The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-29
DECLINED WITH THANKS.

| Our dispatches yesterday morning
gave the substance Of an editorial in
the London Chronicle which recalls the
success of the expedition sent under
Jefferson's administration against AL
giers, 1904, and recommends that the
Great Powers of Europe formally in
vfte the United tates to send a fleet to
Turkey, for the purpose, Of course, of
doing that which the European powers
are unwilling or unable to do. stop the
Turkish atrocities against Armenians.
1.-The mere sight of such formidable
display would be sufficient to bring the
sultan to his senses" remarks the
Chronicle; and further suggests that if
action were needed the British fleet
should cooperate.
Other newspapers follow in the same
line of suggestion, and indeed Mr.. Jo-
seph Chamberlain speech at Birming-
ham Saturday night glances in the
same direction. ''Why, Come Over and
Help U.s." is the way the st. James
Gazette heads its article on the sub
ject, and then remarks: eff the people
of the United States are really eager
to advance the cause Of civilization
and good order, they can do so much
more effectively than by encouraging
Venezuela to defy u.s.
The Westminster Gazette thus COM
ments on Mr.. Chamberlain's speech:
''Mr. Chamberlain's enthusiastic adop-
ton of the idea of American aid for
Armenia, even if it's literal realization
will not come about. will nevertheless
do much good in other ways, and in
the long run his speech is the best
piece of news for the oppressed Ar
menians that we have heard for a long
time" It will be expected of course
that the United States will be very
fattered with these suggestions, but
both Mr.. Chamberlain and the British
press seem to forget that it is as much
a part Of the Monroe doctrine to avoid
interference in European policy and to
eschew entangling foreign alliances as
it is to resist European colonization
or the extension of European systems
Of government to the American CONT
nents.
The suggestion that the Powers of
Europe formally invite the United
States to make a naval demonstration
against Constantinople to bring the
sultan to terms, and stop the Arme-
MAN atrocities is quivaIent to asking
the United States to become Europe's
| bully-its slugger to knock down and
drag out, while European powers stand
off at a gentlemanly distance as spec
tators to the aforesaid smuggling. We
are sure our cousin England will par
don the United States if we do not feel
fattered at such proposal.
It may be that the United States will
be under the necessity of forcing the
passage of the Dardanelles and MAX
ing a demonstration against Turkey,
but if so it will not be on invitation of
the Powers Of Europe, nor as their
bully. If our government finds such
action necessary, it will be to enforce
respect for the property and lives and
rights of our own citizens within the
dominion of Turkey; or it may become
necessary, if European powers con-
tinue to neglect their plain duty, for
the United States to make such DEM
onstration against Turkey in the name
of the humanity and the civilization of
the closing decade of the nineteenth
century. But that will not be on the
invitation of the powers, but an act on
our own volition.
The case of President Jefferson send
ing a feet to the Mediterranean
against AIgerine pirates is not a case
in point at all. For years the Algerine
Corsairs had preyed upon both Euro
pean and American commerce. but
their insolence and depredations final
/ ~ became so uncomfortable that our
government refused longer to pay trib-
ute to them, whereupon the Bashaw of
! Tripoh declared war upon the United
! States. President Jefferson then sent
! the fleet to the Mediterranean referred
to by the Chronicle, the Tripolitan gov
eminent was brought to terms and
American commerce was freed from
| the burdens of piracy.
That action was taken to protect
American commerce; our government
stands ready in like manner to pro-
( tect American interests, and the rights
and lives of American citizens in Tur-
key or elsewhere: or to act in behalf
of civilization and humanity where it
becomes its duty to do so; but it will
never, we hope, consent to act as Eu-
ropes slugger, or interfere with Eu-
ropean policy. or enter into entangling
foreign alliances. Monroe doctrine re-
quires that we keep free from these
things.
THE ,IUDGSHIP