New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-07
A PROTOTYPE OF CUBA.
PRESIDENT MoNRoEs DEALINGS WITH
THE SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS.
EARLY EXECUTIVE ACTIoN-THE CASE IN CON.
GREss-MR cLAYs ZEAL FOR RECoGSI-
TroN-MR MoNRoE's REcoMxESDA-
TIoN-REco0NITroN OF
INDEPENDENCE

| INDEPENDENCE.
'There f. nothing new" said Marie
Antoinette's milIiner. improving or otherwise
upon the saying Of the preacher. there Is moth
ing new except what has been forgotten" How
, true that Is the student Of history can testify.
and the student Of own history as well as that
Of any other land. For we have history, as
Nation, and traditions and precedents. and
consistent policy-or should have the last
named Our constitutional system Is no longer
an experiment. 1t Is an achievement. and 1t
became such many years ago. And few OF the
problems that vex our latter-day politics are
new and peculiar to these times; or. II they seem
| new. II Is only to those who have failed to ac-
quaint themselves with the instructive and
| profitable history Of their own land and Its gov
eminent. For be sure that II we do search that
history we shall find these self-same problems
| cropping I'D in the national life Of generations
| ago. and dealt with by the very Fathers OF the
Constitution themselves The soundest or our
| public hnanciers still venerate the name OF
Hamilton. The most aggressive foreign policy
| o-day does not surpass the Doctrine OF Monroe,
| The advocates of a protective tariff receive
| couragement from the memory Of Clay Surely.
| them 1t should not be Improbable to trace any
| great issues OF to-day back to such authorities
| and ascertain what disposition they would have
made OF them; indeed did make OF precisely
similar issues. Take. for example, this question
| OF Cuba How would 1t have been settled by
| the President and Secretary Of State who pro-
mugated the Monroe Doctrine. and how re-
garded by the Congress Of those days? The
answer may be found In the now all but for
gotten story Of their dealings with the South
American colonies. which then in revolt
against Spain, in circumstances substantially
Identical with those Of the present day.
Resistance to Spanish misgovernment took
open and organized form in the South American
colonies as early as 1880. when a formidable
Indian insurrection occurred at Tupac Amarci
near Cuzco. II was suppressed. but discomfort
and disarecton waxed apace. seeking oppor-
tunty for revolution. That opportunity came
when Spain crushed beneath the stress o!
the Napoleonic wars. Bolivar raised the stand
ard Of independence In Venezuela In 1910. Para
quay more effectively proclaimed Its independ-
ence In 1871 and Peru revolted In the same
year Between 1910 and 1913 Buenos Ayres. of
La Plata. now Argentina. expelled the Spanish
authorities and established a so-caled republic
which was. however, more Of military dicta-
torship Bolivar did not make his work effective
until 1919. when he became President OF Nenez-
uela by 1921 ne had also freed New-Granada
Colombia) and in 1922 he did the same Tor
genius Of Dundonald-expelled the Spanish In
1s17-1s. and Peru, under the same auspices. I'm
1871 Finally, the last Spanish army on the
continent was put to route at Ayacucho. near
Cuzco on December 0. 1924. and the castle of
Callao. the last Spanish foothold. was evacuated
on January 10. 1876
EARLY INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES.
These proceedings were watched with much
and
people of the United States. The primitive
means Of communication then existing rendered
the securing OF information Of the progress OF
the wars and OF the condition OF the countries
slow and uncertain. But the fact that people
we're lighting for republican freedom against
monarchical oppression sufficient TO deter
mine the general attitude OF This Nation. TIE
memorable words OF Washington 70 the French
Minister in 1895 were generally adopted: Born
in a land Of liberty. my anxious recollections.
my sympathetic feelings. and my best wishes.
are irresistby excited whensoever In any
country l oppressed nation unfuri the
banners Of freedom" The Government a,
Washington was not backward in expressing H.
interest in the impending changes in the South
ern Continent President Madison. In his mes-
sage In the fall OF 1911. when the revolutions
had only just begun said Of the Spanish -Ameri
can colonies: An enlarged philanthropy. and
an enlightened forecast. concur In imposing
on the National Councils an obligation 70 take
a deep interest in their destinies: to cherish
reciprocal sentiments Of good will: 10 regard
the progress Of events and not to be unpre-
pared for whatever order ~ things may b"
intimately established" Not long afterwari
Mr. Madison issued orders to the collectors ~
customs to admit the flags OF the nsurgent prov
thu mi HAT Id
their ships the same privileges granted 10 thos"
Of other foreign powers. although neither tho
independence nor even the belligerency Of those
provinces had been formally recognized. II was
le't for President Monroe. I'm 1917. 10 declare
that a state OF civil war existed In South Amer
lea. both parties to which were 10 be equally 70
garded as neutrais by the United States. The
United States have regarded the contest a. a
civil war" he wrote In his message ~ Deem
Der 1877. between parties nearly equal. having.
as to neutral powers. equal rights. our ports
have been open to both. and every article
which either was permitted 10 take has been
equally free to the other" The Secretary ~
the Treasury. also. in 1si7. said In an official
letter. referring to the general neutrality law
enacted in March Of that year: THE Executive
Authority would not hesitate to consider the Rag
Of Venezuela that Of foreign State. within the
meaning Of the act"
CONGRESS TAKES HAND.
Thus far the Executive alone had acted. on rs
sole responsibility. without advice or compuls'on
from the Legislative branch NJ the Government
The House had. indeed. on December 10. ISL
on the receipt Of President Madison's message
onsidered a resolution reported Ivy select
committee on the South American colonies 81
Spain. to the effect that Congress would unite
with the Executive IN establishing with those
colonies 'as foreign and independent states.
such amicable relations and commercial inter
course az may require their legislative author
ity" This resolution was. however. not pressed
to n vote.
But upon the receipt Of the Presidents Mes