The Van Buren press., 1900-05-19
State Departments Blunder.
St Louis Republic Special.
IRY REV c El- Ill uEpMORTul

more than an attempt to make political
capital out of what may yet prove, un
less it is handled carefully, to be grave
/ incident. Suppose we look at the history
of this affair with the frigid eye of un-
prejudiced citizens. / think we shall
conclude that we have been over hasty
over n matter of very small international
Importance.
When Lloyd Griscom made his de-
mand in accordance with orders in
'peremptory language, it was sup
posed by those who did not know that
it was pretty nearly equivalent to an
nltilnatum. That was the tirst step.
Now an ultimatum IL Il very ugly
thing to have on one 5 person. 1t means
pay or a broadside and the only option
is rs to which is preferred. The diff
ference between an ultimatum and a
peremptory demand is rs thin as the
line between insanity and genius.
Nevertheless the 'peremptory de-
mand allows you to 'climb down If
You find you have gone too far, while
the ultimatum makes it necessary to
fight.
The second step was taken when we
declared that no Minister of ours should
remain In Turkey if that debt was not
paid ut once and threatened to give the
Turkish Minister In Washington his
passport. We thus assumed IN attitude
which was good deal like menace,
and one which weakened our case, 1t
was petty and unworthy of this great
American people. 1t will not help us
to get what we want II we withdraw
from amicable relations with the Sultan.
What the nations of Europe with equally
valid claims have not been able to
accomplish by friendly urgency we
can t hope to achieve by an exhibition
of ill-temper. The circumstances are
not serious enough to warrant such
extreme measures. After going that
far we must either go farther or make "
disorderly retreat We are In that
dilemma at the present moment and
can t get out of it without loss Of
dignity. If n great principle were in
volved we might push ahead at any
cost, but we are not justified in risking
disorder to collect an old debt. That is
the cold fact rs we shall see it when we
cool down.
Ny impression is that the State De-
partment regrets having listened to
partisan clamor and pushed this affair
to the verge of war on misleading in
formation. 1t finds itself in n rather
embarrassing position and the only
thing left for 1t to do Is to daily with
the thing until something more i'm
portant occupies the popular attention
and then quietly wipe off the slate, in
other words, pigeonhole dead issue.
lay no claim to the atflatus OF the
prophet, but venture to affirm that the
Sultan has never for moment intended
to pay that 800, 900, And whatever the
department may say for publication,
they never expect to send Yildiz n
receipted bill for the cash, am not Il
mind reader neither have ! received the
news by telepathy. simply watch the
trend of affairs and hazard the guess.
In the first place 1t Ia worse than folly
to talk about fleet. The 'multitudin..
ous tongue has urged 1t, but 1t is all
"leather and prunella. -
General Miles may grow luridly eloqu-
ent over the benefits OF war, declare
that II makes brave men and noble
women and hint that the only way to
reach the social and religious ideal Is to
keep up the business of butchering each
other, but most Of us have n prejudice
In favor Of the victories OF peace. A
war with Turkey, therefore, has really
been out of the question from the start,
We clustered good deal at the be-
ginning. but only made ourselves
ridiculous, while Europe has looked on
and enjoyed a good laugh at our ex.
pense,
With war out Of the question where
are WEI We are simply In the position
Of a man who duns for u debt
and is politely told to ''come again, -
The Sultan receives our representative
cordially and, Mr.. Straus says promises
to pay. Ali Ferrough remarks, how
ever, that the promise WAS never made
and that Mr., Straus Is laboring under u
misunderstanding SO far as collecting
the debt Is concerned, therefore, we are
no nearer than we were three years ago,
And five years hence we shall be no
nearer than we are now.
The Sultan does not think he Is liable
for the amount demanded and there is
not u Turk in the Empire, from the
Grand Vizier down to the Kaime Kan
of small.sized city who believes 1t
should be paid With that feeling
prevalentand with battleships eliminated
from the problem, our only resource is
diplomacy. We may argue until we are
tired and gain nothing. The Sultan is
the shrewdest diplomat In Europe. He
has played with every sovereign of the
Continent and checkmated him. We
can hardly hope to win where others
have failed. The demand was made and
the answer came back that our claim
would be considered with the claims OF
other nations, Why should we be pre-.
feared "a u creditor TO Russia or
Germany OF course, there was no re-
ply, except that we were so eager that
we might send gunboat to smyrna
unless the account was settled instanter,
We did not mean u, and we suddenly
found ourselves with cap and bells on
our head
When the Sultan issued his trade allow
ing an annex to Roberts College and
permitting the people IN Harpoot to re.
build their destroyed structures, he re.
garded 1t as his whole duty for the
present, While, therefore, ! believe
that every nation ~ well rs every in
dividual should pay HIS just debts, |
know enough of the Turkish standpoint
to declare that nothing will be done
concerning this indemnity, and the
administration may as well put the
amount down In the columns OF profit
and loss,
! am all the more sorry for this I'm.
broglio because IL will bo serions
injury TO the missionary work through.
ont Asia Minor, No matter how the
affair goes, either for or against u.s. the
result will be the same, The precise
motive of the administration was TO de-
canl mud npntaot thn p,tasiAnnry h,,t