Mr. McCormick to
Mr. Hay.
United
States Legation,
Vienna
,
March 8,
1902
.
No. 72.]
Sir: For the information of the Department, I
have the honor to inclose herewith, with its translation, a cutting from
the Vienna Frem-denblatt, the semiofficial organ of this Government,
with reference to the proposed raising of the Austro-Hungarian mission
at Washington to ambassadorial rank.
I would especially call the Department’s attention to the “question
arising out of the emigration movement” which “may have to be settled
between this Monarchy and the United States”—a reference to the
naturalization treaty and the difficulties growing out of the treatment
accorded to naturalized citizens of Austro-Hungarian birth returning to
the Monarchy for any purpose, involving at times a disregard of the
character of passports of which such naturalized citizens may be the
bearers.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure—Translation.]
Leading article of the semiofficial Fremdenblatt
of Friday, March 7, 1902.
In the estimates for the common expenses for 1903 the Delegations
will find that the Imperial and Royal legation in Washington has
been raised to the rank of an embassy, and that an increased amount
is to be appropriated to meet the expenses. We are convinced that
the Delegations will pass the sum without hesitation as it will
enable our representative in the United States to maintain himself
on an equal footing with those of other European powers and Mexico.
As it is to be supposed that the Americans will reciprocate this
action and make the Vienna legation an embassy, the relations
existing between Austria-Hungary and the trans-Atlantic Republic
will also in its outer forms bear witness to the importance which
these relations have gradually assumed, and which it is hoped will
be further developed as time goes on. It would be a solecism if we
were to remain behind the other great powers in regard to the rank
which our representative at Washington holds; not alone France and
England but also Russia, Germany, and Italy attach importance to
being fitly represented, which clearly shows that the cultivation of
good relations with this growing power is not to be neglected, and
Austria-Hungary is now following this lead. To-day, no country can
remain isolated or pretend to ignore what is transpiring beyond its
borders, the more so as “beyond its borders” has become a mere
geographical expression. Points heretofore widely separated have
been brought closer together to such an extent that one can no
longer speak of distances, but rather of varying degrees of
proximity. The consequence of this annihilation of distance and the
increase of production and consequent competition is a continual,
and rapid, and intense movement and countermovement among the
innumerable bodies within this network, and therefore a continued
conflict of interests at stake. The intercourse thus created, and
the consequent development of political relations and growth of
political aspirations, bring together states separated from each
other by vast distances, [Page 29] and
a commonwealth, such especially a one as the North American Republic
with its ever active community of 75,000,000 people must occupy an
ever-increasing space within this circle. A strong proof of this is
the journey of Prince Henry and the enthusiastic reception with
which he has met at the hands of the American people. The fact that
Europe and America are called upon to act in the future more in
common than heretofore lias been made evident in the past few
days.
Austria-Hungary has only a small coast line, and our political
interest does not reach beyond the Mediterranean. This, however,
does not prevent that questions arising out of the emigration
movement may have to be settled between this Monarch and the United
States. Few have been the cases which might have led to political
animosity between the two countries, nor will there be any in the
future as far as the human mind can foresee. We have no ground to
interfere in its disputes and they have none to interfere in ours.
But it becomes every day more important that we should cultivate
friendly sentiments in order to facilitate the exchange of views
when political questions do arise. Austria-Hungary has no wish and
pursues no policy of expansion and has only commercial interests on
the ocean, Ihe waters of which wash the shores of the United States.
Nevertheless, every power, even if determined not to trespass the
limits within which it has moved heretofore, must come in contact
with all the great powers and although it is true that at the
present time even the smallest civilized nations have an economic
policy of their own, it is because they are forced to do so,
otherwise they would be driven ashore by the current while the
others flourish. If we are desirous of developing our industry we
must carefully watch every movement and keep in touch with all
commercial nations. This is the more necessary at the present time
in view of the impending change in the mercantile and political
relations between Europe and the United States.
