The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-04-08
BAYARD AND BLAINE.

ciples, and it never misses an oppor-
tunity to speak in defense of the ma
tional policy of the organization. Mr.
Blaine sleeps in an honored' grave
but the Democrat cannot, even at thi.
: late day, cease saying something tha'
will lessen the respect entertained fol-
his statesmanship by nearly all of hi'
fellow citizens, and to do this it criti-
cises the position taken by the TINES
MoUNTAINEER in placing him in 8
higher rank than Hon. T. F. Bayard
In its issue of last Tuesday it says:
Mr.. Bayard did not inaugurate strong
national policy and when Mr.. Harrison, in
1889, took the executive chair he found
many international complications. which
MIR. Blaine amicabiy adjusted, The most
difficult of these was the Behring sea con.
troversy, which Mr.. DayaId left in a very
unsettled shape. If the same policy had
been pursued it would very likely have re-
suited in foreign war; but happily It was
not, and war was averted by the statesman
ship exercised by the secretary of state
chosen by Mr.. Harrison. n.-MoUNTAINEER.
1t was the boast of Republicans that when
Mr.. Blaine was made secretary of state he
would at once adopt vigorous foreign
policy. But all were disappointed, except,
may be, the editor of the MoUNTAINEER
who seemed to believe that Republican
prophecy had been verified, and he arrived
at this conclusion because he depended upon
the fancies of lively imagination rather
than upon notorious facts. Nothing con-
tributed so much to the defeat of Blame at
Minneapolis as his failure as secretary of
state. Only the other day the Oregonian
said that Bayard managed the Behring sea
question with much better sense than did
Blaine. The MoUNTAINEER should bear in
mind that that question Is not settled yet,
but ran through the entire four years Of
Harrison's administration with precious
little progress being made. No foreign
question of anv Importance was settled by
Blaine or Harrison.
If our cotemporary desired to be fair
in this matter he would acknowledge
that the manner in which the state
department managed the Malta affair
IN New Orleans, the Ohilian imbroglio,
and brought to plan of amicable
settlement the long controversy over
the seal fisheries in Behring sea clearly
established the reputation of Mr..
Blaine as statesman and patriotic
American. The unsatisfactory man
ner in which the Cleveland admins
tration of 1S84-SS left the dispute
with Great Britain regarding the
Behring sea question, placed the coun-
try on the verge of a foreign war, in
which this country would have been at
great disadvantage by reason of not
having, at that time, navy compe-
tent to contest supremacy with that ma
tion, which hasfor manyyears beenjustly
considered the mistress of the ocean.
By diplomacy, never excelled in this
country, and only equalled in modern
history by the ingenuity exercised by
Pitt in the Napoleanic wars, Hon.
James G. Blaine unravelled the tan
gled international threads, and that
which seemed possible only to be set
tied by the arbitrament of armed
forces, was brought to the peaceful So
luton of arbitration. In the Malta
affair, the United States was forced to
deal with country whose navy is
only second to that of Great Britain,
and whose diplomats had but mesgre
understanding of the complex rela-
tions of our state and general govern
ments. The Italians were killed by a
lawless mob, and for less offense
than this nations have been involved
in bloody and devastating wars; yet
the matter was settled without any in
terruption of the peaceful relations
existing. When the two sailors of the
Baltimore were shot in the streets of
Valparaiso, tie act was not, coolly
considered, an insult to our flag, but
simply row between the seamen of
two countries, in which fatal results
frequently follow. The secretary of
state so adroitlY managed this affair
that an apology was received from
Chilli and indemnity given to the FAM
lilies of the American sailors Read
ing history, with eyes not blinded by |
partisan prejudice, any honest student |
cannot but give Mr.. Blaine position
among the leading statesmen of this
age. During Mr.. Bayard's incum-
bency in the state department nothing
Of a strong national character was in
and it is fortunate indeed
he Malta and Baltimore affairs did not
happen during that period. For many
years we have entertained the highest
respect for the Oregoasiaa, both as
,reat newspaper in being supplied
With the facilities of q complete
ournal. and also in the able and ex-
manner in which Its editorials
ave marked out the path for the
public mind to follow; but we have also
loticed an inclination in it to bury the
,ood deeds of man in the grave with
lis mortal remains, and as far as pos
ible to make his evil ones live on for
yer. In other words, it seems i'm
'elled to kick the dead lion whom it
Vould not face or fight while living.
I our memory is not at fault, the |
)regomias was one of the many papers
hat applauded the manner in which
dr. Blaine managed international COM
,lications. The administration of the
tate department under Mr.. Bayard
md Mr.. Blame is now a matter of
history, and Republicans are satisfied
hat the verdict of the student in the