The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-17
A SECRET ALLIANCE WITH GREAT
BRITAIN.

BRITAIN.
The most remarkable political bugaboo OF
recent times is the alleged secret alliance
between the United States and Great Brit
ain. Without a particle of evidence in sup
port OF 1t and in spite Of official denials
that any such thing existed or was
dreamed of, American jingoists and anti
administration men have persisted in as
serting that 1t does exist and in making ii
a ground of appeal to the anti-British
sentiment among a certain class of Ameri-
cans The subject is revived by ex-Consul
Macrum's impudent statement that he
vas not aware of the alliance when he
went to Pretoria, implying that he discov-
cred 1t afterward In his instructions to
look after British as well as American in
terests. Curiously enough, and almost
simultaneous with this sentiment, comes a
reckless one from Lord Rosebery In the
British House of Lords that last Decem-
Der the government made urgent over
lures to great powers-Germany and the
United States-for an alliance, but those
overtures were not received with such cor
diality as to encourage the government to
pursue them Lord Rosebery made this
rnguarded statement to support his argu-
ment that Great Britain was in the midst
OF a crisis in which she was in danger of
being deprived of allies as we'll as of en-
pire unless the government showed better
grasp of the situation than 1t was doing.
7 ord Pocohar-s- g+otapoant xra not Votfoal
by any member of the British government,
but 1t was followed by a prompt denial
from Washington. Officers of the admin
istration." says a dispatch, ARE at a loss
to understand the report and express the
opinion that some mistake has occurred.
Sc far as the United States is concerned
they declare no offer of an alliance has
been made" In spite of this denial the
secret alliance bogy will doubtless continue
to be worked by a certain class of states
MEN and newspapers for all it is worth in
the way of political capital.
Tn Journal would not be in favor of a
h~ard-and-fast alliance. offensive and de-
~fensive, between the United States and
Great Britain. and probably such a thing
has never been dreamed of by either gov
understanding between the two great Eng
disappearing nations that in every possible
contingency, as far as circumstances will
ADMIT, they will be friends and not enc
mics. and that neither will ever do the
other an undetermined trick. Shortly after
our war with Spain began Mr.. L. L.. God
kin, then editor of the New York Evening
Post. in an interview after his return from
n protracted stay in England. said:
From an authoritative source 1 had IL
that IN and France really did APP
proach Lord Salisbury with a proposition
TO put a stop to our war with Spain. This
reply was that If England took any part in
the war 1t would be TO lend its navy to the
United States.
Mr.. Godkin is not a man who speaks at
random. That is the sort of secret alliance
that ought to exist between the United
States and Great Britain-an unwritten
pact that, as far as possible, they are to
stand together and work together for the
interests of the En~glish-speaking race and
Anglo-Saxon civilization. This idea was
advanced by Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, Brit
ish secretary of state for the colonies. in a
speech delivered in May. 1898. After speak
ing of England's relations to her colonies,
he said:
What is our next duty? 1t is to establish
and to maintain bonds of permanent amity
with our kinsmen across the Atlantic
There is n powerful and a generous nation.
They speak our language. They are bred
of our race. Their laws. their literature,
the same as ours. Their feeling. their inter-
ests in the cause of humanity and the
peaceful development of the world are
identical with ours. l do not know what
the future has In store for us; / do not
know what arrangement may be possible
with us; but this / do know and feel, that
the closer, the more cordial, the fuller and
the more definite these arrangements are,
With the consent of the peoples, the better
IL will be for both and for the world.
Allowing for warmth of expression, that
limited at nothing more than the cultiva-
ton of close and lasting friendship between
the two nations, and that should be the
policy of both. Treaties and alliances be-
tween nations that hate each other do not
prevent war when great interests clash.
Real friendship based upon and strength
ened by mutual services and just regard
for each others interests is the best bond
for peace, and nobody should deprecate
that sort of secret alliance between the
United States and Great Britain.