The record-union., 1898-06-26
PRESEAT-DAY THOUGHTS.
BY "Nemo."

told that during 1898, in a period Of
elght weeks, the antagonism and dis
trust OF century and a quarter to-
ward England would disappear, he
would have been hooted at as prophet
on lies. Yet on the surface this change
OF 1eeling appears to have taken place.
But as some of the present most vigor-
Gus expoundeis of an Angio-American
all1ance were the most daring twist
ers OF the lions tail'' during the Vene-
Zueia boundary scare, their conversion
would seem to be almost too sudden
TO De lasting. In fact, those who have
the fullest belief in the destiny of Eng
iish-speaking people, may be pardoned
Tor regarding much of the present feel
ing as whimsical and unenduring.
4
Let US see what is proposed now that
the first vague thoughts regarding the
alliance take form in print and in dis
cussion First and foremost it is to be
offensive and defensive;-or in other
words. an injury inflicted on one by an
outsider is to be felt by both and re-
sented by both. Some of the subordi-
nate elements would be: The united
completion Of the Nicaragua Canal; in
terchange of coaling courtesies at the
various naval stations; certain tariff
reforms in relation to both Canada and
Great Britain; mutual citizenship; and
some other features that are so far too
| inchoate to record
1t would be rashness itself to con-
| demn any one of these features, yet
each by itself and all together are too
! tar advanced upon recent bias and dis
trust to be anything but temporary and
unsatisfactory. The whole thing pic
lures itself to the mind like the hasty
| marriage of passionate minors who
only begin to realize too late that there
are more obligations than begetting in
the United States. Then comes the
hlnd-sight that is such an unsatisfac-
| tory substitute for foresight; the
awakened understanding leads to mis-
understanding; the bonds grow irk-
some; and then a blank Even a con-
densed view of >he possibilities Of the
alliance will, feel sure. prompt future
| caution in relation to it.
An offensive and defensive alliance
would be the issuance of a challenge
| TO the other nations Of the world We
| should say in effect THE English
speakers are stronger than you all.
| our view of civilization is to be the
view. In doing so we should be doing
rank injustice to those nations who
nave given of their substance to make
US what we are. We should thus be-
little the converging streams of civili-
zation that have come to us from the
Latin races, and the Teutons and the
SiaVs, and be in the position of kick
ing from under US the ladder by which
We have risen. There is no reason,
| save that of blind haste, why we
should suddenly turn upon the great
historic friendliness of Russia and Of
france and place ourselves in the
uch-me-if-you-dare attitude of pot
house quarrelers.
| The proposed alliance would be the
most definite declaration to the world
that hereafter we intend to take a
| fighting share in all the international
complications that afflict the world with
huge standing armies and bankrupt-
ing war budgets.
Though my longtime readers are
fully aware that / am the last to favor
slavish adherence to the past and it's
traditions; yet at this time it is not
inappropriate to remind ourselves that
the devoted men who hewed us in the
rough before ever we We're a nation,
expressly warned us against such an
enlargement. In acquiring or con-
| trolling territory outside of our COM
pact empire Of freedom, we shall un-
doubtedly depart from the straight path
our ancestors set before US, but this
divergence must not be made to as
sumo to our mindS-confused by the
rapidity of events-a justification for
so tremendous a divergence as the lean
ing on the armaments of another for
our protection and perpetuation. Are
we ready for SO marked a departure? :?
/ should imagine the answer would be
gLoat, resounding No; as loud as
the historic Yes" that started US on
our present errand of help to the
abused down trodden.
1t will be noted that there has in this
column thus far been neither abuse nor
praise for Great Britain The accept
ance or rejection Of the proposed alli-
ance is not to be based upon hatred or
love of that great nation. Her triumphs
or her failures. her strength or her dan
gers, have or should have no deciding
weight. Our only point of view must
be selfish one-in the highest sense of
selhshness. The deciding question will
therefore be as to whether the moral
leadership magnified a hundred fold
by the unselfish motive that first
swayed US in the present war-will gain
by return to faith in force as an in
ternational regulator.
AS an evidence of the trust heretofore
reposed in us by the nations of the
earth, whose sinews have been incorpo-
rated in our strength by the fiocking
hither of sons and daughters. we can as
nation point with pride to the fact
that in about 100 years the United
States has been appealed to for arbitra-
tive decision in over seventy disputes.
What is the significance of this? 1t
means that our remoteness from Eu-
ropean entangiements. the evident
breadth of our all-absorbing heart, the
unselfishness of our greatness, the COM
mercial energy of our people. have all
combined to make us trusted and re-
spected. They have placed us above all
suspicion of self-seeking. If it is i'm
portant and comfortable for an indi-
vidual to have his reputation in some
measure equal his character, surely it
is also essential for a nation, made up
of individuals. For this reason, if for
no other there is every inducement to
proceed with the greatest circumspec-
ton in the new events into which we
have been thrown; lest when the pres
/ lx.v~A