The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-07

The small fry Democratic and Popu-
list newspapers. including some which
ought to know better. have attacked the
administration for landing troops and
marines in China to protect endangered
Americans. ana profess to see in this
another evidence Of the imperialistic
tendencies Of the Republican party. The
action of the president needs no serious
defense. Unless all signs fail. he may
be called upon to send thither a very
much larger force as rapidly as 1t can
be assembled. and he will do so with
the hearty approval Of all Of the Amer
lean people save the few rabid parti-
sans who are SO blinded by stupid ma
levolence that they fail TO perceive what
is the duty OF the administration and
the country in the present crisis.
1t may be news to these partisan ed
itors. although It IL not to any school,
boy having an acquaintance with the
bare outline ofsthe history OF his coun-
try. that the United States has never
yet been cursed with an administration
too weak or too cowardly to protect It's
citizens In foreign country; and that
instances are innumerable where such
protection has extended to the landing
Of troops upon foreign SOL. without
waiting for the action Of congress In
the premises. 1t required no congress
sional mandate for the sending OF the
feet OF Commodore Preble against Trip
oil in 1903. or that of Decatur against
Algiers In 1915. Some Of the most giori-
GUS chapters of American naval history
were written there. when. 80 far as an
official declaration by congress was
concerned. the country was at peace
with the world.
In 1871 Admiral Rogers, while engag-
ed in surveying the river Han. in Korea,
was fred upon by a Korean fort. On
June IL he attacked and demolished the
Korean forts. landed a strong party of
sailors and marines, captured several
Korean positions. and routed the Ko-
rean army sent against him.
One Of the first acts of Mr.. Cleveland.
on taking ofiiee In 1895. was to send
marine battalion to the isthmus OF Pan
anna to protect the property of the Pan
anna Railway Company. endangered by
one of the periodical revolutions which
broke out at that time. Marines were
landed on both sides of the isthmus.
and in restoring order and protecting
American interests they Incidentally
| gave that particular revolution its qui-
etus.
when Kalakaua was elected king OF
the Haw attain islands there was an out
break OF mob violence among the ma
tives who objected 10 the action Of the
legislature. Marines from the pensa-
cola we're landed TO protect American
property. and also 20 protect the mem
beers Of the legislature; for the election
q KaIakaua at the time was a triumph
for the American party in Hawaii
In not one Of these Instances was the
necessity for the display Of force any
| thing like as great as IL has been In
| China during the pasi few weeks. Yet
| with all Of the bitterness q politics In
| former days. the present ia the first
] time that president Of the United
! states has ever been criticised or called
10 account by his political opponents
for any measures which he took for the
| preservation of American life and prop
erty in a foreign country or resenting an
| insult to the American aas. Never be-
fore in the history Of the country was
there such an opposition party as that
which is now masqusrading under the
| Democratic name.
When Croker got home from Europe