The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-12
A Polite Monitor.

The London Spectator has recently
come to be very mindful of the best
interests Of the United States. Not
only does it indulge in fulsome praise
Of President Mckinley, but it essays
to offer some hints for the future gu:d-
ance of the republic which may be
well needed to be afterwards stunned.
Here is something which it is pleased
to say regarding what it conceives to
be ''the high destiny of the States" as
the outcome of our war with Spain:
If, then. peace is made er, terms which are
worthy of the high destiny of the States, they
will find themselves at the close of the war
in possession of what may fairly be termed
the finest islands OF the tropics-Cuba, Por o
Rico and the Philippines. A terrible burden.
organized themselves for bearing it? No;
rather an opportunity for bringing out the
best qualities OF the nation, and for making
them carry out duties which will improve not
only the individuals most concerned, but the
whole people. We do not doubt for a moment
that the governing of Cuba and the Philip
life of America which will be enormously to
its benefit. The greatest political want of
America is band of trained civil servants
men who have from their youth up been dedi-
Gated to the public service and whose whole
training is intended to make them upright,
uncorrupt and independent instruments of
est offices of state. America has an oppor-
tunity for organizing such a body of men for
the government of Cuba and the Philippines.
1t would be unjust and almost boor-
ish to ascribe to the Spectator any
thing short of the best motives in offer
ing the above suggestions They are,
il may fairly be assumed, presented
in the fullneSS Of honest impulse. There
is no existing reason for believing
otherwise. But the Spectator has been
trained to view the conduct of national
affairs from other than the American
democratic standpoint This republic
has no room for an aristocratic class
government. such as that possessed
by England, as exemplified in it's civil
service establishment: nor has this
country ever suffered in it's diplomatic
contests because of the fact that the
talent required in great emergencies
was necessarily drawn directly from
the ranks of the people. This nation
is today confronted with some of the
1ncet important problems for solution
with which any nation has had to deal;
hut they will be solved, and to the
satisfaction, not only of our own peo-
pie, but to that of every other nation,
and entirely in the absence of any
band of trained civil servants-men
who have, from their youth UP, been
dedicated to the public service" The
Spectator does not realize, perhaps,
that there are men in the United States
who are upright, uncorrupt and in
dependent instruments of government,
beth in the highest and the lowest
offices. Of state" who have not
found it necessary to be educated dis
tinctively in the classified civil service
branch of the government as the Eng
Eshman understands it, and who are
capable Of periodically, honestly and
efficiently accomplishing every task in
diplomacy that may be set before them.
The real secret of the power of the
United States in all the international
controversies with which the country
has been associated is found to exist
in its honesty Of purpose, it's d.
rectness and absolute disregard Of
any advantage accruing from Dip
lomatic trickery. and its scorn Of
intrigue. This formula for dealing
with other nations has proved so
satisfactory in the past that there
is no demand for departure from
the rule; and in the present emergency
we can only return our sincere thanks
to the Spectator for its generous ad-
vice and candidly express our prefer
red reliance upon our own national
ability to overcome all obstacles in
our own way without following the ex-
ample Of any monarchical power in ex-
1stence.