The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-18

TEe outDurSt of i'll Will toward TINS coun-
try by the British press because of the
tone of Secretary Sherman's instructions
to ambassador Hay causes very little COM
ment in the United States. This is because
the American people have become accus-
toned to it, and it no longer excites or an
noys. Nevertheless, they have their opin-
ion about it, which is that 1t is an exhibit
ton of unseemly buster and imprudent
hostility. 1t is the old habit of bullying
which used to be effective, but which now
does not even excite retort. The people Of
the United States do not fear Great Brit
ain. They are not deeply interested in
the affairs of that country. They
casional expression of endearment, "our
kin across the sea-" The British people
are no more our kin that the German;
that is, the British people of the last fifty
years. There is no reason why we should
not wish all of them we'll. AS nation We
are quite satisfied with what we have.
Less than any government in the world
does ours interfere with the affairs of
other nations. Consequently, there was no
per that "a little blood-letting would do the
United States good Any of the great
nations under similar conditions would
have annexed Hawaii years ago. If the
troubles in Cuba SO interrupted the com
merce of any other nation as they do ours,
or if nonintervention for two years had
been as annoying to other governments as
have demanded a cessation of hostilities
long ago and would have taken steps to
bring it about.
If the British newspapers which make
such displays of puerle bombast and swag-
ger whenever anything is done by the
United States which does not please them
were as discreet as are British statesmen,
they would drop such exhibitions. The
statesmen of Great Britain are not for war
with any power, and least of all With the
United States They had a scare all to
themselves when a member of Parliament
demonstrated that in the event of a war
which would combine any portion of Eu-
rope against Great Britain, its people would
be confronted with famine in spite of its
navy AS a fortress, Great Britain cannot
be assailed, but, depending upon other ma
tions for large part of it's food the gar
rison could be starved into capitulation.
More than upon any other country Great
Britain depends upon the United States for
bread War with us would cost us cities,
but with no export of bread and meat for
one hundred days from the United States
famine, or at least short rations, would
confront the British people. 1t would be
well for these explosive editors to grasp
these facts which were put forth in the
House of Commons few months ago and
met with no REPUTATION. The United States
does not desire war with any nation, be-
cause the sentiment of the people is against
it, Unless we should be involved with
Spain in the Cuban troubles, the possibility
of the United States being involved in war
with any nation is remote. 1t is quite be-
yond the realm of possibility that Great
Britain and the United States should be
involved in war, because they settled by ar
bitration the important and aggravating
disputes growing out of the Alabama
claims This being the case, it would come
port more with the dignity of the British
nation for it's newspapers to drop their
habit of swagger and threat and of ex-
pressing i'll will when any act of this gov
eminent does not please them.