The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-08
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
CFrom the New York sun-Rep.)

ptom the New York Sun-Rep.)
The treaty which will make the diplo-
macy OF President McKinleys admiuistra-
/ ton forever memorials in history is the
treaty OF Paris. 1t recorded the results
OF an astonishingly brilliant aud success
iui war and it marked The beginning of a
new and wonderful chapter OF modern
American progress.
1t was treaty of gain not loss; of ac-
QUESTION. not surrender.
Since the Hon. John Hay succeeded the
Hon. William r. Day as Secretary of State
several treaties of ambitious conception
have been negotiated and somewhat pre-
tentiously announced in advance from the
State Department as new triumphs of
American diplomacy. 1t will be profitable
to pass them rapidly in review.
First came the treaty for the partition
of Samoa, Germany taking the principal
share, England yielding her interests 20
Germany apparently for the sake of con-
siderations elsewhere which the British
Government regarded as desirable equiv
alent, and the United States Government
contenting itself with what was prac-
tically already our own.
The Samoan settlement was heralded
from the State Department ante-rooms as
q most skillful ana highly satisfactory So
luton of a difficult and embarrassing ques-
ton. When the character of the solution
became known a good many Americans
gritted their teeth Under other circum-
stances the treaty would have been de-
nounced and resisted as a gratuitous sur
render of a position which this country
formerly would have gone even to war to
maintain. Yet the Senate ratified it, and
scarcely murmur was heard. We were
told in substance that the State Depart
ment's diplomacy had bigger fish to fry;
hat . tr-ac dot ton
land, enabling her to turn to advantage
the dsproportionate sentimental impor
lance which the German Government at
tached to the triumph of it's audaciously
persistent policy in Samoa; that We owed
this much to England for valuable favors
rendered during our Spanish war. and,
moreover, that any little give-away on our
part in Samoa was only single move in
the larger game of American diplomacy
playing for splendid results which would
become apparent later. So Americans
stopped grittinb their teeth about Samoa
and consented to wait.
Then came the Hay-Pauncefote conven-
ton. proclaimed in advance to be all that
the most exacting patriotism could desire.
Turn back to the semi-official leakases of
information about this treaty, before the
text was published It ''abrogated' the
troublesome old ClaytonBulwer skeleton.
1t solved at one stroke the difficulties
which had tied the hands of previous
Secretaries of State for half century
back. 1t assured us an interoceanic canal,
American in every sense of the word. 1t
was new and most gratifying proof of
England's good will. 1t was a surrender
en- her part. procured. ii is true, with
mastery skill by our negctiator, but not
the less teStifying TO warm enduring love
and trust of the American nation; and so
on.
The proposed treaty was published, and
a howl of disgust went up from the Ameri-
can people, which is still heard without
dilnnution. The country at once per-
ceIyed on which side the surrender was;
where the warm, trustful affection came
In. The Hay Pauncefote convention re-
wives the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty and re-
nouncss forever the right of this Govern
ment to control the interoceanic waterway
which it agrees to construct for the worlds
benefit
Next come the reciprocity treaties ne
sotiated with France, the British West
Indies, and Argentina. The exact contents
of these latest triumphs of diplomacy are
not yet the subject of public discussion.
An idea of the nature of the triumph may
be derived from the remarks of Senator
AIdrch, who is familiar with the Provi-
sions of the reciprocity treaties. He is
reported as describing them as entirely
one-sided.' That is to say. 1.-THE United
States by their terms give everything and
get nothing" Nevertheless. the country
will wait and see for itself.
Has the Hon. John Hay. whom the ma
tion highly esteems as minor poet. any
more diplomatic victories in store?
4 few more such victories and We shall
be undone-