The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-05
OUR COUNTRY,s STRENGTH AND
WEAKNESS.

brought out by the controversy with Italy,
though more open and candid than that of
some other countries, expresses the gen.
eral sentiment entertained abroad as to
the military power of this country and the
capacity of our people. OF this character
are the remarks of the London Spectator,
which very properly ridicules the idea Of
declaration of war by Italy against -
power capable within six months of buy
ing and building feet that would block
ade every port of Italy" And that great
paper shows its knowledge and apprecia-
ton of our people when it adds that
american ingenuity would be SO stimu-
lated to Guido itself that it would turn
every steamer that could float into an inn
provised ironclad.'
Still stronger is the language of the Lon
don Economist, that "the United States
holds the exceptional position that it can
not be conquered by any power or proba-
BILE combination of powers, even if all
Europe was allied and made the attempt"
1t does not imply spirit of braggadocio
to insist that these are simply plain, I'M
vanished facts. It does not imply that
we can whip all creation" We have no
occasion or desire to do anything of the
kind. But the combined weakness and
good viii of the other nations of this hemi-
sphere guarantee against attacks or dan
ger from those quarters. and the Atlantic
on the one side and the Pacific on the
other serve as impossible barriers to for
eign aggression.
1t would bankrupt any country of Eu-
rope to land an army Of one hundred
thousand soldiers on our shores, even
though they should land without opposi-
ton, and million of the best of their
troops, even under the most favorable cir
cumstances they could expect to encoun-
ter, could occupy and hold but small por-
ton of our territory, and that but briefly,
at constant peril. The great floating for
tresses that constitute the chief pride of
modern European nayies are formidable,
to be sure, in their place, but to cross the
Atlantic with them is q formidable task,
and to man, handle and keep them pro-
vided with fuel is not less formidable.
1t may be accepted that this country is
in no danger from foreign assault. But
the threat Of such assault has had the one
gratifying effect of calling forth assurances
that if it should come, it would meet our
people united, ex-Confederates yieing with
ex-Unionists in the promptness and en-
thusiasm with which they would rally to
$hosr - 1ofa p,,% Il A.
gratifying assurances of patriotic enthusi-
asm at home, and of fiattering comments
from abroad as to our safety against
foreign aggression, the times are full of
suggestions of weakness in other respects.
The affair of March IA, at New Orleans,
and the matters which led up to and have
followed it-there and elsewhere-and the
pending condition of affairs in Pennsyl-
vania, considered with special reference to
the character and origin of those who are
leading in the agitation and in acts of law
lessness. and in stirring up dissension,
suggest that great as is orr population.
wealth and varied resources, great as is
our military power, great as our naval
power is soon 10 become, inyulnerable as
we are to assault from the combined armies
and navies of all christendom, We have
evils and dangers at home to grapple with.
which, unless soon mastered, may defy
all of our powers and resources for their
correction.
These have been far more potent than
italy's defiant tone as reminders that dam
gers more formidable than all of the armies
and navies of the world beset us. We are
in no danger from the navies or the armies
of foreign nations. but unless promptly
checked, the undesirable immigration from
their shores may destroy the just and
proper relations between capital and labor
in our country, may demoralize our social
and industrial systems, may sap, under
mine and destroy our institutions.
The American people may rest assured
that the measures now afoot win take no
backward step; that their coasts will be
provided with adequate defenses; that
their navy will be made equal or superior
TO any in the world; that the falness of
their power will be guarantee against
occasion for foreign wars. Concerning
these matters they need not be disturbed.
Blu; it behooves them to turn their atten.
ton from this point of invincihle strength
to that other of insidious and sapping
weakness.
The greatest dangers that threaten this
country are due 10 the looseness of our i'm
migration laws, and TO evasions of such
limitations as have been placed upon
them. Our country is annually absorbing
a fostering mass Of foreign population.
neither physically. mentally nor morally
qualified for citizenship. nor for assimila-
ton with those who are thus qualified.
LII they come from nations with which
We have treaties guaranteeing to their resi-
dent subjects protection, il may be deemed
necessary and proper TO make ofienses
yiolative OF those treaties triable in federal
courts, thus affordins to them special and
perhaps greater protection than win be
accorded TO native or naturalized citizens.
Such determinations would be OF doubtful
justice and sure 10 breed decentralization.
IL would be better to shat the door against
al who cannot bring clean bill Of health