The Van Buren press., 1900-03-17
ON THE DEFENSIVE.
Cabinet OfIicers Give Out Anonymous
Statements Defending the Course
OF the President.

WASHINGTON. D. c., March 49,
The administration is fighting desper-
ately On the defensive all along the line.
Cabinet officers are giving out anony-
nous statements to the press associa-
tions defending the course of the Presi-
dent on the Nicaraguan canal and Porto
Rican matters, while in congress nearly
every essential fact has been surrendered
in order to win support for the ship.
subsidy steal and apparently prepare
party harmony. According to the anony-
nous statement, which unquestionably
emanates from Secretary Hay, the pro
visions practically permitting England
\ to fortify the Suez canal were omitted
Intentionally from the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty because the Nicaraguan canal
will not be through the United States,
but through Nicaraguan territory and
to include them would strictly be only
to grant the latter country power to
fortify. Similarly, according to the
other statement, which, with equal
certainty, may be ascribed to Secretary
Root, the President considers that there
Is no real difference between ''plain
duty" and 10 per cent, BY the way,
when the President spoke Of plain
duties, he took, for the first time in his
administration positive position on
any question. In view Of his lamentable
recession there Is little doubt that he
has resolved never to take position
again.
The manner in which the United States
buckles to England has attracted the
attention of the diplomatic corps here,
all Of whose members are saying that 1t
appears to be the prevailing impression
of Americans that the only two countries
in the world are the Unites States and
Great Britain.
AS an illustration of this 1t Is pointed
out that In all the criticisms of the treaty
the street Is laid entirely upon the
motives and the ambitions Of Grert
Britain, and nothing whatever Is said
Of the views upon the subject which may
be entertained by the Continental
powers. While 1t may be natural and
lproper for the people of the United
States to feel this way 1t Is evident Great
Britain cannot do 80. In every move
she makes 1t is necessary for her to con-
slider the great powers Of the Continent.
They are all jealous of her, and all on
the lookout to see that she makes no
more acquisitions of territory without
corresponding equivalent coming to
them.
The talk Is that France, Germany and
Russia are watching with the utmost
vigilance every phase Of intercourse and
negotiation between this country and
Great Britain, and II provisions Of
treaties do not comport with what they
consider to be their interests they have
a right to demonstrate and to insist that
they be taken into the negotiations.
This, II Is said Is the inevitable sequence
Of our becoming 'world power.
Diplomats say that Great Britain would |
undoubtedly have been glad to guarantee
In the Hay. Pauncefote treaty the right |
OF the United States to fortify the canal. |
This not by any means on account Of
any particular friendliness for the United |
States, hut because 1t would meet Its
own purposes, In the event Of war be.
tween Great Britain and'one or more Of
the Continental powers 1t would be u
great thing for England " the United
States had the ability to preserve the
absolute neutrality of the canal. Battle.
ships, It is said, would be sufficient to
do this, but battleships are not always
on hand, and II takes some time to
concentrate them, Fortihcations are
permanent.
1t is now evident that the forecast In
this correspondence that the senate
would sustain the house In Its Porto
Rican duty proposition was correct. The
President has been warned that any
attempt to wriggle out Of responsibility
for urging the bill will cost him dear,
II Is recalled that Mr., Bromwell, OF
Ohio, In q speech advocating the bill,
declared on the floor Of the house that
Mr.. Mckinley had sent him and asked
him as a personal favor and political
necessity TO vote for the measure
Naturally II Is now being asked II Mr..
Bromwell deliberately misrepresented
the President and tricked the house,
Those who know Mr., Bromwell intimate
ly Indignantly resent the intimation that
he would commit such an offense. Mr..
Eddy, Of Minnesota, is another member
who, when the contest was close In the
house, says he was sent for by the
President and urged on the same grounds
as those described by Mr. Bromwell to
vote for the BILL AT the same time Mr..
Eddy made no secret Of this, and dis, !
cussed 1t with the utmost unreserve with
other members Of the house Of both
parties. Ii
Consequently, even Mckinley has de-
cided not TO attempt to flop again and {
will urge the bill on the senate, by which
u will be passed, for the simple reason
that II Is impossible to retreat, II may ,
be mentioned, by the way, that Senator
Foraker has confessed that Governor.
General Davis, Of Puerto Rico, was op
posed to the duty, although Represent.
stive Payne stated In the house that he I
warmly advocated II.
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