The Meeker herald., 1917-06-30
CRISES
Breaking of Relations Does Not
Always Spell Var.
WE HAVE HAD MANY CLASHES.

One Of Our Disputes With France
Brought Us to the Very Verge Of
Aestiiitiss. but the Quarrel Was Am
Ieably ssttlsd-our Break With Italy.
Several times before our break with
Germany this country severed dipIO-
matte relations with foreign powers
without war as result. We llad u
humber Of diplomatic crises with
France. and we also broke with Vene'
xuela, Nicaragua, Mexico and ltnly. yet
hostilities In each case were averted.
During President MadisOn's admin
istration American commerce Ind sur
fered severely from the enforcement OF
the Berlin and Milan DEGREES. issued
by Napoleon. and when peace was
finally declared In Europe in 1915 this
government at once sought monetary
compensation for the damages done Its
citizens. While the French government
readily admitted the Justice Of the
claim, 1t seemed in no hurry to pay 1t.
and the negotiations dragged along un-
til President Jackson referred to the
subject with unusual harshness In bis
first annual message to congress-.
D This action resulted In q treaty be-
tween the two nations. binding the
French government to pay to the Unit
ed States the sum Of $5.OOO.OO0 in six
annual installments. But the payments
were not made, and this moved Presi-
dent jackson to send another fiery
message to congress, which put France
In a rage and resulted in the ministers
of both countries being recalled. Pres
ident jackson then abruptly demanded
the payment of the money.
The reply of the French government
in turn enraged this country. ave
will pay the money" wrote the French
foreign minister, when the govern
ment Of the United States 10 ready on
its part to declare to US, by address
ing its claim to US officially In writing.
that 1t regrets the Misunderstanding
which has arisen between the two
countries. that this misunderstanding
is founded upon a mistake and that 1t
never entered into its intention to call
In question the good faith of the
French government nor to take 4 men-
acing attitude toward France. II the
United States does not give this as
surance we shall be obliged to think
that this Misunderstanding is not the
result of an error"
France soon approached that frenzy
which precedes war, and the presi-
sllay it.
War preparations were made with
frantic energy, a large French squad
ron appeared In the vicinity of the
West Indies, and in congress John
Quincy Adams made speech SO thrill.
ing In its eloquence that when the
venerable orator resumed his seat 1.-THE
very walls shook with the laundering
applause he had awakened" But that
was all. A few weeks later Presi-
dent Jackson informed congress that
he had accepted the offer of Great
Britain to act as mediator in the dis
pute, with the proviso that the apology
demanded by the French government
was out Of the question, and in May.
1886. the entire incident was brought
to an appropriate conclusion by France
paying the money due of Its own &C.
cord without awaiting for the action
of the arbitrator. Lewis Cass then
went to France as minister plenipoten-
tlary, and King Louis Philippe showed
the true affection he felt for the Unit.
ed States by ordering a painting Of
President Andrew Jackson to be hung
In the palace of the Tuileries.
Our diplomatic relations with Italy
were severed during President Benja-
min Harrison's term.
Members Of the Malta. an Italian se-
cret society, had perpetrated a series OF
murders in New Orleans. The activity
Of Chief Of Police David C. Hennessey
drew upon him the enmity of the con
splrators. and he was murdered.
The jury acquitted six OF the nine
who had been arrested in connection
with the conspiracy and disagreed a,
to the other three. A mob then stormet
the Jail and lynched those who had
been acquitted. along with some other
suspected.
Italy demanded reparation and the
punishment Of those guilty of beint
implicated In the hangings. Our gov
eminent expressed regret, but ex
planned that the state in which tn,
crimes were committed had jurisdic
ton and Washington could not guar
antee to punish those accused of tax
ing part in the lynching.
That did not suit Italy. Baron Fava
the Italian minister, was recalled, ant
diplomatic relations between this coun
try and Italy were severed. After tn,
first heat Of resentment had passed ne
gotiations were resumed, and We set
tied by the payment Of $25.OOO in
demnity to the families of the victim
and expressing our regret to the Ital
ian government.
The Iron Glove.
A refinement of cruelty In the forum