Sea contro-
versy. Mr.. Phelps began diplomatic
/ negotiations in the controversy, ana nao
abOpt induced the British government
| to admit the American claims "nen
Canada i1terfered and caused negotla-
tions to be broken of. He is throughly
informed on every subject under contro-
yersy. and the article is said by anthori-
ties to be the best on the subject yet put
ia print. Besides. throwing light on
several phases of the question it should
have the effect of silencing the snarling
criticism of Mr. Blaine's position by par
tisan democratic papers. The value OF
the article in silencing such criticisms
will be very great. "A nation divided
against itself cannot achieve diplomatic
success" Mr.. Phelps says, and calls
attention to the fact that abroad the mere
suggestion "that the government might
be prejudiced in conducting the discuss
ion siIences at once the tongues and pens
of both parties" So long as part of the
press of this country opposes the policy
of the administration in the controversy
Great Britain will feel encouraged to re-
fuse to settle it, but if this criticising
press sees the errors of its way through
Mr.. Phelps article and gives up CRITICS
ing, the settlement Of the controversy
will be very greatly facilitated.-SaL
Like Times.
There is good deal of partisan
egotism as we'll as ignorance or dis
regard of established customs and
ideas in the foregoing article. The
ipse dixit of Mr.. Phelps settles moth
ing. Men quite as we'll informed
as Mr.. Blaine honestly doubt both
the wisdom and patriotism of his
position in the Behring Sea dispute,
and they would be derelict in their
duty as American citizens if they
failed to say so, before settlement
is consummated.
1t is by discussion that the pub
lie and it's officials are informed.
Only in imperial governments do
men hold their tongues while "his
majesty" perfects deal by which
the rights, interests and honor of
the nation are preserved or lost.
The Behring Sea dispute is alto
gether too important to be passed
upon by Mr.. Blaine without the
usual formality of popular discus
sion, and the people of this country
are too intelligent to permit the
establishment of precedent so alb
horrent to American ideas and so
full Of danger to policy as old as
the government.
No democratic measure, whether
or other, has ever es-
capped discussion by the republican
press, which discussion has not
always been either candid or fair,
and we hope none ever will. For
when the Secretary of State may
silence debate upon one pretext the
Secretary of War may on another,
and the Secretary of the Navy on
another.
Let the points of Blaine's policy
in the Behring Sea matter be thor
oughly discussed, and if they are
right the American public will sus-
;ain them and him; but if wrong
hey will be and should be rejected.
As reported by the press, Mr.. Blaine
g greatly in error. AS reported by |
he press he admitted that Behring
vas an open sea, in advance Of such
claim by England. We think and
many others think it a closed sea. |
But whether it is a closed or an
open sea, Mr.. Blaine's hasty ad-
nission-if he made twas the
outcome of thoughtless ignorance,
md does not warrant the claim of
he Times that other men should be
silent when he speaks, and until a
settlement of the dispute is effected.
It would then be too late to point
out errors if they existed.