Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-20

4
| the announcement be authorized that
| this country has become Il party to
sucb agreement. Ii may he looked
upon as the logical and inevitable con
| clusion to which events ara tending.
| Having thrown to the winds the advice
tof Washington to avoid entanglng
oreign alliances. having Deliberately
thrust ourselves into the arena of in
ternational land grabbing. we, cannot
escape the consequences, and whether
| we will or not we must have under
standings secret or open, with other
nations. Many seem to think it such
a big thing that we are now a world
power but when we get mixed up IN
the intrigues and all the questionable
i transactions of the game Of nations
played by the European powers the eN
perience may not he SO pleasant as
anticipated.
A most interesting study in the new
game of the nations, comparatively Just
begun. is the attitude the aims and
ambitions of Japan. Here is country
whose ports, within the memory OF
millions OF men now living, had to be
opened at the mouth of the cannon.
Suddenly it has jumped into the very
front of the battle for the acquisition
of territory and the establishment OF
commerce. 1t has become Il power
with which all others have TO deal in
their schemes of aggrandizenent Its
statesmen and diplomati;ts have shown
themselves fully capable OF dealing
with the most able and accomplished
members of foreign governments. Its
inanciers and its business men are
reaching out their arms for anything
} which may come along.
Ii has for more than a generation
been sending It's young men Of high
birth and intellectual attachments to
the colleges and universities of Europe
: and America. They have acquired the
languages. knowledge of the customs,
traditions and policies of other
countries and prepared themselves in
every way to meet them IN their own
ground. 1t is said that every japanese
minister now accredited abroad speaks
+ the tongue of the people among whom
he is sent This is not by any means
: the case with men whom the United
States sends abroad. With Japan the
, Orient seems anundantly qualified 10
take care of itself in any match on the
, worlds great chessboard.
1t has not been unknown in diplo-
matte circles here that for years the
: dream of Japan has been to consum-
mate close alliance with the United
States and England. While, as the
, Toxic correspondent of the London
r Mail reports, the treaty Just completed
with Great Britain is the direct result
t of the tour of the Marquis Ito, il is
nevertheless the elimination of efforts
initiated and continuously hung to fol
( long time. As far back as 1897 faint
hut not the less distinct whispers were
d floating in the diplomatic atmosphere
, of Washington presaging the alliance
e at no distant day of the three powers.
. These whispers have now been two
$ thirds verified. Many predict the Other
: third will in due time also he verified
: No ona could or can tell exactly tht
= origin of these intimations. but there
It has not been any trouble in making ;
:. good guess 1t is not asserted that a
any time formal overtures in this re
spect have been made to the United
States government, but anyone can ap
preciate how suggestions and insinua
tions and intlmatlOns adroitly throw
= out at opportunc periods find Il lodg
:, ment and afford the occasion when al
" suspicious moment intervcnes for ti
u submission Of more serious PROPOSE
II tions.
y Although the London cables of toda
that the new treaty has been unde
consideration only few months, Their
is IA strong impression in diplomat
y circles here that informal overtures a
~ least were made to Great Britain ahou
= the time that rumors on the subjeC
began to appear here and the BIRTHS
= government has long been thinkin
~ over it. The talk about japan sound
i ing Russia and other powers is believe
to be mostly bluff 1t does not redtlir
r. one TO be versed in diplomacy hut onl
~ fair intelligence to understand tina
~ any power would prefer a close allianC
if with Great Britain TO one with an
" other power. The reasons are to
~ obvious To call for mention. The ir
L. tense affection which Great Britain hi
ne displayed for the United States sine
90 the close of the Spanish War is We've
with undated aolicitude in diplomat
81 circles and eXcites lively interest anon
~ our own public men.
"a The English papers and the Engls
"a statesmen used TO pay mighty little 3
~, tention, as a rule, to our home ar
" foreign politics before we become
u world power. At various times | ha,
W. W. spent weeks in London and come
=. contact with numerous members
II Parliament and other public mel
~ Scarcely, il ever, did their conversatit
10 touch upon other than personal ay
- social topics They seemed neither
T. know nor care about us as a polite
.ue aggregation. Now it is SO difleren
"A There is not day someone in Il
tr' House of Lords or the House of Cor
.o, mons has not some inquiry or s0r
Wei comment to make about America. AZ
the known or probable attitude of q
'' government on all international que
n tions is always taken into anxious 60
va sideraton by the British ministr
=, The English papers devote columns
'h' us every week They are constant
,uh assuring us of their profound rega
~" and taking for granted the feeling
TT reciprocal,
M Comment among diplomatists he
Mt is marked over the fact that in the ia
w. six months or Il year English statesm
- and English semi official organs ha
~ assumed almost in so many words iii
," in case Of critical relations with GO
tinental powers the United Stat
would promptly come to the aid of En-
land. 1t is somewhat curious that {
mes parting from the traditional policy IA
sed ideas of England this pleasurable fe
'la ing is based not only upon what is 50
ter. to be the community Of practical int
pod est between the two nations, but lar.
ork ly also upon the sentiment we are 81
,. is posed to have, because we are of t
ard same stock and speak the same ID