The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-31
american Public OpInIon,

An inventory or American resources
and liabilities after q year Of Demo-
cratic administra ion Of national affairs
: taken 10y JAMES DAVENPORT WuELpLEY
in american PH6Hc Opinion ,Dutton)
The problems" Of to-day are. more
than those Of any preceding era in our
history. the problems of a world Power.
While Government has been t,ukering
with the whole body OF law on which
rests the structure OF business an un-
wonted strain has been imposed upon
diplomacy in the Mexican troubles and
| the European war; our trade relations
with the rest Of the world are Influenced
| by a now tariff system. immigration is
having The rules for IFS governance
| revised. and the Monroe Doctrine is
subject 10 test In both hemlsph eres
! And tho tremendous responsibilities i'm
posed by this increasingly complicate ted
| intercourse devove upon an amateur
Government.
BY the Republican split the direc-
| ton OF affairs was placed in the hands
Of men admittedly sincere" but rather
| men with ideals but no affairs than
men Of affairs with IDEAS with GER
tain honorable exceptions the Cabinet
members have blundei ed repeatedy in
| speech and administrative act. The
! law department assails those great
| combinations of industry" which, what
ever their historically attendant evils,
| as Of monopoly, are the sole agencies
| through which American foreign trade
can successfully meet its foreign COM
| pettors.' The nation IN running A
| school or politics, and the pupils have
the pedagogical instinct OF the teacher
rather than the willingness Ito learn"
over against this somewhat discour-
aging array Of small men in big places
Mt Washington the analyst sets Ameri-
| can optimism. Prosperity is rooted in
| the land; we cannot have "leally
great panic without three forerunning
crop failures, Our troubles are more
superficial than those OF any other
| nation, for we are sound at heart.
spiritually, industrially and financially -
| Present DISCRIMINATION is nothing mora
than surface agitation. severe but not
weakening the foundation, however Il
may rock the house: "All enterprises
we'll grounded upon legitimate produce
| ton and supply Will weather the storm
successfully, and all underlying securl-
| ties based upon these enterprises will
| hold their face values IN the end" But
Mr.. Whelpley does not prove. any more
| than any one else has done, the neces.
sity for the storm. Il will be noticed
| that his argument pro" the existing
state of things Is less practical" than
his argument con" The idea Of IMAM
fest destiny" sun finds harborage In
good many American minds.
OF the numerous problems" Whose
answer is now taking form in American
| public opinion there Is perhaps none
which appeals 10 the sober patriotic
mind with quite the poignant, persist
ent force that marks those OF d.
| plomaCy. The domestic problems can
and will find their solution in the nat =
! ural course Of events; hut a COMPARE
! lively new sensitlvencss to international
! public opinion Is apparent. American
represe ton abroad has long been q
! joke but for it's lack of trappings, not
| for deficiencies of substance. Demo-
| cratic simplicity" was a sufficient de-
fence; but it rs a fral bulwark against
| the we.ghtier attack To which in some
recent cases the diplomatic service has
| been justly subjected It lack Of con
| tinuous foreign policy owing To changes
| IN the Administration is the obvious
reason for defective projection OF Uncle
Sans personality into foreign terri
| tories It's remedy lies IN tlre hands Of 4
1 Government courageous enough TO bs