Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27

When one political party displaces another in
control of the American government the tend
sney Of the newcomer to tear down what its
predecessor has built up and to discredit what
Its predecessor has proposed is perhaps natu-
raj The stronger the showing of blunders OF
worse committed by the late administration
and corrected BY the new administration, the
more forcible and impressive will be the latter's
campaign book. and the better its chances of
continuance in power.
So it happens that upon every such change
Of administration the new broom, which is
alleged to sweep clean, is pushed into every
corner OF Uncle Sans official mansion. The
previous methods OF housekeeping are rigidly
investigated. the old servants are overloaded,
cross-eIsmined. bully ragged, a premium is
put not only upon truthful evidence of abuses,
but upon spiteful and slanderous tale bearing.
The new housekeeper holds up her hands in
holy horror at the discovery Of petty irregu-
larities. which existed nevertheless when she
had charge herself before. and which will be in
existence when she vacates the premises, with
the result Of throwing her successor into similar
spssms of surprise and indignation.
This investigating. disparaging tendency on
the part Of the newcomer. when applied to
. general way for the public welfare. Many
individuals suffer cruel injustice, many time
serving sneaks and slanderers reap unjust re-
wards for spiteful lying. but there is un-
doubtedly during and for a period subsequent
to this season Of suspicious scrutiny more
work and better work performed by the
public servants.
Not only does the new government dispar-
age and reverse its predecessors administra-
tive methods. but il Is too apt, when once in the
way Of undoing whatever has been done. to dis
credit and overthrow the previous national
policies, whether at issue between the parties
in the election OF not. and whether domestic
or foreign in their nature.
This excess of Jealous destructiveness especi-
ally when foreign affairs are in question, is
capable of working great national in
Jury. IL the republics policy in hand
ling some question between it and another
nation has been made issue in the campaign
preceding the election the course of the sue
cessful party is marked out for il in advance.
But in all other il il highly desirable that
the republics foreign policy shall exhibit a
certain stability. and that a position once de-
cisiveiy assumed by our government toward a
foreign power shall be maintained in the
absence of overwhelming reasons for the oppo-
site course To reverse a foreign policy on no
other ground when the facts sifted) than
that it originated with administration con-
frolled by the opposing political party is to
cause the republic unnecessarily to present a
ragged, uneven and uncertain front to its
neighbors, and to weaken and lower its inter-
national influence and standing.
The political parties Of the other great powers
however much they may quarrel among them
selves, stand together as a rule in dealing for
their nation with a foreign government. The
republic, and not q party, promises, represents,
announces. so Ear as foreign power is con-
csrned. and as a rule no mere change of public
servants should result in a breaking Of national
promises and representations.
The original policy OF any American party in
dealing with question Of foreign relations is
apt to be vigorously American, and most Of the
un-American positions which our government
has assumed have seemed to result from a prac-
tical application of the belief that no good
thing whatsoever could come from a political
adversary, and that it is necessary for q new
administration to demolish completely the
structure erected by its predecessor and to
build novel and original one Of its own.
The present administration will act wisely il
st refrains from Withdrawing and discrediting
whatever the republic has said or promised and
from undoing whatever the republic has done
in reference to Hawaii, Boring sea, Canada,
South America. &C., &c, merely because the
United States then spoke and acted through
Harrison and Blaine, and now speaks and acts
through Cleveland and Gresham