The times., 1898-07-05
THE FALLAGY OF ISOLATION.

The conditions under which Monroe
issued his message embodying what
! is called his doctrine were singular
! They had not existed before nor have
/ they since. The greatest individual
!. power ever known in Europe or this
world had fallen and with it's fall came
about the restoration of kings by nheri-
tance. Certain nations at the dictation
| of Austria Ieagued together for the pur-
| pose of guarding and enthroning mon
archs who were born to rule. This poll
| cy the French emperor had nullifed by
| the sword 1t was not dominant be-
! cause there was none to enforce it.
Never had this sophistry of Shakespeare's
sentiment that divinity doth hedge
| king been so exposed.
- A king a very small parsonage.
| Only emperors counted and they not for
much This naked exposure that Napol-
| con gave the thrones of Europe showed
| the world East and West that 1t had been
frightened by mere bugaDoo. And this
but confirms the experience of America
Only little while before after year of
hardening and preparation, it's raw vol
unteers had defeated the trained veter-
ans that England had withdrawn from
the continental wars and sent here for
subiugation
That feat in arms made independence
sure and placed our country well up for
its age in the scale of nations Hitherto
it's geographical isolation had been no
absolute safeguard against participation
| in foreign complications. The enormous
consumption of the European armies en-
larged the commerce of this country It's
growth was surprising. That was the
golden time of the American merchant
man. Isolation was incompatible with
progress. Unfortunately it contributed
to the military strength of England, for
she searched our ships and impressed our
sailors.
This brought on war, and some ten
years after peace President Monroe de-
clared against entangling alliances.
This doctrine has been accepted and
made TO serve its purpose. But the idea
or independence does not necessarily in
yoiye isolation. 1t rather implies supre-
! macy. The whole of the English history
teaches this and especially after the ac-
cession of Anne, when Marlborough made
Great Britain the head and front of the
league against Louis XIV. The genius
of this general gave this country a com
manding position. In this way, at inter
walls, through the display of abnormal in
tellsctual capacity, England has been
given greatness. The best examples are
| Marlborough. Pitt and Nelson. In Amer
lea it is in no wise different Here the
conserving and propelling forces have
been Washington and Hamilton, Webster
and Clay, Lincoln, Grant and Blaine. 1t
would be impossible TO find craftsmanship
more distinctly national than that of the
elder Pitt His aim was to make England
the first country on the globe. and the
aim of Clay was TO make this country a
competitor, B!aine's craftsmanship, at
later day, was even more comprehensive.
He would unity all the Americas. Clay
worked in a very fruitful period, and
when the final adjustment fell to Lincoln
ne found ample resources. But for Clay
and Webster the adjustment would likely
have come at an earlier time than Lin
coin 5, when the population was more
evenly distributed. This would nave in
volyed the probability of a different re-
suit. But in Lincoln the conservatism of
Clay and Webster triumphed. The Re
public then stood away up in the scale,
and. in the highest sense of nationality.
at the very top Events had projected il
into equal competition with the greatest.
In 1be light OF this truth the idea of iso-
latiOn grows dim.
But it permeat tes written history. And
seldom, If ever. has it called forth more
expression of opinion than now. Heine
says we are ruled by ideas, which is COM
pliment8ry. The theory is being every
day affirmed. The occurrences of Il month
haYehEsvixed ideas that We're long dor
mant, Nothing had transpired in the way
of association TO recall them. All at once
they spring into activity and possess us.
Some have a new phase and strike the
mind as original conceptions. but the ma
jority are familiar. Amid the vtcissi-
tudes of development the Government has
not changed. The effect of every crisis
has been 10 form a more perfect union"
as Hamilton very prettily wrote in the
opening of the Constitution. The ideas as
ISOLATED with its infancy and its first
struggles have lost none of their fascIna-
l ton or potency AS the times that gave
them birth passed away, and We're sue
ceeded by changed conditions, new ideas
appeared. Among them was that of isOla-
ton. The ocean washed either shore, and
there was nothing stronger north or
south than colonial governments or pro-
tectorates, But the character of these is
significant, as Is being shown. after so
long a time. by the marching of armies
against Spain, the sentiment of Europe
and the talk of combining with Great
Britain. She and Spain were our neigh
Dors. They are so yet. The three ma
tioRs. have been inseparable. At the end
of century they present very striking
picture-America and Spain graphing,
with England standing off the great
neutral and sympathiZer with her own
blood and tongue. All this brings back
the old idea of the colonists and revoiu-
ti0Rists that we are participants in the
affairs of the civilized world. The ambi-
tiOn to found a new civilization revealed
myth. Theirs had been in submission
The dream that it might be retained with
independence was soon dispelled. Eng
land. France and Spain were all directly
interested in the Revolution.
The only thing that could have saved
America from the wars that devastated
Europe was policy of isolation. and that
= Jefferson sinaugurated 1t was vital blow
To expansion, and when Madison succeed
ed he and Congress We're driven by the
opinion of the country 10 free inter
scstfrse. Tffen complications arose in ear
nest, Monroe was Secretary of State, and
having had military experience In the
Reyolut ion personally took part in the op-
eFations for defending Washington. The
relations of Monroe, Madison and Jeffer-
sn, known as the Virginia dynasty, were
very intimate, and so strong was the old
Republican party that the Presidency,
Ike a throne was given the aspect of an
inheritance. Jefferson had the chair two
terms. and as the sage of Monticello was
athe oracle for sixteen years longer which
was almost the balance of his life
Through his influence and example the
chief Cabinet officer was placed first in
line for the Presidency, and so successful
had Jefferson made the practice that
Henry Clay was induced to accept the