The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-10
RANDOM POLITICAL NOTES,

The silver and tariff questions will
not be the only issues in the campaign
OF next year. The present adminis.ra.
ton has been making some history dur
ing the past few weeks, and has been
adding to the disgust already iclt for i,
in the public mind by tho pursuance OF
n diplomatic policy which will be the
subject Of much discussion in the
future. Among tho multitude OF
things the American people arc laying
UP against the very un-American ad.
ministra,ion of Mr.. Cleveland, for iu.
ture use, is the peculiar brand oil
diplomacy invented bv Mr.. Gresham in
the Nicaraguan affair. Though 1t ia
conceded that Mr.. Gresham may havo
meant well, his entire course, from first
to last, was irresolute and the willy Eng.
lishmen proved too much for him.
This is not pleasant thought to Amer
leans and some thare are who, seeking
for relief TO their minds, endeavor to
make themselves believe that the critics
OF the secretary of state are simply in
dulging in "Jingoism." "Jingoism" ia
convenient term to apply TO those who
stand up for the honor oil American
diplomacy.
Tho fact Of the matter is, the country
has been taught a lesson from expert
once. Diplomacy is n profession. and
Mr. Gresham Ia no moro OF a .profos.
sional diplomat than il he had never
seen the inside OF the department OF
state. Like others who have occupied
his position in this country, he lacks
tho training that other counties regard
as necessity in tho makeup OF sue.
cessful diplomat. Tho fault ia with our
system OF selecting amateur or extcmpo.
rized diplomats from among politicians
or lawyers. without regard to their nc.
culiar fitness for tho duties Of the office.
The whole fault is thus briefly described
by Tho American. OF Philadelphia, in
an article pointing out the weakness
commonly found in tho head OF our
state department.: "We put the matter
in the hands OF some successful LAWYER"
Gays Tho American, who, or accepting
the duties, proceed, to read up on the
subject in standard tox, books or inter
national law. and in collections OF state
papers. But when case arises, Ito pro.
goods TO trent it as n purO question OF
law, assuming that We have no RICH, to
do anything VIC could not prove in 4
court OF JUSTICE"
This describes eIuquently Secretary
Gresham and his course in tho Mica.
ragnan affair. lle was handicapped by
his amateurisl assumptions (spcaking
in diplomatic scnsc), and was, OF
course, ou,:cnoraled by the professional
diplomat on the other side OF tho water
An amateur cannot successfully copo
with Il professional in any calling, un.
less he DO II very rnrc amateur. In this
instance he was not raro but raw, and
the professional found it oasy to swoop
down upon poor little Nicaragua and
squeeze out OF her nm amour, of money
sho didn't owc. while tho raw amateur
stood upon n technical construction of
the Monroe doctrine. Ito finds his do.
tenders among those gentlemen who
love to roll tho word "Jingo" on their
tongues. and who contend that Score.
tary Gresham couldn't have done any.
thing else. but that ho simply acted
with common sGusn Nicaragua, thoy
argue, 10 M insignificant country, amy.
how. and tho United States cannot nj.
ford to 20 into thnbualnc'a Of taking
upon herself tho duty of protecting
every little wiIipprr.snnppcr govern.
mont in Central or South America sim
ply because it happcns to DO in tho
Same hemisphere.
Int there wns n consideration nbovn
aIl tho sentiment OF an ordinary appli.
cation OF tho Monroe doctrine involved