New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-02
TWO BRITISH VIEWS.


others affect to see us-might be precious
gift. And it might cause strabismus. To exer'
else ii Alright. an insectilc eye of many facets
would be needed: If it were indeed worth while
TO be an insect for such sake. Nevertheless,
without such equipment IT is possible to see
few Of the American reflections upon the Euro
pean retina. with some amusement, with per-
haps-to those not gifted with serene philosophy
some irritation. and with not little satisfac-
ton and self-prOfit
Here for example. is our ancient adversary,
1.-The Saturday Review" 1t has undergone
many changes since It was so aptly dubbed
1.-THE Saturday Reviler" but has not alto
gether outgrown the fitness Of that appellation.
Whether or not. like Pooh-Bah, 1t was born
sneerlng 1t bids fair TO die sneering-at America
as well as at the major part of all creation.
In fOrecastlng the Administration OF Presl-
dent Mckinley it sees only vileness and cor
rupton, and hostility to Great Britain, ana
to Justify that jaundiced view it distorts past
records and present facts with facility all its
own. During the late campaign. II informs us
readers to cajOle Gold Democrats into giving
him their votes Mr. Mckinley held his high tar
if predictions in allegiance. and posed as some
thing Of a tariff refOrmer" in the free trade
sense But as soon as he was safely elected he
threw off the mask. and now proposes, by
free use OF the patronage bribe," to rush
through Congress n trust-dictated tariff bill
more extreme than that of 1890 In other words,
the Presdent-ecct is buncosteerer and conf
dence man. That is the picture Of him which
"The Saturday Review draws; absolutely and
wantonly false in every essential detail, as every
in+olIioont EncIishman must know II any one
fact was made clear from beginning to end Of
the campaign. by Mr. Mckinley himself and
by every authoritative spokesman of the party
it was that the Republican party and its candi
date did not rcnounce the principle Of Protec-
ton in the least degree and that all who sup
ported Mr. Mckinley must support him MS an
uncompromising Protectionist. There was not
one Democratic vote cast for him under any de-
fusion on that subject; nor, it may he added.
does any Democrat who voted for him now feel
himself betrayed or fear the enactment of any
such prohibitive tariff law as that which THE
Saturday Review has conjured up from the
overheated Imagination of It's anti-American
editor.
In grateful contrast to this is another view of
America and American affairs, presented In
another and more representative and authorta-
1--WE medium Oh DTllISu thought 1T TsullOT vi
THE National Review" was in this country last
year, from the middle Of the campaign until the
opening Of the Congressional session, personally
studying political issues and movements He
proved himself a shrcwd and apprecintivc OBJ
server, and he now writes Of American affairs
out Of the fulness Of actual knowledge. In con-
veyng his conclusions 10 the British public he
administers n well-deservcd rebuke to those
including American correspondents of the Brit
Ish press-who have been depicting to the world
the situation here as wellnigh hopeless. lie pays
n high tribute to the orderness and goodwill
that prevailed throughout the campaign, de-
spite the phenomenal intensity of feeling and
expresses entire confidence in the integrity Of |
purpose Of the Government and the Nation. His |
portrayal Of us is Of people worthy Of the re-
spect and confidence of all the world
Between such widely varying accounts OF |
America the intelligent Britisher must make
his choice. In the one case it Is Enthusiastically |
distorted account given unintelligently, under |
he inspiration of traditional animosty toward |
America. and Of perpetual readiness TO sacri-
ice justice and goodwill for the sake Of GER
ain merericious smartncss of expression. In
he other II is II serious account given on the |
oasis of thorough information and with an
earnest desire to do justice and to promote
mutual conceptions Of truth and sentiments of
unity between the nations. Between the two
iot much hesitation should he required for the
making of Il choice.