The National tribune., 1898-08-18
"oBIo sHIRT-sLEEvE DIPLOMACY"

military victories 1t has been as fatal
to time-worn, hoary beliefs, traditions
and practices.
1t is the first time in the long history
of European diplomacy that great
powers agents have said openly, frankly
and fully just what they meant, just
what they would have, and just what
they would not have. We did this at
the beginning of the war, and repeated
it at-the close. The regularly trained
European diplomat would have doubled
and turned, shifted, shuffied and evaded
thousand times before he began the
war, and again before he closed it.
President Mckinley and his Secretary
of State talked as plainly and unmis-
takahly, and with as few unnecessary
words, before opening the war, as if
they had been buying a bill of hard
ware, or making a contract for new
building. The diplomats did not under
stand such SQUARE dealing then, and
looked for all sorts of Interior mean
ings and purposes, as is their custom.
When it came to stopping the war, the
President and Secretary were equally
frank and businesslike. Even the
shufiing Spaniards understood the new
method by that time. They compre-
hended that for the first time in the
history of the world there was not
word of bluff or CANNON in the COM
munications. If President Mckinley
said the armies would move against
certain place, they would certainly
move there. If he said Commodore
Watson's squadron would cross the
ocean, it would 60, as certainly as the
day came for it to sail. He represented
the business methods of the most bust
nesslike people in the world. Therefore
everybody was astonished to see the
most incurabIe shutters and postponers
in Europe come squarely down to a As
hour limit, and do business on time, for
the first instance in 500 years.
Someone has designated this the
"Ohio shirt-sleve diplomacy" and it
promises to become the model for allinter-
national dealings hereafter. 1t certainly
should be-
After all, we can hardly claim to have
invented it. Bismarck first startled
European diplomacy by telling the bald,
simple truth, which up to bis time no
diplomat had ever done. The old def
milton of a diplomat was ga gentleman
sent abroad to lie for the benefit of his
country" When Bismarck first began
telling the truth no one would believe
him, and he gained a greater advantage
than he could have done by the most art
full double-dealing. But Bismarck did
not hesitate to lie when he thought lie
would serve his purpose, and he had as
many tricks in reserve as any of them.
The new American diplomacy is above
all tricks and subterfuges. 1t tells
frankly "the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the TRUTH" as to its plans,
wishes and intentions, and wins because
it is right that it should win.
There is another reason for the triumph
of American diplomacy. 1t was the first
time in the history of the world that a
whole people were taken into the conf
dence of a State Department. In Europe
diplomacy is deep, closely-guarded
mystery. 1t is a tangle of chicanery,
plots and intriguing, in which only the
initiated few can watch the moves and
understand the game. These generally
deceive themselves with their own cum
ming. But President Mckinley con-
suited the people at every move. Their
advice was sought before a card was
played. They knew as much about
every step taken as did the President
himself. Consequently he had behind
him all the time 100000 people,
acting with entire unison of purpose,
and every move he made had the pro-
pulsion of irresistible power.
THE CUBAN PATRIOTS.
The embarrassment to us of the
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