The herald., 1895-05-23
OUR FOREIGN POLICY

The mischief which is being attempted
by ign GRANT or dishonest critics OF the
administration as to its foreign policy
would be considerable but for the quiet
good sense of the masses OF the people.
These have come to see that the conduct
of our foreign affairs is uniform and con-
sistent. If we have not general school
OF politics in this country by which all
our business is squared and conducted, it
is tr,ue tina our relations to other nations
are d,,termimed by well settled rules. ly
ing does not tell against any admins
tration in the long run. nor any ingenuity
of invention. When the papers had it
few days ago that matters in Honolulu
we're in CT isis and the government was
shout to le overthrown. it was felt that
che whole thing was manufactured by
mischief m snsers 10 somehow discredit us.
While no really strong man or leading
newspaper has ventured to say that we
have done lirswai wrong scores of
small statesme II and cackling newspaper
photographers have been busy in attempt
ing to show tlA.t Secretary Gresham and
President Gle aeland have been actually
DlayluU lHbD tlE udUQs III lIt English
government. We trust, however, that it
is now plain that this criticism and COM
plant have no foundation. In fact, this
administration has siplply done what any
administration would have done and
always must do.
The same. too, with the Nicaragua
business. The general reader OF the peri
odicals OF the courary know that the best
authority has gone with She president and
that it is only the brutalS partisan sheet
that has assailed him. In this. as in all
the rest, he has simply followed prece-
dent, unquestioned precedent. In our own
case. in the matter OF our damage claim
against Venezuela, congress in 1890 in
structed the executive to enforce ojlr de-
mand by a levy-tlDe only levy a nation
can make. We received under the threat
SAL, 000 and if the claim had not been
satisfied we should have collected it by
force. By our own policy we should have
been estopped from making any quarrel
with Great Britain; a policy pursued by
all administrations and solenmly reaf-
tirmed by recent and significant congress
sional action.
The Monroe doctrine never hinted at
any such interference or protest as few
wild agitators have pretended to advo-
cate. So far from interfering with South
American affairs, by assuming the role
of protector, or even adviser, we have OBJ
served the just rules of the law of ma.
tions. Secretary Seward. thirty years
ago, on the occasion OF Spain's trouble
with Chilli, when so many superficial
thinkers were for interfering, thus set
forth the attitude of this country:
Those wh) think that the United
States could enter as an ally into every
war in which friendly republican state
on this ocontlnent' becomes involved for
gets that peace is she constant interest
and the unwayering policy of the United
States. They forget the frequency and
variety OF wars in which our friends in
this hemisphere engage themselves entire
ly independent OF all control or counsel of
the United States. We have no armies
for the purpose of aggressive war; no am
bition Tor the character of a regulator
Our constitution is not an imperial one
and does not allow the executive govern
ment to engage IN war except upon the
weil-considered and deliberate decree of
the congress of the United States. A fed
eral government consisting OF thirtv-six
equal states. which are in many respects
self-governing, cannot easily be comm it.
ted by its representatives to foreign wars
either OF sym pathy or of ambition. If there
is any one Characteristic of the United
States Which is more marked than any
other it rs that they have from the time
of Washington adhered to the principle Of
ton. and have perseverinplv
declined TO seek or CO ntract entanrIinS
alliances, even with the most friendlv
states.''
This is Republican doctrine, this Is
Democratic doctrine, this is "Ameri.
canism." Coul1 anything be baser than
for certain Republican editors TO waye
war upon the president in the wav thew
have been doing it? But let it be frankly
admitted that there are only few Of
these. at most, and none with much Of
ability or character at stake.