The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-05

from the washington iOSls
Now that England has reconsidered her
refusal to participate in the conference
relative to the protection of seal life in
the Pacific, 1t is in order to inquire
whether the Sherman note to Ambassa-
dor Hay, over which the Mugwump and
Angiomaniac organs had such convul-
sons of dismay, was as stupid and Ill
advised as its critics originally declared.
O.
One must estimate the merits of n
measure by the standard of its practi-
cal results. The United States, by far
the largest owner of seal rookeres i'll the
Pacific, set out to interest Rpssia and
Japan and England in the adoption of
convention which would secure the de-
sired end of regulating seal fishing, ar
resting piracy, preventing the destruction
of the herds, and Furnishing unlawful de-
probation. Russia and Japan at once as
sented to the proposal Being owners of
rookeries themselves, they naturally IA
vored an arrangement under which the
rights of property would be respected.
| Great Britain, owning no rookeries OF any
value, and being, therefore, opposed TO
| any protection Of the rookeries belong
ing to others, naturally opposed the prop
osition. In her capacity as the universal
spoliator, she infinitely preferred the good
| old piratical dispensation under which
her sealers had fourished so long and so
| nightly. She had the same objection TO
an international agreement ir the prem
| ises that burglar has to- the penal code.
| The question, then, was whether to go
| ahead without England's participation
and formulate a convention which would
place her in the attitude of a common
marauder, or to make such representa-
| tions as would show her the wisdom of
joining in the conference. Evidently Mr..
Sherman preferred the latter alternative.
1 ,lau dor IInXr =a6
very clearly the position in which Eng
land would be placed, so far as the Unit
| ed States was concerned, by holding
| alocf, and was in the nature of last
call on that predatory nation for at
| tendance in the capacity OF reputable
and law-biding member Of the family.
| We are not at all sure that it wouldn't
have been better to proceed with Japan
and Russia and leave England out of e
arrangement altogether There is no visi-
BILE reason why these Inree proprietors
| should not get together and agree upon
a plan for the preservation OF their re-
spective properties, without consulting a
fourth party who has neither rights nor
property to be considered The United
States government appears to have
Preached a contrary conclusion, however
and the Sherman note was virtually fe-
mnder to England that the door was
still open. Regarded in that light, the
note can hardly he set down as blunder
England had already fatty refused tc
take part in the proposed conference. The
United States wished to bring about g
reversal of that decision. For reasons
not yet made known and still invisible
to the naked eye, the administration
wished to n AXE England q party to the
compact The suaviter in modo hat
failed. Lord Salisbury was truculent ant
/ H. naf rot of -
Shermans politeness. 1t was then tina
our government saw fit to suggest an eX
pertinent in the line of fortiter in re. Th'
result we all know. There was lort
and angry roar from the British press
Our own precious Mugwump journals Sc
lup their usual scream about Jingoes AM
rudeness and stupidity. There was tn
inevitable British bluster. And thei
came the announcement that Lord Sails
bury would consent" to the conference
| It was the Venezuelan episode repeated
| It was a fresh and crowning proof tina
mere diplomatic palave- is wasted ol
Great Britain-on this nation which re
spects only those who can and will asser
themselves.
JTpon the whole, we ind the Sherman
note a great success, measured by tn
standard of its purpose and results. w
, should have preferred different policy
. another way of meeting Englard's inso
llence-but the note had the effect it wa
, intended to produce, and. to that eXten
. | 1t was distinctly mertorious.