Though the President was his personal friend, Blaine regarded him as his inferior in practical statecraft and planned to make his own foreign policy the notable feature of the Administration.His hopes were dashed, however, by the assassination of Garfield and by the accession of President Arthur.The new Secretary of State, F T.Frelinghuysen, reversed nearly all of his predecessor's policies.When Blaine returned to the Department of State in 1889, he found a less sympathetic chief in President Harrison and a less brilliant role to play.Whether his final retirement before the close of the Harrison Administration was due directly to the conflict of views which certainly existed or was a play on his part for the presidency and for complete control is a question that has never been completely settled.
Narrow as was Blaine's view of world affairs, impossible as was his conception of an America divided from Europe economically and spiritually as well as politically and of an America united in itself by a provoked and constantly irritated hostility to Europe, he had an American program which, taken by itself, was definite, well conceived, and in a sense prophetic.It is interesting to note that in referring to much the same relationship, Blaine characteristically spoke of the United States as "Elder Sister" of the South American republics, while Theodore Roosevelt, at a later period, conceived the role to be that of a policeman wielding the "Big Stick."Blaine's first aim was to establish peace in the Western Hemisphere by offering American mediation in the disputes of sister countries.When he first took office in 1881, the prolonged and bitter war existing between Chili, Bolivia, and Peru for the control of the nitrate fields which lay just where the territories of the three abutted, provided a convenient opportunity.If he could restore peace on an equitable basis here, he would do much to establish the prestige of the United States as a wise and disinterested counselor in Spanish American affairs.In this his first diplomatic undertaking, there appeared, however, one of the weaknesses of execution which constantly interfered with the success of his plans.He did not know how to sacrifice politics to statesmanship, and he appointed as his agents men so incompetent that they aggravated rather than settled the difficulty.Later he saw his mistake and made a new and admirable appointment in the case of Mr.William H.Trescot of South Carolina.Blaine himself, however, lost office before new results could be obtained; and Frelinghuysen recalled Trescot and abandoned the attempt to force peace.
A second object of Blaine's policy was to prevent disputes between Latin American and European powers from becoming dangerous by acting as mediator between them.When he took office, France was endeavoring to collect from Venezuela a claim which was probably just.When Venezuela proved obdurate, France proposed to seize her custom houses and to collect the duties until the debt was paid.Blaine protested, urged Venezuela to pay, and suggested that the money be sent through the American agent at Caracas.He further proposed that, should Venezuela not pay within three months, the United States should seize the custom houses, collect the money, and pay it to France.Again his short term prevented him from carrying out his policy, but it is nevertheless of interest as anticipating the plan actually followed by President Roosevelt in the case of Santo Domingo.
