New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-21
DISCLOSING EOREIGN POLICI.


The National Conference on the Foreign Pol
lev Of the United States which met ut saratoga
ON Friday last, was originally intended 10 be-
demonstration against following further 'he
wel-establlshed policy Of the Nation. and IN
favor of switching off into some new ana uh
tried path. Ii was that is TO say, 10 be opposed
10 annexation of any more territory ana WIS
10 urge that the principles of Jefferson ana
Adams be repudiated and the Nation they found
ed be henccforih shut up within sort OF I'M
nosc wall Of sccluSon. lis motto was 10 De-
Whatever concerns humanity does not concern
us But that programme could not bc carried
ont The influence Of events was too strong
Men might rs well have tried 20 get MP con
ference for the repeal of the law of gravita'.on
So II was turned into an open conference, FOR the
discussion of foreign policy from any point of
view. and as might have been expected, II
uuickly began 10 tell most strongly IN exactly
the opposite direction from that which was AT
first Intended
The salient features Of Fridays sessions were
undoubtedly Mr. McrS argument IN favor al
the Nicaragua Canal and Judge GroS>cup's IN
favor Of territorial expansion. Hateful ~ 10"
idea Of an isthmian canal. NJ least under Amer
lean control. Is - the liitl" Americans. the
urgent need of such a work j. now MI bui UNI
vcrsallv recognized Scarcely anything has been
more clearly demonstrated 10y The war Mr.
Millcr's questions. Is the canal feasible: ana i
II desirable have both been answered IN the
affirmative beyond all challenge cor dispute" tn"
ONLY question j. whether This Nation has III"
wisdom and the c0nrag, Ia act up to the require
mcnts Of is welfare and ~ It's destiny. II ought
not 10 take long to answer that question. ono"
ana forever Mr. Miller said that ono Of thc best
results of the war was that II would compel the
building Of the canal II Is perhaps not too
much 10 say lust that. and even 10 add that ID"
war was scarcely too high pric" 10 pay for the
canal II II were true thar IN" canal would never
have been built without H. We believe II would
havc been built without the war. though prob
ably not nearly a. soon ~ II Is now likely tn
hc built That % will speedily be- built. under
American control. Is one of The rodccnilng feat
urcs and consultations Of the war.
Judge Grosscup stated the case FOR our trad.
,lonal policy with admirahl" force and crarncss
He showed that II will be- no breach OF past
faith nor menace 10 future prospects for this
Nation 10 assume the obligations of It's duty
toward mankind and to enter upon the rcalza-
ton ~ It's higher destiny. II viii b" no injury io
self 10 ccase from sordid introsp"ciion ana 10
survey ihc widening field ~ our relations I"
humanity. There j. moral elevation IN Wild"
outlook" II century ana quarter ago orr
fathers set up an example for all the world. IL
would he shame to Us 10 shrink from playing
our National part IN the working ont Of the
world problems 10 which they gave the Initial
impetus Theirs was an age ~ political unrest
and Of transccndent changes in the social con
stltutIon Of the world. They made the young
Republic n potent and directing force therein.
No less mornenfous are the processes Of the
present day Surely the Republic grown Ia man
hood and endowed with knowledge power ana
wealth mrlvacd should not fear 10 make itself
again n force for righteousness and honor. The
choice Is between the introspcction and stagna-
ton OF China and the outgoing and progress of
Great Britain. And the Nation that Is 10 make
that choice belongs not 10 The Mongollan but 10
the Anglo-SaXon race