The herald., 1894-01-26
LETTER BAG.
1.-THE HERALD under this heading prints COM
municatl ons, but does not assume response.
bilfty for the sentiments expressedl

1.-THE HERALD under this heading prints COM
municstlons, but does not assume response.
bility for the sentiments expressed.l
Something. About Our Foreign Rela-
lions.
EDITORS HERALD; 1t is q mighty
hard thing to have to acknowl-
edge defeat, and the worst kind
OF an excuse is, II did not think of it."
When papa" Cleveland came to the
presidential chair and withdrew the
Hawaiian business from the hands of
the senate, good many of us Democrats
looked on and smiled with satisfaction
as we cried out, Now, boys, watch papa
play the game" The old gentleman
played the game, lost, and moreover had
to acknowledge, Boys, this game is q
little too much for me; you finish it,"
Politics, like great many other
games, very frequently catches its sd-
versary just as he is expecting victory.
So when Dole sent his defiant reply to
Willis, we held our breath to see the
capture. The victim walked in, the
trap was up, and click the other end
had been left open, and the victim
walked out again.
Some of the papers are inclined to
praise Dole. Looking at the matter
plainly, how could he have acted other
wise? Suppose a man should come to
your Office and ask you to get out of the
business. You would hardly heed his
advice, even though he told you that he
had appointed himself guardian over
you. Dole simply replied to the request
of the president that he was perfectly
satisfied with the governing business.
Call it demand and the only difference
ia that little more hard feeling is pro-
duced on both sides.
The careful student of modern history
cannot help thinking that the affair was
managed awkwardly. The proper style
of request should have been something
like this. First, the entire navy Of the
United States should have been sent TO
the islands. 1t would have given recre-
alton to the crews. Then the marines
should have been paraded on the
shore, of course to protect the
islands, and the barracks might
have been occupied. The greatest
friendship should have been shown to
Dole. He should have been i2vited on
board the ships, shown the guns, and
might have been incidentally informed
When proper degree of friendship had
been cultivated he might have been
mildly asked to give up the reins and a
little physical, joined with moral per-
suasion, is sometimes of such value,
that he might have been willing to ex-
change his present insecure Office for,
say, a position in the Hawaiian postoffice.
At any rate the business would have
been carried on in the most approved
up-to-dste diplomatic style.
The question continually arises, Do
we want the islands? We of course
have a natural conceit, and when we
receive a petition from a nation, from
Zululand to Canada, asking for admis-
sion into our confidence and under our
wings of protection; If there lie no
trouble about it, we simply smile, ac-
knowledge that the choice was wisely
made, and proceed to take the compli-
ment and the territory.
But going on a frmer base of reason.
ing, what inducements are there for an
nexing the islands? First, it is said
they would make good coaling station
for Offensive warfare. However, there
is not much chance for our going to war
with the Pacific islands or China.
Next. they would make good
outlying defensive depot. By which
argument, we are reminded OF certain
old farmer who wished to keep cattle
out of his 10.acre lot. In order to do
this he fenced in all the farms around,
because if the cattle got in his neigh
bore' pastures they would threaten his
own. The arrangement, no doubt, was
good, but the rails were expensive, and
we are forced to the same conclusion
concerning the Hawaiian islands. But
if we annex the islands it would stop
other nations from gaining them. The
medicine is not much less bitter becauee
we stop someone else from taking it by
swallowing it ourselves. Again, we
are told that we would spread
the enlightenment OF our government
and the benefits of freed ON over CROP
ing race. Admitting, as an American,
that happiness and fellow feeling and
prosperity have taken root under our
government and are here to stay, and
that the only way of approach to these
benefactions is by way of the American
system, still, as we have only had 100
years of these benefits. it is little early
to 90 in the government missionary bust
ness. But the greatest consideration of
all is, that all great jewels have to be
guarded. If we are to have these dark
gems of the Pacific, as some would have
us believe, frat would come ships to
guard it, then men to handle the ships,
then extra expense-then if q war
but, no, let us have peace. We are not
afraid of the navy of England or the
armies of Europe, but then we would
have greater pensions.
There is no doubt that the proper
thing will be done, if we only wait long
enough for it. 1t always happens that
way. We may wait lifetime for some
thing to turn up wrong, and just aH we
are expecting grand smash Nature fits
everything in its place.
This rule is stated to cheer the down
hearted, and to place "honor to whom
honor is DUE" II everything goes well
during the next five months, we cannot
blame our senators in Washington for it.
]. B. G..
The Keeley League.
EDrTOps HERAID.-In the name OF