New-York tribune., 1896-02-07

toDic Of consideration That Is both natural ana
commendahle 1t is not TO he supposed that any
hard-and-fast resolutions the subject Will be
adopted Such i-adviscd performances may
we'll be left to the less discreet Senators Of the
United States 1t will. however. be easy for the
Congress to make its sentiments unmiStakaDiy
known, and indeed to indicate general policy
which, while not so binding as 10 he embairasS-
Ing. will serve as guide and aid to the various
Governments. 1t is perfectly evident that the
idea Of the United States exercising pro-
tectorate or suzcrainty over It's Southern neigh
bors would be most rcpugnant 10 every member
of the Congress II should be- ard it should he
equally repugnant to every righ'-mlndcd cl'Heh
of the United States If Mr.. Olney had any su II
notion when he pcnned his famous phrase about
our sovereignty" over this continent. he must
by this time realize the magnitude of his blum
der The Monroe Doctrine made no such pre-
tension. II explicitly disclaimcd II. More than
that the consistent policy Of this Government, ut
least down To the present Administration. mas
been 10 avoid scrupulOuSly even IN" appearance
Of such an attitude Nor is this country 10 be
made a party t. all the disputes between the
Latin republics and between them and foreign
Powers 1t should be ready ut all times to eXcr
else it's good offices as a benevolent ana Impair
tal friend But il can have ~ excuse Tor IN
tr,lEng its diplomacy or arms. excepting in cases
in which It's own security and welfare are IN
volved That is the only proper ground of our
Intervention in Venezuela. That is al the Mon
roe Doctrine ever contemplated. That is all that
is compatible with the dignity. independence and
progress of the South American republics. That
is all that the honor and interests Of the United
States require
Commercial questions will also be considered
bv the Congress, and these will probably be
found no less Interesting and important than
diplomatic ones For after all. commerce IS the
substantial foundation of diplomacy. That Am
bassador serves his country best who most pro
notes friendly and profitable Intercourse between
II and the one to which he is accredited. The
Influences of international travel and trade are
more potent than all the treaties that ever were
NEGOTIATED SO far as the various American
States are concerned a system Of reciprocity,
generously planned and cnterprisngy executed
would be worth far more than any "Doctrinc,'
whether Of Monroe or OF Cleveland. 1t Is quite
true as Mr.. Mcndonca says, that trade depends
upon prices rather than upon sentiment There
is no use in our asking our Southern ncighbors
TO trade with us just because are an Amer
can Republic rather than with European mon
archies unless can make 1t 10 their financial
advantage 10 do SO. And if we cannot thus make
It 10 their advantage, we had better SHUT up
shop and confess that our industrial and com
mercial civilization Is n failure. SHch con-
fesslon we are surely not willing yet 10 make
We shall get further away from the danger oi II
by taking hold of South American trade qucS-
tons with busneSslikc statesmanship than by
writing clustering letters about Sovereignty or
by adopting Bunsbyish 'rcaiiirmations Of Il
scptuagcnarian Doctrine The k"ynotcs Of this
coming Congress should be political nd"prn-
dcnce and commercial reciprocity among all
American republics. And these notes can be
sounded hy none with more grace or with more
effect than by the Government of The United
SfalpS.