New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-31
GRESHAM AND NICARAGUA.
A FIRNER POLICY NEEDED.
TUE SECRETARY SEEMS OBLIVIouS TO
ENGLAND'S DESIGNS.

III, &c CALMLY DREAMING on. WHILE SHE Is
-,,rr ,r,S,Nc; CONTROL OF THE INTER
ocr,v,c cANAr,-A CASE IN WHICH DE-
LAWS MAY PROVE EMRNRRASsING-
OPINIONS OF PROMINENT SEN
,roRs ON THE SITUATION
INV TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNEl
Warrington March 30.-The correspondents oil
the Cuckoo press arc doing an lnJusuce |"
SECRETARY Gresham. The Secretary is not as
alleged rearing and tearing about with deter
minarion in his eyes TO twist the tail OF the
british Lien for its latest demands upon the
little Republic of Nicaragua. on the contrary
tho head Of the State Department. whose many
losses in diplomatic warfare are too numerous
20 mention is as pacific as could well be OK
nected from one Injured to defeat ana oisas'eI'
In view Of what other well-iniormeu P'iSo"'
regard as the possibilities of England present
attitude III Nicaraguan AFFAIRS the secretary l.
entirely too calm and INDIFFERENT Ill '"e
premises Whether drunk with the eHor's %
his latest victory in the BlueneldS llo'uei''
which tho friends Of the Administration are in
high glee over. but which appears to nav
s,ou+ string tied to it, or whether too busily en-
gagged in hunting up another report ol inc
man Consul in Samoa to prove his cohteii''on
that the United States can derive no adVah'ae'
IN that quarter as result Of the Berlin iie"'''
Mr. Gresham is noticeably passive IL ID sup
nosed by some that perhaps "o no
knocked 'groggy." as they say III 'ne
r,,, bv the compacency Win WHICH 'he SPAN
,sh authorities are regarding the recent Niso'-
ous demands made through Minister iaHloi
ouS Tho Madrid Government in the case of the
Auanca This was the Secretary greatest effort
and II is not unnatural that he should feel
.,,s,od and have that tired feeling" as re-
,. 90 Snain's silence. Whatever the cause
-. 10 NO doubt that the Cuckoo press is
-o,so+,ona, and ungenerous when 1t alleges that
,ho Secretary is excited" that he has an
onxious. watchful eye on Nicaragua ana 'hat
10 ;s "nrepared Immediately TO demand or
Cot britain in vigorous language what her
,r,entions are in Central America
rurAys MAY PROVE EMBARRASSING.
=, ,,,d no well for the best interests Of this
,,,tr, IL Mr. Gresham were more alive at TINS
.,r,a If. az many wel-informed persons IN WASH
,,c,on believe the situation is more serious IMAM
a, snnears to be- Unfortunately. however. he mas
Consulted his friend "Sir Julian, who aoly ana
ueaIously looks out for the political and CONNER
cial advantages OF Great Britain in TINS part OF
.be y,ohe and he IS IN no manner disturbed at
the prospect Of England doing aught that 10 UNI
friendly or unneighborly 10 the United States. To
England's past policy in extending her interests
ond domain the attitude of the Secretary of state
DC cause for much concern These persons would
nrafer that he should assume a more lively ana
determined humor and take time by the forelocK'
II Ia thought that delays in the case may prove
embarrassing, to say the least, ana that IN 'he
not distant future this country may awaken 10
realization Of the fact that England Will be FOUND
in Nicaragua as she is in Egypt. ostenSbly col
lecting her lust debts" but actually determined
10 remain where she is as long as II is to her
proft 10 do so until driven thence by something
more vigorous than diplomatic protests. Persons
who look thus gravely at the situation are not OF
the alarmist class. They are not "Jingoes'
either but men in public and private life who
know what England has done IN other quarters
in the past and what she has more recently
sought to accomplish in Central America, anu
still later in Hawaii. They believe that the pres
ent object of England IS to get foothold In Cen
trail America with the view OF eventually obtain
ing actual interests in the Nicaragua Canal
ENGI,AND'S DESIGNS on THE CANAL.
The fact is recalled that about the time the
CLAYTON Bulwer Treaty was drawn up. and for a
long period subsequently. Great Britains ambi-
ton was 10 be associated with the United States
in the construction and control Of the Nicaragua
canal. She had held tenaciously to this hope and
while compelled on OCCdSlOIS u dOdIINoH iiVA ~
sition az the result Of the vigorous diplomacy OF
former heads Of the State Department she has
at no time entirely given UP expectations OF
eventually having a say in the canal question.
This fact has been clearly pointed out in the
speeches Of Senators Frye, Lodge and Morgan
and other members Of the Senate who are well
Informed and have the courage 10 speak their
convictions. 1t was well understood by Secre-
taries Fish Evarts FrehnghuySen and Blaine
Thus far Engand's plans have been defeated
but she is by no means disheartened and in me
opinion OF thoughtful men who are familiar with
international affairs her present object is not SO
much 70 secure money damages from Nicaragua
as IL IS 10 worm herself into some authority III
that part Of the isthmus through which IN tiihe
an fnteroceanic canal will be cut.
To students OF Great Britain's foreign policy
the course of that Government IN permitting
absolute Nicaraguan supremacy 10 be established
over the Mosquito Reservation was eXtraordi-
nary: and when IT became known in January
last that Lord Kimberley had actually aban-
doned the long contention Of England. that 1t
had distinct rights In the strip, It was assumed
that as stated a stout string was attached u
the concession. Just what England's intentions
were II was then impossible to determine. Ma
ore but the President and Secretary Gresham
believed for a moment. however. that she had