Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-22
America and Alliances.

In the cable news from Toxic printed
today appears this paragraph:
The newspapers of Toxic, commenting
upon the exchange of mesSag cS between
President Roosevelt and the emperor.
unanimously .eGard the expressions OF
their views as indicating an unWritten
alliance between the two nations
Lengthy editorials on the SUBJECT nave
been published in several instances
In considering this matter allowance is
70 be made for the excitement growing
out of the festivities at the Japanese
capital Japan as host is all that hos
pitable nation could be. America as
:;uest is sincerely and profoundly appre-
ciative of all the honors shown. The
visit of the fleet is bound to produce
happy results The memory of it will
long remain in both countries. New per-
sonal friendships are being formed. ana
old ones the more strongly cemented. be-
tween men whose influence counts in their
respective lands.
But an alliance. written OF unWrItten.
i something that il. and must remain.
foreign to America. not only as respects
japan but all other nations. 1t is against
A warning by Washington, against our
traditions against our interests, plain TO
the humbleSt We want friends-and We
know them when We make thenl-but are
forbidden to have allies. signed or I'M
signed by every consideration of our
governmental being.
This being a government of. for and by
thc people. public servants are called
upOn at stated periods for an accounting.
The President must answer every four
Years. A senator in Congress appears at
the bar every six. and a representative
every two, years. Changes in the official
personnel of the government are there
fore frequent, and the treaty-making
power is at the mercy Of these changes.
At present. America official and UNI
official. is very friendly toward Japan,
and proud of Japan's friendship in re-
turn. The progress made by the island
kingdom since Perry's visit is nowhere
more highly appreciated than in Perry's
country. The great cOmmodore's mis-
sion. and its admirable execution. are
among the most cherished American
achievements. In no other matter has
President Roosevelt spoken more appro-
priately or authoritatively for the Ameri-
can people than in that of the existing
good relations between this country and
Japan. His personal feelings, too. jump
with his official utterances.
But, as an illustration, 1t may be men
toned that Mr.. Roosevelt has but a little
more than four months to serve In office.
He will give place in March either to
Judge Taft or to Mr.. Bryan. II to the
former he will be succeeded by man
who approves not only of his domestic
hut of his foreign policies. Judge Taft
in the White House will be as stanch
friend of Japan as Mr.. Roosevelt has
been. If Mr.. Bryan wins. the situation
will not be SO clear although there is no
warrant for saying that Mr.. Bryan is an
enemy of Japan.
Talk about an alliance with America
does no good The two governments
reached, and have long continued, the
very best understanding without even q
suggestion Of formal terms. Fortunately,
such terms are as little necessary now
as in the beginning. The more we have
seen of Japan the better We have come
to like her; and we have neglected no OPP
portunity to give assurance OF our friend
ship We are equally assured as to her
friendship, and what has been done with
out an alliance can easily be maintained
without one