New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19
THE EVIL OF MISREPRESENTATION.


Englshmen are surprised at the tone of the
Presidents Message. They well may he. 1t
gives them a rude awakening from the FOOLS
paradise into which they We're lured by the
voice of the Cuckoo. So different is ii from
what they have been led to expect that they
consider it something very like breach OF faith
They have long been assured by the Cuckoo
press that Mr.. Cleveland Is 'peace-at-any-
price" man, who regards the Monroe Doctrine
as mere old wives tale. They have been told
by the American Ambassador that although the
American people are self-conident and want to
have their own way a strong man stands among
them ard governs them according to his own
will Nay. moro. Without dlsrespect to him. we
may say that Mr.. Cleveland himself has given
apparent sanction 10 such views. lie has, al
any rate given England no reason to expect
ANYTHING like such a stand as he has now taken.
The trouble lies in this Misrepresentation.
Enslishmen have accepted as trustworthy the
statements Of the Cuckoo press and OF the
American Ambassador concerning the Presi-
dents foreign policy and concerning American
public opinion. 1t was natural that they should.
These wretched sheets have progressed 10 DC
Mr.. Cleveland's strongest supporters, II not, In
deed. his official mouthpieces. How could the
English know that they were not such. and that
instead of being inspired and authoritative they
were merely ignorant and dishonest? One does
not. as a rule, look TO Opposition Journals Tor
expositons of Government policy. Yet there is
nothing more certain and more evident than
that these Cuckoo sheets, and even the Ameri-
can Ambassador, have grossly misrepresented
the President and the American people, ana
have as grossly deceived the English Govern
ment and people The mischief they may thus
have done Is incaculable, Had England taken
well-informed and patriotic American Journals
as the true opponents Of American public opin-
iou and Government policy. she would not now
be so surprised She would have known long
ago what to expect; and we have shrewd sus
ncion that she would have shaped her course
far differently A prudent man takes seriously
into account whether 1t is a screen OF wattles
or q wall Of stone against which he is marching
As we have hitherto often said, the stupid and
pusillanimous maunderings Of the Cuckoos have
been q direct Indictment to British aggression
We do not believe there will be war or any
serious trouble between this country and Eng
land over the Venezuela matter, or that there
is any actual danger Of it. But If there were
it would be directly chargeable to these Cuckoo
marplots, who have been doing their utmost to
becloud and compcate the case and to make
more difficult a peaceful and honorable settle
ment Of it.
Nor is the Administration itself free from
blame. Amid all the cordial and loyal support
that is now being given to him by men Of both
parties, the feeling cannot be Ignored that this
is a startling new departure for MIR. Cleve-
land. His foreign policy hitherto has displayed
scarcely 1.-THE Of the patriotism, lucdty and
strength Of this latest Message. 1t has been I'M
satisfactory at times even offensive, to the best
sentiments of the American people. Now he
has at last discovered what public opinion really
is. and has concluded that it is best for him to
follow It, He does more With the zeal OF
new convert he seeks to lead it. He Is not con-
tent with diplomacy, but resorts to defiance. In
response to the just demand of the American
people that the dispute shall be impartiay
arbitrated he pronounces an ex cathedra de-
cree that Great Britain IS in the wrong and
that the only thing for us to do Is to appoint
partisan commission to confirm the judgment
we have already rendered. That IS diplomacy
as a self-oplnionated tyro conceives It, He is
so unused to taking tie right course that when
at last he seeks to do so he does ii blunderingly.
What we wish to emphasize is the lesson which
this incident teaches in favor Of continuous and
consistent foreign policy. Had Mr.. Cleveland
and his Secretaries Of State been content 10
follow in the path marked ont and undeviatngy
pursued by Washington and Monroe, and Marcy
and Webster and Seward and Blaine, the writ
ing Of such message as this would never have
been required Patriotic and sta;esmanllke
words are always to be welcomed. But how
much better it is that they should form part Of
the daily creed than that they should come only
on rare occasions as a recantation Of formerly
habtual hcresies.