The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-27
FOREIGN DISREGARD FOR AMER
ICAS CITIZENSHIP.

ICAS CITIZENSHIP.
An interview in the Journal of yes
terday with a gentleman Of this city
who. with his wife, has just returned
from a trip to Europe and the Holy
Land said that shortly before they
reached ~Constantinople it was hardly
safe for a foreigner, unless he was a
British subject, to enter the city. An
other gentleman who speaks from per-
sonal experience says one cannot travel
much in Mexico without discovering that
there is much more consideration there
for the rights OF British subjects than
for those of American citizens. Travel
ers in other parts Of the world have testi-
fed to the same effect, and some of our
consuls have complained that they are
treated with much less, respect and con-
| sideration than British consuls are.
If these statements are true, and one
is not at liberty to doubt such concur
rent testimony, they disclose a situation
very humiliating to Americans. We are
a h~igh-spirited people. We know we
have a great country and a strong gov
eminent, and that, according to any
standard of measurement, the United
| States ought to rank and do rank as
a first-class power. With this feeling
and conviction it is humiliating to know
that the American flag is less honored,
the rights of American citizens less re-
spected and the power of the govern
ment less feared in any part of the world
than are those of other countries. This
ought not to be so, and it has not been
SO always. There are some notable in
| stances in our history in which foreign
powers and peoples ave been made to
respect the American flag and the rights
of American citizens. This was the
| cause of war with Tripoli early in the
century, in which. besides bringing that
piratical power to it's knees, our war yes
sells achieved a series of naval victories
which were the admiration of the world.
Again, In 1854. when Martin Koszta, a
Hungarian refugee who had commenced
the steps necessary to full citizenship in
the United States. visited Turkey on
| business, the Austrian consul at Smyrna
caused him to be thrown into the bay,
from which he was picked up n put
on board an Austrian frigate. The
United States consul at Smyrna de-
manded his release. which was refused.
Thereupon Captain Ingraham, Of the
United States sloop of war st. Louis,
cleared his ship for action and threatened
to open fire. This spirited demonstra-
ton fcaused the Austrian officials to
yield and Koszta was surrendered to
the charge of the French consul until
the question should be settled. 1t ended
in his release and return to the United
CfnfoC Cf;1l n~~4y,1r - 49,
prompt assertion of American rights oc-
Cured during President Harrison's adj
ministration, when Chilli was required to
pay an indemnity of SIS. 900 for an at
tack on some American sailors in the
streets of Valparaiso.
Notwithstanding these occasional ex-
hibitions of American spirit it seems to
be evident that respect for the Ameri-
can flag and for the rights of American
citizens in foreign countries has declined
in recent years, and that this declension
has received a distinct impulse during
the present administration. There can
be no reason for this except the failure
of the government to take prompt and
effective steps to protect its citizens. 1t
has not been long since an American
citizen whose business had been broken
up and himself driven out of a Central
American state stated in the columns
of the Journal with shame and indigna-
ton that he and other citizens of the
United States had been compelled to ask
protection from a British war vessel
when there was an American vessel
within easy distance of the scene of dis
~turbance. 1t is a popularity of British
49,
timely near the point where British
rights are threatened, and their officers
are always under such Instructions that
they can act promptly and effectively.
That is the XII of action that makes a
government feared and insures respect
for the rights of it's citizens. If ex-Con-
sui Waller had been an Englishman in
stead of an American the French author
tiles in Madagascar would never have
tried and convicted him by court
martial on trumped-up charges n SEN
fenced him to twenty years imprison-
ment.a If they had. ten chances to one
a British wal ship would have hove in
sight With shotted guns just in time to
demand and receive his surrender by
the vessel that was about to convey him
to France.
The Journal is not a jingoist nor in
favor of a clustering or bullying policy.
But it believes that all the nations Of
the earth and the people thereof should
be made to understand that the govern
ment of the United States will protect
it's citizens and enforce respect for its
flag under any and all circumstances,
and that the commanders of its war
ships have standing orders wherever
they may be to clear their decks for
action to enforce these principles. 1t
has been a long time since the sound
OF a shotted American gun has been
heard ON the high seas or in any foreign
port, and it begins to look as if it might
become necessary to remind the world
tina our flag is still there.