The times., 1898-12-07
The Omen Door.


That the friendly attitude of Great
Britain toward America had something
to do with the refusal of the other
powers to interfere in behalf of Spain
during the critical hours of the Philip
pines controversy nobody seriously
doubts. II was believed, from the eX-
pressions of the London press and of
leading English statesmen. that any
attempt to prevent the acquisition of
the islands by this country would lead
To distinct understanding between
England and America Now we are told
that there was more than mere guess
of English support. Mr.. W. I. Stead is
not always a trustworthy authority,
but in this instance there is corIobora-
tive evidence of the truth of his state
ments. After asserting that in his Wis
its 10 the various European capitals he
did not find single public man who
did not oppose the American demands,
he says that Immediately after the
declaration OF war an American minis
ter was told of the displeasure of the
powers and their purpose to interfere
in the interest of Spain. His reply put
a summary stop to all talk of interven-
ton He asserted that he had author
ity to say that England would join with
this country against all the world.
Whether he had such authority or
not no well-informed person doubts
that England would have supported
America to any extent. This is known
especially to our representatives
abroad and TO the President and Sec
retary of State. 1t is known, too, that
in the interests of friendship-based,
though it is, ON material benefits
England would demand for America
the same trade advantages and the
same protection to citizens that she is
able to gain in Asia for herself. Yet
in the face of this there is not word
in the Presidents message to assure
that friendly nation of our desire and
intention to allow her to share in the
trade of our new possessions on equal
terms with ourselves and with Spain.
The prediction has been allowed to go
unchallenged that we shall make an eff
mercial exclusion around these islands,
allowing Spain alone to enjoy the same
! privileges we reserve for our
selves. With the timidity that
exasperated the American people be-
fore he was forced into the
war, the President refrains from the
expressions of gratitude toward Eng
land that her friendly attitude merited.
We can conceive of the humiliation of
our representatives abroad when it is
charged that we are too selfish to re-
spond to an initiative that has been
worth much to us and gives promise of
being of still greater value.
1t was not expected or desired that
the President should advocate an An
glo-American alliance, but only to rec
ognize the timely service of England
and to give some indication that it is
not his purpose to support any at
tempt to shut out that nation from the
trade of the Philippines. That we are
entirely willing to enjoy the benefit of
| an open door in China there is no
reason to doubt. The Presidents rec
| ommendation of commission to re-
! port on the conditions there shows our
| interest in the future of Asia. So far
! we have allowed England to struggle
| against a Russian policy of trade ex-
| clusion alone, but with an eye to our
own advantage in event of her success.
| However, England is satisfied to wait
| for the declaration of the President s
island policy before assuming that a
| Dingley tariff will be applied to the
! Philippines. She is not disposed to
| believe We can exhibit the selfish dis
position such a tariff would mean, and
she knows that the doom of protection
! was sounded with the acquisition of the
Spanish colonies. The freedom of trade
| of all the world in the islands is in
| evitable, but there is no assurance tha;
| this will be recognized until the i'm
| practicability of prohibitory tariff
and also its dangers have been demon
| strated. Since, to the far-seeing eye
| the policy of exclusion would be toe