New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-06
( GREIT OPPORTUNITY.

momcntous than the present Never has the
political isolation of Great Britain been more
marked 4 few years ago Russia declared that
her only true friend in Europe was MONTENEGRO.
To-day Great Britain cannot claim even 50 nuch
of an ally Between her and the chief Amcrl-
can Power n fierce storm Of luminosity has
risen: while the chief Power Of Continental
Europe ostentatiously goes ont Of It's way To
offer her insults and mcnaccS: and III" rest on
the world looks on with unconccalcd satisfaction
nj her woful plight There is. ii is true some
thing magnificent in the way The British them
selves face the situation. Is all the world
against them: Let them come on wen igh'
them single handed is the response of those 10
whom memories Of Agincourt and Plasscy and
Trafalgar are an everlasting birthrisht. Yet
such isolation is unnecessary. as the British
themselves are beginning to realize. To some
extent it is unavoidable. no doubt, or at least is
rot TO be charged against Great Britain. Much
Of it is due TO foreign jealousy Of British pros
pcriy growth of British population. and lc-1il-
mate expansion of the British Empire We
showed the other dav how UNNECESSARILY Great
Britain had outstripped France in population.
She is similarly. if not in as great degree, ont
strippng every other European Power She is
progressive. triumphant vitality. Frances popu-
lation is stationary. Germany and Russia nave
enacted laws to discourage emigration. But
Great Britain sends on; many cmisraniS ana
colonsts rs their total increase, ana stu in
crcascs in her stay-athomc population more
rapidly than any Of them To-day the meteor
flag Of England" floats over more than one-lfih
the land-area Of the globe. and over more than
", tl...
her would-be rivals hate her.
That is not. however, the sole reason Of Great
Britain's friendlcSsncsS II is not a all the cause
Of American l-feeling toward her. THE Lon
don Speaker" more nearly divines the truth when
It SAYS Americans dislike hcr-it says "hAic
but that word is far too harsh-because of the
offensive air Of superiority she assumes in deal
ING with other people. Americans do not object
10 the growth of the British Empire. They rather
exult in it, as the progress and dominion Of
their own race. They do object to It's extension
in defiance and in violation Of American rights
and interests. They are willing for Great Britain
to have every acre that belongs to her in South
America, but they are not willing for her in
seize one acre there for which she cannot show
! title; and they resent in the strongest possible
manner her arrogant assumption that She can
good will Of the United States. There is scarcely
any parallel between the two cases; yet the
wrath which the British feel at the German En-
pcror's ofcious meddling in the Transvaal may
well make them understand how Americans
/ feel over what seems like unwarranted British
aggrcssons in Venezuela. The revelations, more
over which Mr.. Norman is making 10 them
| from his vantage ground at Washington, should
...f.l lfs,,fr
! tcrs. TO reconsider their first haSty judgment in
the Venezuela Gaze They should be able to see
/ now that. whether or not their case is as strong
/ as they supposed. the American ease is much
| stronger than they imagined, and is worthy Of
more courteous and consldcrale treatment than
they were at first disposed 10 give it, They
should be convinced. by the testimony Of their
own Ministers and the Investigations OF their
| own correspondents. that the American demand
/ for arbitration of the whole case was not cxtor-
/ Tomato, but was founded in reason ana justice
+ and that in refusing il the British Government
I bcled its own record. Surely, they will not de-
liberately elect 10 persist in an act Of sclfStul;i
| fcation.
! Now. momcntous and om!nous the present
situation is for Great Britain. il also offers such
/ an opportunity for advantage as comes 10 ii
nation but once IT. Il century. \ frank rccogni-
! ton by the British Government Of the facts
developed by Mr.. Norman at Washington. and
| diplomatic action in accordance Herewith,
! would in a moment reduce this whole NcnczIc-
! Ian dispute 10 the level of simple aud per
/ fcctly friendly business negotiation II would
/ disarm all hostile criticism and restore between
! Great Britain AMI America those friendly and
| sympathetic relations which formerly existed,
/ and which disturbed only by decision Of
/ the British Government. which one OF the best
! Informed Of British authorities now declares 10
! have been unjustiliable and unWarrantcd. 1t
| would be the recognition and rcctifcatiOn Of an
/ error not which we have charged against them
| but which the British themselves have d>cov
cred. In such course there would be no humil-
iatiOn. bu, rather honor ant dignity; and there
would also be much material profit. \ lesser
power might hesitate TO adopt il. SubbOrnncss
not consistency. as the cynical saying has it
IS a quality of small minds A Power rs great
as Britain can well afford to be just. even nj the
expense Of retracting an ill-cOnsidered letter
II can scarcely be necessary 10 point out that
the opportunity is equally momcntous and adj
van,age0us for the United States. Worthy dip
lomacy should now make easy the way for an
equitable and amcablc settlement with Great
Britain, and for such an extension Of influence
and commercial relationship with our sister re-
pubcs as will assure the lasting predominance
Of the United States over the whole Western
Hemisphere There is no need Of talking about
conquest or political protectorates or anything
Of that sort. All that is needed is such reel
procity in trade, and such moral countenance ana
good Offices as will cause the smaller republics
10 see in This greater one their natural cNampllr
and closest friend Such policy Will make the
Monroe Doctrine and all its developments Il
vital and triumphant force. Without such Il