Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-20
A Few Facts They Should Consider.

Several significant things may easily
be inferred from reading the editorial
opinions Of English, French and German
newspapers One il that those countries
have been closely watching Our foreign
policy Of the past two years and u half
and are surprised. They Immediately
assume that there must be some unusual
reason for this change of front on the
part If the President and this reason they
also assume to be a wish on his part to
make political capital for himself. 1t is
to be regretted that they have any excuse
for this assumption, which avails nothing
in the end. Such speculations about the
motives Of the President are worse than
idle and serve to helittle in the minds OF
those nations the serious aspects of the
affair What the European press should
asce tain is the sentiment of the Ameri
can people. We would commend to their
III 1st careful perusal the opinions Of the
press in the United States Having done
so they will not be slow to discover that
the prevailing opinion in this country is
that England has been endeavoring in an
undetermined manner to take possession
of large silica Of territory belonging to
another country too weak to defend her
self against the aggression; thar this is
contrary to the spirit at least, OF the
Monroe doctrine; hat the American PEG
pie believe in that doctrine and will no
more c0untenance extension Of European
control on this continent than would
those European nations sit idly by and
see the United States seize valuable terri
tory about the Mediterranean.
But it is also noticeable that these for
eign editors are disposed to slur the Mon-
roc doctrine. That is another grave
mistake There is today on their skirts
the blood CT thousands of Armenian
Christians, and why: Simply because
the great powers will not allow their
balance Of power to he disturbed by any
consideration, not even by the perform
ance of their manifest duty, Read this
from letter written this week by Mr..
Gladstone and read at pro-Armenian
meeting:
"The six great powers, which between
them spend more than 800 600, 600
$500, 900, COO yearly upon what is termed
their defences, lie PROSTATE at the feet of
mn impotent Sultan, who, with their cog
t,iy fn
at his will day by day.
With such disgrace resting upon their
shoulders they turn to make faces at
the Monroe doctrine, simply because the
people of the United States and of other
countries on the American continents are
determined that no foreign power shall
increase its territory here and thus en-
danger The existence of our institutions
ard government. Says one why not
arbitrate the Monroe doctrine?' Why not
ask with equal pertiucnce why not arb
trate the unwritten law which pre-
vents one European nation from tres
passing on another with impunity: The
Application OF our MonrO6 uOctf1n6 is III
the interests of international arbitration
of question between strong foreign
power and "a weak American government,
a question that has remained unsettled
for several generations and which appar
entity cannot be settled, according to Eng
lish notions, on any other plane than by
the strong coercing the weak.
Another fact for the forei ners to con
slider along with the Americans is
the great necessity of meeting
the question with calmness as well
as gravity. We hope to ascertain what
IS right in this dispute and to convince
the rest Of the world of that fact. 1t is
believed that the foreign powers will be
open TO conviction. Certainly this Is to
be devoutly hoped, for having discovered
the right this country will act upon it at
all hazards. We do not expect war but
we believe the government should take
measures TO prepare for it. Meanwhile
fippancy should not enter into the dis
cussion.