Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-12
ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE.
It's Fearing ON the silver Question,
and Other benefits.

To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
AS much has been said pro and con
relating to an alliance between Great
Britain and our country, 1 am led to
submit the following for the considera-
ton Of your readers.
The term alliance" as commonly
used applying TO the joint interests OF
nations, is liable TO be taken in much
stronger sense than it should be. II
we consider the term in its most liberal
sense, which means any union or con-
nection OF interests between States, we
VIII see at once that 1t is not so UNI
reasonable as some seem TO think that
there should be an alliance between
England and the United States.
IL will be remembered that not long
since we sought an alliance with not
only Great Britain, but the other lead
Ing European Powers included. relating
to the unlimited coinage Of silver, but
her Majesty's government refused TO
join us. and so ended for the time the
question OF the unlimited coinage OF sill
Yer by international agreement.
That there are mutual benefits to be
derived from an entente entered into
by Great Britain and our country no
student Of international politics will
deny.
With our cousins across the sea ear
nestly seeking an understanding with US.
when is there so oppOrtune time as
the present 10 meet them half way and
say to them: "Accede TO our silver-coin-
age proposition, and we will join you in
the Eastern question" l believe they
would agree TO this. and it certainly
would be no losing bargain for US, since
II would remove the veXed silver ques-
don from the politics OF our country. NO
BODY can object to this method Of doing
ii. since it is agreed on all sides and by
all parties that this is a satisfactory So
luton OF the question OF silver coinage.
Let me say further l believe 1t 70 be
Of material interest to us that we join
England In guaranteeing the integrity
of the Chinese empire. We are a great
manufacturing nation, as well as a great
agricultural people-in fact, we have al
most everything 10 sell and a great deal
more than our home market demands.
we must. therefore, look for markets,
and where are there so many consumers
as in Eastern Asia and the adjacent
islands?
If we allow our competitors, the ma
tions OF Western Europe, TO step in now,
as they are doing and control these mar
kets TO our disadvantage, as they GER
tainly will do, our opportunity is lost.
1t may be said that alliances Of this
nature are, TO some extent, contrary
to our traditional national policy In our
foreign relations. Granting this OBJ
lection to be true, the answer is, our
observation teaches us that times
change. and people who do not change
to meet the changed conditions are left
i'm the great race Of life; as with indi-
viduals, so with nations. History affords
us the strongest illustration OF this:
Spain. less than four centuries ago. was
the greatest empire of the world. Not
changing the mode OF governing her
dependencies, which became very oppres-
sve as the world became more and more
enlightened. she has lost them one by
one, until she is left hardly a nation at
all.
England, by her oppressive govern
ment little more than a hundred years
ago. lost the brightest gem OF her crown.
Prohting by experience, she has changed
her methods 10 meet the changing condi-
tions. and we see her to-day the great
est Power, and, except our own, the
greatest country OF the earth.
Never before in the history of the
world has there been a time when the
statesman could 50 much as at present be
considered as more than anything else
the advance agent of commerce. VIII
men be so narrow as not 10 see the
changed condition OF things and refuse
to carry out a policy which will prove TO
he of inestimable benefit to their coun-
try and all because their great-grand-
fathers said II was unwise in their day?
Il. H. r.