New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

bv q papal bull divided the world altet INV
discovery Of America by Columbus INTO I"o
bo,,isnboree into one Of which. the western
10 will not hermit any European power 70
ov,cnd its sphere Of influence; and as 10 tne
other hemisphere. me kepupllc u'S''"''"'
snv interest or standing. Even y the re-
vered names of Washington and nonroe cou'u
bo Justly invoked for this artificial DIVISION
Of the world. the fact remains tnai 'he ooo
tr,no Of political isolation has been hopeless
* shattered by those great elemental forces
steam and electricity. which. rsing h'gher
than doctrines. statutes. constitutions or
treaties. have bound together the world IN
community Of interest and purpose By inde-
structible aud ndisgolublc bonds.
The obgession Of tradition has gone iaf %
reconcile the American people in TINS great
crisis Of history 20 Nr. Wilson's policy oi IN
action. There is natural conservatism IN
the Anglo Saxon race and distrust and dread
of innovation. II has ever been slow TO leave
the beaten paths Of the fathers. Nor necd
this be deprecated, for IL insures reason
able continuity Of policy. Every great step
forward in our country's history has been
due not solely 90 the leadership Of our great
men. or TO the conscious and deliberate pur-
pose of the people but to an overwhelming
impulse
To william Mckinley in the fulness OF
time came a mandate Of pregnant conse-
ouence. without any conscious purpose or
volition. either on his part or that OF tne
American people. the great Republic sud
6erly abandoned its outworn policy Of con
tirental isolation. and by acquiring territories
in the Orient as colonial dependencies 1t as
sumed a place in the counsels o. civilization
as a world power of commanding Importance
and corresponding responsibility.
At present the importance Of that event -
overshadowed by the policy Of "scuttle and
run" which has its latest expression IN the
resolution recently passed in the Senate ana
favored by the Democratic party to haul down
the flag which Mckinley raised in the Philip
pines.
Upon William Mckinley devolved the crave
responsibility Of determining whether the
western hemisphere was large enough Tor the
influence and progress Of the American peo-
ple. or whether we should abandon, c'mmer-
csllv and politically our policy Of ISOLATION
and claim an influence which should oe as
limitless as the world is round.
At the beginning of the Spanish-Amercan
War the sagacous Mckinley. as his three
great predecessors, but dimly appreciated the
sicnihcance and magnitude o. the movement
Of which he was the leader. yet before ne
died Mckinley we'll knew the fact that it had
been his great privilege and that Of the Re-
publican party 20 broaden the destiny OF
America and lead it into a new channel.
He recognized that the old policy OF politi-
cal isolation Was at an end when, IN his last
speech a. Buffalo, and within few hours OF
his death. he said: God and man have linked
the nations together No nation can longer
be Indifferent 70 any other.
In 1912. by reason Of an unhappy family
quarrel. Woodrow Wilson became the Presi-
dent Of the United States. although only Sc
lccted for that high position by minority
Of the American people. Certainly in the
matter Of our foreign relations his admins
tration has so far been OF a distinctly reac-
tionarv character. for Il mas sought 20 turn
hack the wheels o. progress into the rut o.
isolation and TO counteract all the broaden
ing influences in our national life which We
owe 10 Mckinley Roosevelt and Taft
When Belgium was ruthlessly invaded In
violation Of the fundamental rights Of free
state, and in special violation Of tie most
solemn guarantees, to which the nation was
also party; and when the King OF Belgium
sent an embassy to the President of the
United States, and appealed to him as the
leader Of the American people for an express
sion Of moral sympathy with the sorrows and
wrongs of Belgium, they we're turned aside
by chilling phrases. and from that time 20
,he present hour the unbounded admiration