The times., 1897-07-06
Molasses for Flies.

What Are we to have another lion
tan-twisting manifestation from Mr.. Nc
Kinley. similar to the Venezuelan warmes-
sage OF Grover Cleveland?
Reports are current that the present Ad-
ministlatien is preparing US for Just such
melodramatic surprise. 1t appears that
strong note has been sent to the British
foreign office complaining of Engiand's at
titude End conduct In connection with the
Berng Sea seal fisheries question. This
note, il is said, while not directly charg
ing Great Britain with bad faith, does charge
exactly that by indirection and infeTeace.
Further, 1t is alleged that message,
just bristiing with fighting Americanism,
shortly is 70 appear at the bar OF the Sen.
ley viii avail themselves of the oppor-
tUHity TO show their admlring country
men everywhere, but particularly in Ohio,
that patriotism is their regular beverage
and British blood their favorite food.
We may be forgiven for regarding the
whole business With suspicion. II there is
anything in il, the purpose Is q British
arbitration treaty, and not gore. 1t Is ex-
actly like the ganeof Cleveland and olney,
and weare astonished that the united wis
dom OF Foster, Hamlin, Day and RocshiiI,
not TO mention "Uncle John" Sherman,
could not have evolved something more
original.
In the former case, the Venezuelan war
message, which was a genuine surprise
TO this country. was not at all so 10 the
much from Lord salisbuys office as it
did from the American State Department
It was a shrewd bit of Machiaveliaa
diplomacy II was designed to scare the
business interests ana women Of the
United States with the prospect of Il
sanguinary war 1t accomplished that
for sirlnging the main object Of the con-
sp;racy, which was a general treaty Of
arbitration, providing for the extinction
o. the Monroe doctrine, revival of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty, and TO bring under
the Jurisdiction OF a European tnonarchical
tribunal the question of our liability to
pay the foreign holders of American ma
tional bonds in gold coin.
The last and most important OF these
designs Is alive and kicking today, and
the Administration is firmly committed
to the idea of fastening it upon the ma
ticn while yet the government of the
| gold and bond syndicates, the trusts and
monopolies, is in power.
ANY assumption, nom;nally made by sir
Mckinley, that the powers represented by
| him are ready 10 defy Great britain will
be accepted with doubt and perhaps
| aiIarity We have been too often told that
be, or his principals, could not take the
risk Of peaceful, legitimate act Of COM
| mon humanity like recognizing Cuban bel
| Iigerency, for fear that Spain might go to
war with US, Now to tell US that the Ad-
nunistration VIII assume the chances OF
, active host lities with first-class power,
in consequence of differences about the
fast-vanishing seal herd, is little too
much for popular credence.
But we need not worry ourselves into
any state of dogday madness or even
nervous exhaustion. The first Salisbury.
| Cleveland war scare failed to work suf-
ficiently to land the scheme of which it
was the advance agent II the high Joint
contracting powers of the present think
they can work bigger one, there can be
no reason why they should not try it on
But the American prople have about
| reached the point where they neither VIII
| scare nor arbitratei