The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-29
SlipshOd Diplomacy,


Sometimes a plain statement of facts
is more eloquent than any comment.
A case of this kind is presented to view
in some remarks recently made by
Judge Lambert Tree, of Chicago, to
representative Of the Herald of that
city. Judge Tree had been pointing out
some of the palpably weak spots in our
diplomatic methods and had alluded
to the embarrassingly small confidence
in American honesty and good faith
manifested in official circles at foreign
capitals. He continued: In my own
diplomatic experience two striking
cases of the carelessness of the Ameri-
| can congress came under my observa-
ton. Some years ago, at the instance
of the Belgian government, an inter-
national congress was held for the pur-
pose Of suppressing the African slave
trade The United States, with other
nations, was invited to send delegates
the proposed action of the congress
having no bearing whatever upon COM
merce or territorial acquisition. The
United States did send a delegate and
the disclosures made before the confer
ence were most appalling. 1t was
shown that perhaps 100000 Africans
were every years sold in slavery, and
that in the Efforts to capture slaves
and in the wars between tribes en-
gendered by this nefarious trade up
ward of 100000 human beings We're
every year butchered. Such thing as
this was generally regarded as stain
upon nineteenth century civilization,
resolutions for the suppression of the
traffic and punishment of the offenders.
This agreement was reached unani-
mously," continued Judge Tree, but
one of the conditions was that every
nation participating in the conference
should ratify the agreement before it
could go into effect. The treaty was in
due course of time submitted to the
United States senate by the president
and no one dreamed that there would
be any objection to its ratification
Surprising as it may seem, there was
objection, and on a vote the treaty was
laid upon the table. / was in Brussels
at the time, and was compelled to hear
the comments Of public men in Europe
concerning our congress, comments
which make my ears burn to this
day. Shortly afterward l returned
to the United States and began a regu-
lar campaign with "A view to securing
ratification Of this treaty. / wrote
scores Of letters to members of the
senate and came to Washington and in
terviewed many of them personally
One of the conditions of the treaty was
that none Of the signatory powers were
to be permitted to sell either powder or
spirits to the African tribes. When the
United States failed to ratify the treaty
we were at once thrown under the sus-
picion of having defeated it because
we wished to keep other nations out
of that iniquitous trade while our own
merchants were free to sell powder and
| whisky to the poor blacks. When the
matter was properly put before them,
senators agreed with me that we could
not afford any such odium as this, and
when the treaty was brought up in the
| ensuing congress 1t was promptly rati-
fed. But the episode served to in
crease the suspicion under which our
government rests in foreign eyes,
"The other case" continued Judge
| Tree, occurred during the Grant adj
ministration. We had entered into q
treaty with the king Of Denmark for the
purchase of the Island ST. Thomas, one
of the Virgin group of the West Indies.
/ forget the amount of the purchase
price, but 1t was considered good bar
gain. The contract was duly signed