New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-04
ONE THING TO BE GAINED.

The elections this week, 1t may be hoped, will
give some assurance to Americans, and also to
people Of other countries, that this Nation means
to have hereafter distinctly American policy
in foreign affairs II Is OF little use to crItcise
in detail the course of President Cleveland, nor
Is the task by any means a pleasant one for
Americans. But the fact cannot be denied that
his course has produced in other countries the
settled conviction that, as respects the ques-
tons In which the people Of this country have
taken the deepest interest in past years ana
should take the deepest interest still, the pres
ent Administration is obstinately settled not to
represent their wishes. Rooted hostility toward
President Harrison, jealousy OF the fame OF
Secretary Blaine, intense anxiety to stand well
in British opinion and to gain encomiums from
British journals all seem to have more influence
over the action Of the President than any re-
gard for the honor or the fame Of his country.
Moreover ii seems at times as II, In this as In
other matters. he was more than half+inclined
70 regard the Nation as ignorant and prejudced,
and incapable of having intelligent opinions
which a great statesman like himself should
seriously consider.
His admirers make It their boast that his Is
not lingo policy. Certainly 1t Is not In any
sense. even the best and most proper. distinct
lively American policy. 1t certainly has seemed
as If the President, in his extreme desire to
satisfy British opinion has come to regard with
rooted disfayOr every manifestation OF strong
determination to maintain the rights or promote
the interests of his country No doubt there IS
in his mind, much of the time, the notion that
the policy which is urged upon him by men
vbo hay American feeling
is essentially that Of the party opposed to him.
and especially that Of the great leader against
whom he ran for President eleven years ago.
How far he shared the intense antipathy OF
Secretary Gresham for President Harrison can
only be guessed but the fact that he chose Mt
Gresham for a position OF such prominence
knowing the relations between him ana fresi-
dent Harrison. goes far to indicate that Mr.
Cleveland himself has much OF the feeling when
was attributed to his Secretary. Whatever the
cause. II has been plain enough that through all
his Administration he has been more anxious to
reverse the policy Of President Harrison and
to resist the wishes Of the great majority OF
Americans, than to serve or seem TO serve
American interests.
1t was thought that change in the State De
partment might bring about change in the
foreign policy of the Administration. Nothing
OF the sort has appeared as yet. There have
been several opportunities. There have been
many expressions Of public desire for
different defence Of American interests In
foreign relations Within the past few weeks
there has been much talk about a forthcoming
change in the attitude of the President. But
II is not to be forgotten that this would involve
n Welding by him of his own opinions and
wishes to those OF the people. Perhaps it Is still
worse that 1t would seem to involve confess
sion that he has been mere putty in the hands
Of Mr.. Gresham, when his course was wrong,
and is equally Influenced by his present Secre-
tary of State. who is supposed TO have more
truly American instincts. Knowing what the
country does Of Mr.. Cleveland's obsinacy. his
intense admiration for himself, his profound
belief that his ideas are more valuable than
those Of all other men. and his never abating
anxiety TO posture before the world as the great
statesman Of his time and country, 1t must ap-
pear altogether questionable whether 1t is pos
sible for such a man to reverse his policy. APP
parently in Difference to public opinion. What
the people can do about ii is simply this; they
can show by their votes a fixed determination
TO have different President and Administration
rs soon as possible