The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-15
SEATTLE, MONDAY. JANUARY IN.
The Question Of Motives.

= A0 xuGSkiOH VI NAOttNCSs
Within a comparatively recent period
the attitude of nearly all Americans
toward Great Britain has been precisely
that Of the people of continental Europe
1t has been accepted as unquestioned
that Great Britain is the bully Of the
world, has been engaged in a constant
series OF criminal aggressions upon
small and weak nations, and that tho
enormous expansion Of the British en-
pire has been brought about by series
Of such aggressions; the actuating mo-
tive in every instance being the greed
for territory, always disguised, how
ever. by hypocritical pretense Of good
motives.
So far as thought was given to the
matter. there has been some slight feel
ing Of surprise that the attitude of sue
cessive governments of Great Britain
should have been in such contrast to the
private character, sentiments and ira
ditions of the governing class of the
country. The government Of Great
Britain has for many years been in the
hands of the upper middle class, men
as a nearly uniform rule Of honest In
tentions, frankness of an almost ag-
gressive type, with instructive racial i'm
pulses for fair play and q logged devo-
ton to the ideal Of individual liberty.
Spain the idea has been gradually find
ing Judgment in the minds Of thought
full Americans that perhaps the exist
ing prejudice against Great Britain has
been based on erroneous judgment. This
has been borne home on them by the
experiences which this country has it.
self had, under circumstances which, for
the first time, placed it before the
world In a position similar to that
which Great Britain has been compelled
to occupy many times in the past.
The motives with which this country
entered upon the war with Spain were.
as every American knows, not sullied
by any desire for ultimate profit to arise
from it, If any man in the country en-
tertained an idea that, as a result OF
that war, this country would receive
enormous accessions Of territory and en-
ter upon career of colonial expansion
beyond the seas. that Idea never found
public expression. There was univer-
sal feeling Of indignant establishment
when, in every country of continental
Europe, this country was accused
promptly of having entered upon the
war for the sole purpose of depriving
crippled Spain of her colonial possess
sions. The warmest friends we
have upon the continent still be-
lieve this firmly. and all American pro-
testations to the contrary are dismissed
with an impatient shrug as character
istic hypocrisy of the Anglo-Saxon race
The facts as they exist are pointed to as
sufficient proof of the truth of the ac-
cusation.
How different was the case in Eng
land. There the position of the United
States was thoroughly understood and
appreciated. Even those newspapers
which frankly and cordially dislike
everything American never questioned
the purity OF the motives which Actual
ed this country, combining their habit
ual ill-natured comment to pessimistic
croakings as to the fate which would
befali our hastily levied army when 1t
met the seasoned troops of SPAIN
We have seen how the war terminal
ed, how the colonial possessions of
Spain have been practically thrust upon
this country, because by the war and It's
results we have become responsible to
the world for the maintenance Of order
and the security of life and property
there. In the case of Cuba, which this
country does not want and which 1t is