New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-22
SWETTENHAM IGNORED.
aTTTTUDE OF AMERICA.
State Department VIII Not Heed
Discomtesy Of GOuernor.
From The Tribune Bureau


,unced that the withdrawal of American war
,.siDs from Kingston Harbor because Of the
s,scourteous attitude of Governor s,xettenham
,s not regarded by the State Department in the
Heht Of an international incident" Neither
xn the Governors peculiar position on the sub
,sot Of first aid TO the injured have any weight
18th the administration in dealing with future
,,tastrophes, should any occur. American means
snd sympathy viii he extended just as freely
,,s lust as quickly tomorrow if the need arises
ana It lies within the power of the United
s,s,es 10 offer the help. AS an official Of the
s.s.e Department very emphatically remarked:
OF, another West Indian island blows up next
week we VIII Immediately send warships with
,uppies 10 the scene. even if Governor Swet-
,,pbarn did turn us down at jamaica Our
,,sance will he at their disposal If we can give
u 20 them Whether they will accept it or not
"a quite another matter. and rests entirely with
.hen. If they do not want our aid, all right;
we viii bring our ships and our supplies back
home"
Governor svettenham's acute attack Of bad
-,snners is regarded OF such little Importance at
,ha state Department that It is announced no
Automatic action whatever Will result from its
ambition. even should the British Foreign OF
soe offer to take the matter up and make an
erannle Of the testy executive. Should such an
infer he made. the State Department would reply
that the feelings Of this government were not
rufied IN the least by the colonial Governors
course, and that whatever was done or was not
done would be matter Of perfect Indifference
20 the United States. The offers OF assistance
we're made TO Jamaica, the British Foreign Of
fee would be Informed, 3ust as they were made
70 the French government when disaster over
whelmed Martinique. and similar offers Of aid
would be made 10 any colony community in
similar distress.
THE MOTIVE. OF THE UNITED STATES.
Governor Swettenham's in advised action in
the matter becomes all the more apparent when
q is known that after the warships with med
Seal supplies. were dispatched TO Kingston the
State Department sent note 10 Great Britain
through the embassy here informing his maj
esty's government OF what had been done. and
received in reply the most cordial expression OF
thanks. Possibly had Governor swettenham
known of this correspondence he would have
thought twice before acting as he did The
Governors friends defend him by saying that
he resented the idea that Great Britain was an
object Of charity" and followed the course he
did 10 prove Jamaica's independence and ability
20 care for herself This explanation is not re-
garded as convincing. for there was no hint Of
charity whatever in the tender OF supplies and
medical services. The United States govern
ment would be the last power on earth to hint
10 rich. imperial England that she was an object
Of charity. The tender of assistance in this case
was somewhat analogous to the sympathetic ac-
ton Of a stranger on the street who sees a per-
son hurt and aids him TO the hospital After he
gets TO the hospital there is time enough to be-
gin TO talk about the need for a subscription.
The fact that Governor swettenham has for
q long time made no secret Of his enmity tow
ard America and Americans has no bearing on
the case. It has been known TO the administra-
ton for long time that the Governor bore no
love TO the United States, and since the Pan
anna Canal project has been to the front he has
spared no effort TO block the enterprise. He
has Used all his power as executive of the island
10 prevent Negroes Of Jamaica from taking Jobs
on the isthmUE. and has further shown his ami
mostly toward The project and this country by
writing 10 the Governors Of other West Indian
Islands. asking them TO follow his example
MANY Of his criticisms Of the Panama Canal
Resemble the articles written by PouItney Bige-
low" said a State Department official to-day
an fact" he added. 1T would he hard to tell
whether The Governor got his ideas about the
canal zone from Bgelow or Blgelow got them
from him.
COMMENTS OF OFFICIALS
The incident was the chief topic OF conversa-
ton in the War and Navy departments to-day.
There only opinion expressed and that
was entirely unfavorable TO Governor Swetten-
ham. whose action in dismissng the relief ships
of this nation remained unaccOuntabe. when
the situation was fully summed up. No one was
able 10 explain whv the British representative
acted he did II stood without a precedent
among The long list Of matters which had
gagged official attention. Some officers regarded
tbe Governors action the deed Of up
SCI by afiliction his letter bearing none Of the
marks Of A man in possession Of all his facul-
Ties. Others thought the Governor had ventilated
MS personal IN viii against the Americans and
was glad of the opportunity 10 rid his mind
OF long nursed sentiment. He would probably
serve a profitable Example for the party i'm
England which had already made much capital
Out 0f the fact that the British naval estab-
hshment had withdrawn its force from the West
Indies
Few officers were inclined 10 take the incident
Seriously They belived that the Governors ac-