New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-28
TO DETELOP HONDURAS.

The announcement that an extensive system
OF public works and Of development OF resources
Is to be undertaken in Honduras, chiefly through
the employment OF American capital. Is 10 90
regarded with hearty satisfaction. The enter
prises are legitimate. and will probably prove
highly profitable. That country Is one Of great
natural wealth in minerals, animals, lumber and
agricultural products. Its climate is by no
means as bad as It's latitude might seem to in
dcate Its people are ready To follow capable
leadership to much higher industrial and
cial plane than they have yet attained. With
men ranging the globe from Arctic Circle to
Equator in quest of outlet for their energies it
would be shame for this fine State and its
sister republics to be overlooked.
While. therefore, any development OF Hon
duras would be commcndable, 1t is especially
gratifying to have the work done by Americans
with American capital; and that is partly for
the sake of Honduras itself and partly for the
sake of the United States This country has
legitimate interest in It's Southern neghbOrs.
Social political and commercial relations he
tween them and it should naturally be strong
and close For threc-quarters Of century it
has posed rs their nominal protector against
possible European aggression. But intimate.
practical relationship is better than any doc
trlne" In no way can this country more eff
GENTLY maintain the ground taken by Monroe
than by extending its commercial and other In
nuences throughout the countries concerned. IL
cannot play permanently the part Of a dog in
the mangcr. yet II it permit foreign commercial
influences to become paramount there 1t can
scarcely prevent foreign political influences
from becoming also paramount. Its own pOliti-
cal welfare. as well rs the prospect Of profitable
trade should therefore draw the United States
to the closest possible relationship with the
Central American republics.
Nor IS il idle sentimcntalsm to regard the
welfare Of Honduras. European peoples are
wont 10 sneer at the "halfbreed" republics. and
to point TO their lack Of development and their
governmental instability rs proof of their unfit
ness for independence. Such arguments are not
only ungcnerous. bur sophisiica and unworthy
of their authors. But when they are repeated
by Americans as unhappily, they too often
are. they become detcstabe. 1t IS quite true
that the Latin-Amerlcan republics have not
made such progress the United States. 1t
was not to be expected that they would They
are less advantageously situated. and. without
offence he II said. are pcoplcd by n less ener-
gctic and progressive race. But the United
States has no right to repronch them. A ma
ton ~ well as an individual, Is in a measure
It's brothers keeper Had this country done lis
full moral duty 10 It's eighborS. had il extend
ed its social, political and industrial influences
10 them more poten'iy, instead Of leaving them
TO shift for themselves and to suffer the hostile
infrigucs Of European anti-rcpublicans. they
would now he far better Off than they are to-
dny II is not too late partly to atone for such
negligence and every step taken by public treaty
or by private enterprise in that direction is TO
b. hailed with favor rs benefit 10 both coun-
tries.