Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06
OLNEY AND ISOLATION.

While Mr.. Olney was Secretary of State
he. gave evidence of possessing many Of
the attributes of craftsmanship. He had
several very delicate questions affecting
our foreign relations to deal with, and
for the most part he acquitted himself
creditably. But he made more than one
bad break in opinions ne expressed Re-
Gently Mr.. Olney delivered a lecture at
Harvard on "Civic Duties and Reforms"
which would seem to parallel his record
as a Cabinet officer IL was a mixture OF
sound and unsound views. It's unsound-
ness consisted in fits iconoclasm as bear
Ing upon Washlngtons rule of interna-
tional isolation.
This rule was, as Mr.. Olney said, orgl-
nally expressed in Washington's fare
well address. Briefly summarized, it was
a warning against entangling alliances
abroad. Mr.. Olney held that the rule
was intended to apply to the day of
small things-to the day of our weakness,
so to speak-and then proceeded 10 ar
que that we had outgrown Washington's
policy that the yule should be changed |
with our growth, and that political isola- |
ton involves commercial isolation
Mr.. Olney declared his conviction that |
t was a misfortune TO be governed by a I
rule Of action that had outlived its use
fulness-to apply TO one set Of conditions !
D rule that was meant for an entirely
different set of conditions. But even
Washington'8rule Of isolation was, he
said limited to politics. About the cor
rectness Of this latter contention there
Fan be no question. Washington's own
words In his farewell address sustain
Mr.. Olney. He said: 1.-THE great rule of
conduct for US in regard TO foreign ma
lions is, in extending our commercial re-
ations, TO have with them as little DO
itical connection as possible" 1t would
seem TO follow, therefore that there is
no rule to change, so far as the CONNER
sial Issue is concerned. Aside from this,
aowever, we cannot trace the relations
between political and commercial isola-
lion AR. Olney aimed TO point out We
cannot see that the one necessarily in
wolves the other. Taking the history Of
Sur commerce, we find that whatever of
commercial isolation we have suffered
has been due in the main TO such a policy
as Is represented in Dingleyism. We see
40 reason why we should not have trade .
relations with other nations without {
mixing UP in their squabbles and {
iealousies. and we think Washington's ,
own utterances show that he saw no ,
reason why this should not be the case.
No. AS Mr.. Olney admits, Washington's
rule was distinctly political rule Con- 9
Sequently In seeking for vindication of s
its wisdom, and for its application to the
present we must dfferentiate 1t from I
The question of our commercial relations. :
Il was the genesis Of the Monroe doc Z
rine that has served us such good stead
md In attacking it we attack that doc I
Tine. Departure from the Washington 4
historic rule means departure from the y
historic policy Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Mon +
oe elaborated, and which was crystal l;
lied in Mr.. Monroe's celebrated decla- .
alton. since become Immortality assocl- u
ted with his name. For one of the e.
trongest indications of the Monroe doc 81
rine We need not go back further than h.
ne time during which Mr. Olney held the .,
ortfolio of Secretary Of State. But for
hat doctrine and the consistent adj
erence to IL on our part, which has led :.
D its recognition by foreign nations, We =
light have become entangled in a Sc. :,
ious complication. To act on Mr.. Olney's =
heory and accept "the responsibilities OF y
ar position as "a great nation" as he :,
'2uld have us accept them. would 10 a.
ny the least, be 10 run the risk of az
riding foreign nations an excuse for vio- =,
ting the Monroe doctrine. On the whole -
STORY and experience and the teach ~
gs OF many OF the ablest statesman
no country has produced, antag6nlze
H. Olney's position. and emphasize tho W
let that the Washington rule OF ,so,s We
on In It's true intep: has not outliyed -
. usefulness and Is as much our sheet :"
nchor OF safety to-day as It was In Tho 10
avs OF the Infancy OF the republic