The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-03-01
OLNEYON EXPANSION

RICHARD OLNEy, ex-secretary OF state
who has been talked Of by Anti-Bryan
democrats as desirable domocratlc
candidate FOR president has an article
in the March Atlantic Monthly giving
his views ON expansion Though he
lives in Massachusetts, the state OF the
anti -imperialists, his views do not com
eide with theirs in many important par
ticulars. He deplores our presence III
the Philippines. but feels that since we
are there it is our duty not to get ont
but 10 make the best possible disposition
Of the problems offered He feels that
Cuba is de facto United States territory
in spite of the congressional resolution
which he considers ill-advised and futile.
He notes the fact that this country mas
been forced by the march Of events to
abandon its policy Of isolation, the Gu
ban war being merely step in its pro-
gresa toward a position among the I'M
purtsnt nations Of the world. Perhaps
the most interesting point discussed In
his paper IS the so-called British alliance.
He does not assert it to be an actual fact,
but adyerts u England's countenance OF
our position in the east. He does not
have the dread for such an alliance that
most public men perforce profess 10 feel.
The distinction between temporary and
limited alliances with foreign countries
and "entangling alliances Is pointed
ont, with reference to the great ad-
vantage to this country OF her compact
with France during the revolution. In
discussing these things he says:
We start our career az a world power
with the Philippine handicap firmly fas-
tened to us, and that situation being ac-
cept,d how about alliances The true,
the IDEAL position for us would be com
plete freedom Of action, perfect liberty
TO pick allies from time TO time rs special
occasions might warrant and an enllght-
.ned view Of our own interests might
dictate. without the Philippines we
might closely approach that position.
But with them, not merely ~ our need
Of friendship imperative, but II Is need
which only one Of the great powers can
satisfy or ~ disposed to satisfy Except
for Great Britains countenance, we
should almost certainly never have got
the Philippines; except for her continued
support our hold upon them would be
likely 10 prove preCariOus, perhaps alto
gether unstable IL follows that we now
find ourselves actually caught in an en-
tangling alliance, forced there not by
any treaty, or compact Of any sort, form
al or informal, but by the stress OF the
inexOrable facts of the situation. Ii ~
AN alliance that entangles because we
might be and should be friends with all
the world and because our necessary in
tiInacy with and dependence upon one
Of them Is certain to excite tao suspicion
and i'll will of other nations Still, how
ever much better off we night have been
regrets the irrevoCable having happen
ed are often worse than useless and 1t
IL much more profitable to note such
compensatory advantages as the actual
situation offers. In that view, it is con
soling to reflect that, If we must single
ont an ally from among the nations at
the cost Of alternating all others, and con
sequently have thrown ourselves into
the arms of England, our choice is prob
ably unexceptionable. We join ourselves
10 that Of the great powers most formid-
able ~ foe and most effective ~ II
friend whose people make with our own
but one family whose Internal differ
ences should not prevent aDunitcd front
IA against the world outside; whose in
hucnCe upon the material and spiritual
conditions Of the human race has on the
whole been elevatng and benrhCent;
and whose example and experience can
not help being Of the utmost service in
our dealing with the difficult problems
before US
Mr. Olney considers the Monroe doc
trine Of great importance and argues
that 1t may and should command gen
.aral acquiescence since it requires of
Europe to abstain from doing in Ameri-
ca nothing more than we should and
must abstain from doing in Europe y
He hopes for an abandonment of the
political proyincialism that has marked
our national existence for many years
and says
while the Monroe doctrine and "A pro
tectvp tariff may be regarded as the dis
tinguishing manifestation Of our foreign
policy PRIOR 10 the late spanish war, our
international isolation has had other i'm
portant consequences which should bo
briefly adverted to The isolation policy
and practice have tended To belittlc the
national character have led To IA species
of prOyincialism and TO narrow views of
our duties and functions as II nation
They nave caused us To- ignore the impor-
tance Of sea power and 10 look with cqua.
nimity upon the decay of our navy and
the ruin Of our merchant marine. They
have made M content with diplomatic
service always inadequate and often pos
itively detrimental 10 our interests,
They have induced in the people ut large
An illiberal and unintelligent attitude
towards foreigners constantly shown in
the dsparagcment of other peoples, IN
boastings Of oar own superiority. and in
a sense Of complete responsibility for
ANYTHING uttered or written 10 their in
Jury. This attitude of the people at
large has naturally been reflected IN their
representatives in public life while IN of.
hcials brought in direct contact with for
eign affairs il has often been even great
ly intensified Apparently in their an