The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-02
CONCERNING COALITION
SCHEMES.

It is said that by leaving the Philip
pines question to future settlement be-
| tween Spain ard the United States.
President Mckinley has spoiled a clev-
erIy concerted scheme, concocted by
the powers of Europe. In brief, this
scheme was to make the settlement of
the Philippines question an interna-
tionaI one. in which the powers of
Europe should dictate what the settle
ment should be- The scheme also con-
templated the prevention-of any active
warfare in the Mediterranean Sea, or
along the coasts of Spain or Morocco.
Possibly such a scheme was in Coz
temptation, probably it was not. 1t
looks q little as though it were an at
tempt to make it appear that the pres
ident is wonderfully shrewd and as
tute statesman, and that he is out
whiting the diplomats of Europe right
along. If any scheme such as is out
lined in this Madrid dispatch was in
contemplation, and the president adopt
ed the plan to leave the settlement OF
the Philippines question to Spain and
the United States, then it plainly shows
that the president was fearful OF IT,
and that he did not dare meet 1t. II
there is any truth in the story of the
scheme, and how President Mckinley
thwarted it, then the president does
rot emerge with any glory, because he
gained whatever there was Of victory In
it at the sacrifice of that sturdy Amer
lean independence which has ever dis
tirguished our chief executives.
An actual combination of the powers
of Europe, determined to prevent the
United States having their way in the
final DISPOSITION of the Philippines
would be a serious matter, to be treated
,, in the most serious manner. But there
is no reason to believe that the United
States would cover before it or for
single moment consent to be dictated
by it. The United States are not MIL
itary nation in the European sense OF
the term, but the power and resources
of this country for war are something
that even Europe respects. And
Europe. great and powerful and pre-
pared for war as she is, does not care
to arouse the latent energies of the
American people. A European combl-
nation today against America is no
mere formidable than it was three
| quarters of a century ago. Then there
was formed the Holy Alliance, and then
| this government promulgated the Mon
roe doctrine. which was for the very
purpose of Frustrating the designs OF
the alliance. That doctrine Informed
Europe that the American continents
were no longer open to colonization.
There was never any mistaking what
President Monroe meant when he de-
livered his famous message to con-
gress. In 1S49 Austria learned that the
United States would submit TO no i'm
position. The consequence was that
Martin Koszta was surrendered to the
commander OF the American frigate
Had he not been, that single frigate
would have fired on the Austrian fleet.
While not a Warlike nation, the
United States took an attitude on the
Venezuelan boundary question that
meant nothing but war if England did
not consent to the arbitration of that
question. Before the present war De
gan all Europe was sneering at this
country, not merely as being UMPIRE
pared for war, but as totally lacking IN
warlike spirit, while Spain was lauded
as a really great military power that
could call out a million and half OF
soldiers, all of whom had served with
the coIors. A three months war has
changed all that Europe has seen that
Spain was but as a babe in the hands
of the United States. Further, Europe
has seen the United States, from being
wholly unprepared for war. become so
we'll prepared for it that even the great
military nations would hesitate for
long time before provoking war with
them. All realize that the United States
have but begun to utilize their war re-
sources.
Talk about coalition schemes will
probably become more and more
abundant as it is seen that peace ne
gotiations are drawing nearer and
nearer to a close Those who sit aear
the sanctuary and love to catch a few
drippings will be more than anxious to
give the details of schemes that were
chiefly the Pigments of their own brains.
1t will give them cheap notoriety they
! couId have achieved in no other way.