New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-19
GRESHAM As 4 MEDDLER

Secretary Gresham has reversed himself with
Characteristic abruptncss and folly few
months ago he sent an elaborate report 10 the
Senate on the Samoan complications. arguing
In detail against the nollcy adopted by Sccrc-
tares Rayard and Blaine and conicndlng that
the United States Government by the Berlin
Conference had been drawn into a foreign en-
tanglenent against the warnings Of Washing
tons Farewell Address and IN opposition 10 the
best traditions OF American diplomacy. Having
taken this rcactionary stand in the South Pa
cinc. he at once plungcs into he troubled waters
Of Asiatc and European diplomacy in the North
Pacific Neither the Farewell Address nor the
old-tme traditions of the State Department
have deferred him from Intervening most Of
fcnsivcly and injudiciously in Corcan affairs.
wherein China and Japan are now cmbroilel.
with strong probability that Russia and Great
Britain Will ultimately be drawn In
The Secretary Is reported 10 have been the
willing dupe of the Chinese Minister, although,
of course he Will deny the Implication. But 1t
is practically admitted that he has sent to the
Japanese Government n dispatch expressing the
dissatisfaction Of the State Department with the
Mikado's Corean policy, and thereby upholding
China in its quarrel with It's energetic rival.
1t is positively asserted also that copies OF the
dispatch have been shown tosthc British and
Chinese Ministers, and that It's closing son
tcnce is as follows: The United States views
with regret the lcvying OF an unjust war upon
a weak and dcfcnceless nation ike Corca."
Secretary Gresham has apparently allowed him
self to be drawn into foreign complication in
direct conravcntion OF the principles and poll
cies advocated by him in the Samoan report
Il. lo. n,yiI-
fly Of an Arab contortionlst, but he has also in
tcrvencd i'll foreign question with which
Americans are not concerned, and has done ii IN
such way as to give great offence 10 Japan,
with which the United States Government has
maintained the fricndlicst possible relations for
half a century.
1t is true that the United States was the first
Western Power to conclude IA treaty with Corca,
and that the first article contains this clause:
IF other Powers deal unjustly or oppressivcly
with either Government. the other will exert
their good Offices on being Informed Of the case,
to bring about an amlcablc arrangement, thus
showing their friendly feelings" But the State
Department In Secretary Bayard's time enphat-
ically declared that it could not consrue this
engagement as empowering 1t 'to decide and
maintain that the acts in respect to which good
presslve.' "Such construction" Secretary
Bayard judciously added. would naturally rem
der nugatory any attempt to derive good re-
suits from the engagement" Now Secretary
Gresham has deliberately placed construction
OF this kind upon Japan's course in Corca lie
charges the Mkado's Government with "he |
lcvying Of an unjust upon weak and de-
fencccss State" He NEEDLES in a foreign quar- |
rel which does not concern Americans, and pre- |
judges 1t with prccpltatc haste so as to excite |
the resentment Of Japan and TO render the good |
Offices Of the United States absolutely worth |
less
The case may be briefly summed up The
Corean Government was mcnaccd with upris-
ings and unable to maintain peace and order
Anarchy prevailed and japanese subjects and
commercial interests were in urgent need OF
protection. China and Japan had agreed by
treaty not to send troops to Corca without
mutual conference and agreement. Japan pro-
posed administrative reforms and military meas
nres by both Governments China declined 10
take part In joint military movement, but set
IN motion large body of troops toward Corca
On her own account. Then Japan invaded the
country and assisted the King In restoring order.
rhereup0n Secretary Gresham undertakes TO
read Japan an offensive lecture for lcvying
unjust war upon weak and defcncccss
State. BY his own logic in the Samoan case he
ought to have kept out OF the affair entirely;
but he not only got In unnecessarily but on
he wrong side.
Japan represents progressive elements In
Jorea. and China stands for conservatism and
'caction Japan like the United States, rccOg-
iizes the independence OF Corea and China
lings to Its old-tIme pretensions as q suzcran