Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-09-02

Washington's warning against en-
tangling alliances has become a maxim
of our politics and in the agitation for
closer bond with Great Britain has
served 70 stay Judgment Of politicians
and the thinking mass Of the people.
War brings swift changes. 1t finds new
solutions for old problems and it presents
new problems not to be solved by past
experience. In the excitement of such
times the people are apt to depart in
hasty Judgment from the wisdom OF an
unparalleled success in government.
Washington foresaw the danger of
participation in the affairs of Europe,
which has a set of primary interests
which to US have none or very remote
relation. Hence she must be engaged in
frequent controversies. the causes of
which are essentially foreign to our con-
Germs For this reason he observed
that lit must be unwise in US to impli-
cate ourselves by artificial ties in the
ordinary vicissitudes of her politics or
the ordinary combinations and collisions
of her friendships or enmities." 1t is as
true now as it was IN 1896 that "Our de
tached and distant situation invites and
enables US to pursue a different COURSE"
True. modern means of communication
have shortened distances and brought all
actions into more intimate relations. As
commerce has expanded it has frightened
: the bonds that Join US to the rest of the
? civilized world, but we are still detached
: from European politics and widely sep
arated by nature and the character OF
our institutions from its influence Our
attitude has been and will continue to be
such "as will cause the neutrality We
] may at any time resolve upon TO be scrup
2 ulously respected" And no event il
our recent history has changed the fact
that "bellgerent nations, under the i'm
possibility of making acquisitions upor
US, will not lightly hazard the giving US
provocaton." This was a cOnsumma
ton for which Washington prayed.
EXigencies of commerce are argued
for departure from honored precedents
On this score Washington said: "Har
mOny. liberal intercourse with all ma
tons, are recommended by policy, hu
, manity and interest. But even GU
| commercial policy should hold an equa
granting exclusive favors or preferences
S consulting the natural course of things
~ dilusing and diversifying by gent
!, means the streams of commerce, bu
I forcing nothing
After the dangers of geographical d
. visions and determinations among on
S own people and the disintegration of tn
/. union into sovereign states he held til
q most vital menace to our national eXis
!. ence to be inveterate antipathies again'
y particular nations and passionate attacl
ments for others. The nation whiC
y, INDUCES toward another an habtu
IS hatred or an habitual fOndness, - he SAT-
rs sis in some degree a slave. 1t is a sla'
iee to its animosity or to its affection, eth
o. of which is sufficient to lead it astra
ID from its duty and its interest," II
m possibility of such a posture of our a
~ fairs as to induce an alliance with son
al foreign power against another caus'
III Washington the deepest apprehensio
II and with this danger he deals at a leng
te that bespeaks the greatness of his fea
ed sympathy" he said, "for the favorl
to nation, facilitating the illusion of
IN imaginary common interest in cas-
al where no real common interest exis
h. and infusing into one the enmities of
lily other, betrays the former into parti
ef patton in the quarrels and wars of t
- latter without adequate inducement
m. justification"
DR.. Thus ne comes to the conclusion Il
"the great rule of conduct for us in