The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-11-25
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS,

Eur views of the revolution in
Brazil naturally take the color of their
environments. The first impulse of
Americans and republicans everywhere
was to hail the revolution with delight.
and welcome the new republic with al
most premature haste. In Europe the
first impulse, especially in governmental
circles and organs, is to distrust the
good faith of the movement, predict it's
failure, and advise against any recogni-
ton Of the new government until it
shall have demonstrated its strength
and permanence. In each case the wish
is in some degree Father to the thought.
Americans welcome the new republic
because they wish it to succeed; Euro
peans predict its failure because they
wish it to fail.
There is one aspect OF the news from
Europe that may set us thinking, name
ly: the possibility of European inter-
ference in the affairs of Brazil that may
contravene the Monroe doctrine, and
call for counter action on the part of
this government. Some expressions by
the government organs at Berlin show
there is a possibility of this. They warn
the new government in Brazil to avoid
measures that must force Euro
pean states to protect their
countrymen, and they intimate
that the large German population
in southern Brazil may find it necessary
to claim the protection of the father
land. These are straws, but they show
which way the wind blows in Germany.
The German government is committed
to a policy of territorial extension and
foreign ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Bismarck will
not let slip any favorable opportunity to
extend the power and prestige of Ger
many, as instance his attempts to estab-
lish German authority in Samoa and
Africa. There has been a very consid-
cradle German emigration to Brazil, and
many German houses have branches or
agents there. According to German ideas
of citizenship, the Germans who have set
tied in Brazil are still citizens Of the old
country. All the conditions exist to fur
nish a plausible pretext for German in.
reference in Brazil if German residents
in that country ask protection, or if the
German government desires an excuse
for interfering. If she interferes at all
it will be for the purpose Of acquiring
territory and establishing German, au-
thority in South America. Such a step on
her part would at once challenge the
attention of this government and
make the assertion ofthe Monroe doctrine
an interesting and important question.
In the event Of disturbances, or civil
war in Brazil, it would be entirely proper
for the German government to send war
ships thither to protect the lives and
| property of German citizens, and if Ger
man interference should 60 no further
than this there would be no ground of
complaint on the part of the United
States. But, in view of the well-known
foreign policy of Germany, it is not at
all likely that her interference would
| stop at the point indicated. In fact, it is
almost certain that, if an opportunity
offers, she will attempt to seize and ap-
| propriate a slice of Brazilian territory.
Against this the United States would
promptly protest. 1t is not impossible
that President Harrison may be called
upon to assert the Monroe doctrine
more vigorously than it has ever been
asserted before.