The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-27
The Two Georges.

nave ueOll SOllleNudl i'ubhiS N'''
George w. Smalley because of the re-
ported utterance by him, at the Brook.
lyn banquet of the New England soci-
ETY., Of sentiments not to the average
Americans liking He cited, 1t VIII be
recalled. the increasing disposition OF
the European powers to resent Ameri-
can growth and entertain jealousy of
Americas enlarging commercial pres
tige as a reason why public opinion in
this country should not continually
heave brick bats at England. the one
country in Europe from which SYM
pathy and possibly assistance under
certain contingencies might be eN-
pected or won. II Mr.. Smalley was
honest i'm his utterancp--and we dare
say he was: other men, other Ameri-
cans. men Of unquestionable honesty,
have said i'm substance the same thing
he ought to be heard in patience,
even though the tenor of his counsel
should afterward be dismissed as un-
desirable.
But this brings up the larger ques-
tion whether the time has come in the
evolution of our beloved republic to
disregard the admonition of Washing
ton against entangiing foreign alli-
ances, and on this point we must bear
witness to the remarkable prescience
and sagaclty shown in that justly IA
nous portion of the Farewell Address
As between George Washington ana
George Washington SmalloY the bulk
of the American people, without dis
courtesy to either. may be pardoned
for choosing to follow the advice of the
former no fact is clearer in the light
of history than that aid from England,
when received by another power, must
be well paid for. This was illustrated
no longer ago than during our late re-
bellion, when British assistance for the
Southern CunlederaCy came along the
hardest lines of business negotiation
rather than along those Of honest and
spontaneous popular sentiment. 1he
seeding states had cotton ana wanted
money and munitions of war. Eng
land had money. war munitions ana
| cotton spindles. but wanted raw cot
ton. The deal was easy. but England
held the preferable end If ever an
emergency should arise requiring Of
the officials of our government that
they secure the interposition Of Eng
land to save the United states from
spoliatiuu at the hands Of continental
coalition, there is warrant in history
for believing that they could readily
secure this help. if able to pay the
| price: but probably the price would de-
| note a hard bargain. and one disclos-
| ing indefensible weakness in our own
| internal economy.
No. the time for a foreign alliance
| has not yet come 70 these United
| States and we hope that it may never
| come. Events may take or shake us
out of that splendid isolation once the
proudest boast Of the republics found
! ers. necessitating enlarged response
| bility and correspondingly increased
| activity in the worlds affairs; but
| throughout the orbit of its destiny ON
nation must order its footsteps with
/ precisely the same justice and care as
I if il expected forever to stand isolated
Z
| Of our attitude we shall hereafter win
| foreign allies, so much the better, but
! these should not be won through that
! game of mconscionable combinations
! nowadays SO unscrupulously played
| by European diplomatists ostensibly in
| behalf of the peace of the world but
| i'm reality for its spoliation and appor-
! tionment piecemeal among the bandit
powers. If England has 10 he won by
| faWning and suppliCation, by silence
| when she is wrong and by fulsomt
flattery ON the few occasions i'm for.
| eign affairs when she chances to he
| right, we'll might American manhood
| prepare to face the future as it ha.
met and conquered the far more form.
| idable and perpleXing past-single.
handed and undismayed, with malice
toward none and charity for all bu
| with an emphasis indOmitable upon the
| power of righteousness to withstand
the devil and all his imps.
The letter Of Commander Stevens
which we print on another page, il
| ldlI anu ulul. 10 llS statements every
honest citizen will subscribe. The only
aim of those who question the recen
large increases i'm the government
pension disbursements is to be assureC
that the money thus spent is put I,
the use intended by congress and tn,
people. If there are no frauds Their
will be no complaint. Not a penny il
begrudged which goes to compensate
actual sacrifice or loss. But in tn
abundance of testimony from appar
entity well-informed sources that frauc
in disCoverable proportion exists, Ger
tainly no harm can come from reason
able investigation conducted by thos
in sympathy with honest liberality L
sufferers from the civil war.
------ -
On Jan. l The Tribune almanac ant
political handbook for 1898 will b
placed in the hands of the carrier
and on the news-stands. II viii con
tain the usual complement of election
statistics, official data concerning city
county, state and national govern
ments, civic, religious and charitabl
societies, etc, and, i'm short, a concis
survey of most of the information T.
| which the average reader of news
papers during the ensuing year vii
have occasion to refer. The already es
tablished character of this annua