The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-08
Our Foreign Relations.

That was q significant action which
the senate took on Friday when, uoon
motion of Senator Frye, it designated
Hon. Cushman *. Davis, of Minnesota,
to act, pending its reorganization, as
chairman of the committee on foreign
relations. 1t brings to the most impor-
tant position in the senate a man who
Is by study and temperament uncom-
monty we'll equipped for 1t, and who
possesses in unusual degree the conf
dence of the country Senator Davis
will perhaps be called by the Mug
wumps a jingo, but that will be because
he stands on both feet for the orotec-
tion of American citizenship on every
land and sea- because he believes in the
primacy Of American destiny, influence
and responsibility in the Western
hemisphere, and because he considers
backbone a proper part of true diplom-
acy. He is such a lingo as Webster
was. and Marcy and Blaine. He has
read history enough to know that 1t is
blood and igon which win results and
not the anaemia of timditY
In his attitude toward each of the
great foreign issues confronting the
United States Senator Davis stands on
solid and popular ground. He Is for
arbitration, but not for carelessness.
He is opposed to war, but ready to face
it If necessary, and he would obey the
diCtum: In time of peace prepare
for war" He favored recognition of
the belligerency of the Cubans and he
would have voted for the Cameron in
dependence resolution had ii been
pressed to a division. He considers
Spanish rule in American waters an
anachronism and d disgrace, and when
pretexts to end it are so numerous as
at present he would not play further
into the Spaniards hand. He would
favor the annexation of Hawaii If the
Hawaians should want it; and al
though we do not have at hand any
public expression of his opinion with
reference to Canada, we suspect he
| would much sooner have the wheat
| fields of Manitoba competing with :he
| grain farms of Minnesota under the
| American flag, as parts of one country,
| than to consider the possibility of a
| British province at some future day
| getting the better Of your Uncle
| Samuel In other words, he is
wholesomely and intensely Ameri-
| can, and while he is at it's head
| the senate committee on foreign rela-
| tions will be likely to prove vigorous
and trustworthy ally Of the chief eXecu-
| tive and his secretary of state.
This will mean much. 1t will mean
unity and harmony in the assertion of
| our nations position among the ma
| tions. 1t will mean the different de-
| partments of the government working
! together, not for spite but for progress.
! 1t will mean strong and steady puIl
| out of the dangerous cross currents of
| Clevelandism into water open for clear
| sailing. 1t will mean, we hope, such an
acceleration of American prestige and
achievement in international diplomacy
| as has not been known in this country
| since the hand of Blaine grew feeble
from disease. 1t is very true that the
| new administration takes hold at a
| time when our foreign relations seem
very much tangled But the fault has
| been largely our own, and it can speeul-
| ly be corrected when the vast iniiu-
ences of the government are prudently
| aimed in the right direction and there
is no unnecessary waste of energy. We
| believe that the omens are prooitious
! for such new era in our diplomacy,
and it is needless to add that we hail
| it w'>h great pleasure.