The times., 1898-05-01

American area. We should be Ameri-
can wherever America reaches. just as
England is a steam-eXpaHded England,
and wherever she distributes her
wares. Justice and humanity invoke
us to re-enforce Cuba's pathetic effort
for freedom, but has it occurred to the
reader that when she inevitably slips
from Spain, the Spanish America
which is below the isthmian stem will
commercially recede further from us
than heretofore? The especial tie
which she besought and we denied was
commercial hawser; her wishes are
pro-Spanish and our invoices to her
viii illustrate the degree of the eS-
arrangement after Spain has lost her.
We are about to make new and preg-
nant chapters in American history.
Shall we insist upon having another
Europe below the caribbean Sea, or
series of responsive American nations,
now hooked by anchors as commercial
dependencies of Europe? The reader
may ask why the Spanish-American
whose fathers hurled Spain from his
environments, should now be in SYM
pathy with her. We did no less with
Great Britain in two wars, but despite
all our historic wrongs, all of us know
how fervent is the exchange of assur-
ances between Englishmen and our
selves at this juncture, and blood is
thicker than water no less in Latin
than in Anglo Saxon descendants.
To repair our fault is to serve our
advantage, and we cannot begin too
soon. We must reassure these Latins
temper their prO-Spanish prejudces,
and convert the continent by steam
errands TO their neighborhood What
England has done, Germany, Spain,
France, and Belgium are prosperously
doing as well, and we may do. England
domesticates her sons in busi-
| ness, who ascertain and report special
wants, which cargoes supply; she es-
tablishes banks which are so much
London indoors and serve local de-
mands: she sends apt, wary ministers.
trained in international law, whereof
the Latins are often full masters; hab-
ituated to the social amenities which
are so material a part of diplomatic
| life among sensitive etiquette-loving
Latins; diligent to temper prejudices
that so prevail against greedy and
| usury-loving England, and alert to dis
| cover new inroads TO markets. Here
is the example to be followed if we
| would command large commerce and
| re-awaken a sense of fellowship with
US in the Latins. We must serve them
and thus serve ourselves.
All cannot be done in day, but the
| work should begin at our legations in
! South America, and we recall incum-
! bents in the past, stories of whose ig-
| norance, boorishness, or other eccen-
! tricities, moral or mental. occasion
! ally drifted hither Our representa-
| tives should be cultivated men, for they
| have to deal with such; should be ac-
customed to study, familiar to some
! clear degree with Latin conditions and
| able 10 cope with dexterous jurists in
the southern cabinets upon any issue
| that may arise: and their first duty
| from now on should be so wisely 10
commend themselves at the foreign
capitals of residence as to merit and
gain a frank intimacy with Latin
statesmen, discover and appease by
due effort their emphatic prejudice
against us and especially at this time,
| and. while doing all this, to illustrate
there and stimulate here, a more cor
dial disposition to render better COM
| mercial service TO our sister republics
| which largely, by our own fault, have
gone astray from US and exhibit little
| disposition to return. We want their
orders, but we want still more their
renewed faith which, indeed, will mul-
tipIy the orders. So much do they pre-
fer divers commodities of ours to those
of like character from Europe that
England and Germany counterfeit oul
trademarks to sell them inferior
wares. We have been accessory TO this
injury to ourselves-now let US by wise
agencies, diplomatic and commercial
gradually tease Spain and Europe tc
no inconsiderable degree out of theil
South American trade; regain Soutf
American faith and let our cargoes dc
in their markets what our guns are
about TO do on the Cuban coast-en-
force entry and direction by US.