The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-06-30
ABOUT An ALLIANCE.
WHAT IT WOULD MEAN.
Present Day Thoughts.
BY "NEMo."
WHAT IT WOULD MEAN.
Present Day Thoughts.
copyrighted by Dave & TaborD
BY "NEMO."


If three years ago prophet had fore
told that during 1898, in a period of
eight weeks, the antagonism and dis
trust of century and a quarter toward
England would disappear, he would
have been hooted at as prophet of
lies. Yet on the surface this change of
feeling appears to have place. But as
some of the present most vigorous ex-
Founders of an Anglo-American alliance
we're the most daring "twisters of the
lions tail during theVenezuelan bound
ary scare, their conversion would seem
to be almost too sudden to be lasting.
In fact, those who have the fullest be-
lief in the destiny of English-speaking
people, may be pardoned for regarding
much Of the present feeling as whimsi-
cal and unenduring.
*x*
Let us eeee what is proposed now
that the first vague thoughts regarding
the alliance take form in print and in
discussion. 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 subordl
nate elements would be The united
completion of the Nicaragua canal
interchange OF coaling courtesies at the
various nayal 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.
~
It would be rashness itself to con-
denim 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
pictures itself to the mind like the hasty
marriage OF passionate minors. who only
begin to realize too late that there are
more obligations than coming into the
united state. Then comes the hind-sight
that is such an unsatisfactory substitute
for foresight; the awakened under
tandlng leads to misunderstanding the
bonds grow irksome and then blank.
Even condensed view OF the possibli-
ties OF the alliance will, I feel sure,
prompt future caution in relation to
it.
~
An offensive and defensive. alliance
would be the issuance of challenge to
the other nations of the world. We
should say in effect "The English speak
ers are stronger than you all. Our view
of civilization is to be the view." In
doing so we should be doing rank in
Justice to those nations who have given
of their substance to make us what we
are. We should thus belittle the con-
yerging streams of fcivlllzation that have
come to us from the Latin races, and
the Teutons and the Slav, and be In
the position of kicking from under us
the ladder by which we have risen.
There is no reason, saye that of blind
haste, why we should suddenly turn
upon the great historic triendliness of
Russia and of France and place our
selves in the touch-me-if-vou-dare atti-
tude of pot-house qar1elers.
The proposed alliance would be the
most definite declaration to the world
that hereafter we intend to take fight
ing share in all the International COM
pllcations that afflict the world with
huge standing armies and bankrupting
war-budgets.
~
Though my longtime readers are
fully aware that am the last to favor
slavish adherence to the past and its
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 were nation
expressly warned us against such an
entanglement. 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
assume to our minds-confused by the
} rapidity of events-a justification for
so tremendous a divergence as the
leaning on the ornaments OF another
for our protection and perpetuation
Are we ready for so marked a depart.
lure? I should. imagine the answer
would be great, resoundlng "No;" as
loud as the historic eyes" that started
Mr.. John Bevins, editor of the Press
Anthem, Iowa, says: II have used