AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11084, 1 October 1901, Page 4

AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY.

The statement by Colonel John Hay, Secretary of State in tie McKinley Cabinet, that he has no intention of resigning his portfolio and that his views on America's foreign relations are in complete harmony with, those of President Roosevelt is some guarantee that the United States'will embark on no more aggressive foreign policy than has thitherto distinguished them. Colonel Hay's chief claim on the respect of Great Britain, is iie sincere friendship for her. but the civilised world has good reason to wish him a long continuance in office, for he has hitherto shown an eminently Kane grasp of foreign affairs and a strong desire not to complicate American relations with other Powers by Jingoism. President Roosevelt has yet to be proved, but appearances indicate that he lacks some of the qualities of sober statesmanship which characterise ihie lieutenant. E» speech at the opening of the Buffalo Exhibition, • for instance, was not of the type of deliverance one would wish tojiear from the lips of anyone holding the position Colonel Roosevelt has been called upon to occupy., and yet he can hardly have changed hie views since May. It has been described a* a, Pant-American speech, and as being full of truculent warnings to European Powers, aggressive and. belligerent in tone and substaticel. From what we can gather it was' a compound of spread-eagleism and the glorification of the Monroe doctrine, with special reference, it may be imagined, to the rumottr that Germany intended to lease a naval coaling station on Margarita Island, off the coast of Venezuela. Whether, the Monroe doctrine would cover such, a case hae yet to be decided, but that so extended a reading.of this article of the. American faith would meet the views of a proportion of the'population is tolerably certain. That it did sot'chime with the Hate , President's ideas on thY subject is patent' from the fact that ifrhen, & month, later, Colonel H*y went to Buffalo at his express wish, 3ie gave utterance to very dissimilar views. The address by the Secretary of State on - fchra occasion is described aa a J

masterpiece of rational, prudent, and pacific statesmanship. He declared that. the ■ide* that American military power was to be organised Wet two continents* North and South' America, to overawe older civilisations, was "an Obsolete conception, be- " longing to an order, of; tWnga which I "hope bte gone for ever." There should be no hint of menace in America's attitude, and her rivalry with Europe should not be for "unhappy pre-eminence in the art " bf destruction,** but for supremacy in the " arts that tefld to make men happier and better." The best American opinion is said to have been thoroughly in accord with this expression of American ideals. How two men imbued as President Booseve!t and. ColonelJETay apparently are with entirely opposite bsliefe on a> question of the greatest importance, wi'l pull together, is a puzzle which only Time can solve.