Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-09-16

dered the French out of Mexico, it
simply paid, after almost half a CEN
tury, the debt it owed to Monroe.
The next very serious complica-
ton with European P,wer, was
during Jackson's Administration.
This time. it was France. She had
damaged our commerce $1,000, 900
during the Napoieonic wars.
France agreed to pay, but didn't.
Jackson sent q message to Congress
urging reprisals on French ships.
France thought better of it and paid.
Another milestone has been set up
on the forward path of Democratic
vigor when the question at issue was
that of American honor against for
eign evasion.
1t was the Democratic Administra-
tion of James K. Polk, which, by
war with Mexico protected Texas,
which had made itself an independ-
ent republic, and was clamoring at
our gates for admission. In that
war, the issue at stake, was whether
we should allow an American repub.
lie, erected by our own kindred, to
become a part of ourselves, or should
basely abandon our countrymen to
despotism and massacre.
Democracy did as it has always
done-chose the side OF human lib
erty and American self-respect. 1t
is false to represent this war as a war
OF conquest. because it was forced
on US. If it had been a war of con-
quest. the United States could have
taken the whole of Mexico had she
chosen so to do. The territory we
did annex. was either that reclaimed
already by the valor of Houston and
his Texans. or was in the nature of q
war indemnity.
After the re-accession of Democra-
cy to power with tbs election of Mr..
Cleveland, came another memorable
instance OF Democratic firmness in
the maintenance of the Monroe doc
trine in most trying and critical
emergency.
Grover Cleveland was q man of
peace. There was no arrogance or
bluster in bis nature.
But when he was suddenly called
upon to uphold American rights
against Great Britain in the matter
OF Venezuelan boundary dispute, the
stern and warning message of Grover
Cleveland-his "Thms far shalt thou
60 and no farther''-rang out like a
trumpet-call over the United States
and startled the sleepy cabinets of
Europe. Ministers and diplomats
rubbed their eyes. and became aware
that the hand at the helm of Ameri-
ican government, while indulging in
no melodramatic gestures. was tre-
mendously strong.
Nor is it invidious to remark that
when, during Mr.. Roosevelt's first
term, England and Germany sent
warships to act as q collecting agen-
cy on the Venezuelan coast, there
was no marked disposition on the part
OF Mr.. Roosevelt to suggest that the
proceedings of these powers we're
something unusual, and that it might
be as well to hold themselves in leash,
Remarkably quiescent was Mr..
Roosevelt
People began to look back with re-
gret TO the era Of Mr.. Gle veland, and
to wish there were some sign of de-
termination at the White House.
Anyhow. the episode of the claims
and the warships collecting them is
ineffaceable. and II that most unhe-
roic incident produced any hero, The
odore Roosevelt was not that hero!
Some writer with genius for detini-
ton has told us history is philosophy
teaching by examples.
I hope in this outline. brief as it is,
enough example have been adduced
to allow every man to see for himself
what has been. and is, the philosophy
Of American Democracy in regard to
foreign relations.
! myself iutepret 1t as finding its
basic principles in national self re-
spect. 10 quiet courage, in persistent
firmness, without any stage acces-
sories of strut information, and wag-
ger.
In other words, it is to meet en-
to force them.
1t is also worth observing, that in
all these different crises. dealt with
by Jefferson. Madison, Monroe, Jack
son. Polk and Cleveland, it did not
take vast armaments to defend
mighty principles.
Jefferson never said anything re-
warships being an insurance
against war. he muloted no treasury
and broke the back Of no taxpayer
to construct a navy, but when the
situation developed, he sent what
ships he had, and did what Nelson
and Howe, with all their three-deck-
ers sixty-gun frigates, had failed or
forgotten to do. Madison, in the
War of 1872, beat off the enemies of
the country, Notwithstanding armies.
but with citizen soldiers-the Ken