New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-22
DIR SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS.

And what OF our Southern nelghbors! Inc
question has not been asked rs promptly or as
often or with as intense an interest as various
others concerning the results OF the war WIN
Spaln. The terms of peace, future relations
with Spain. extension Of our own territory, re-
latons with Great Britain and other Powers
have all had precedence over It, Yet logically
and naturally it ranks we'll with the Oos' OF
tbeu, In importonce There are all the repub-
lies Of the South bound TO Spain 10y ties or
blood and tongue and creed, and 10 the United
States by traditions Of independence ana by
likeness Of institutions. What effect has the
war had upon them, and especially upon the
relations between them and us? IT IS qucs-
ton Of paramount importance to the whole
Western World.
At the outbreak Of the war; 1t will be rcmem-
bcrcd. there was much talk to the effect that
those States would side with Spain. partly be-
cause Of racial sympathies, partly because OF
fear of United States aggrcssons, conquest ana
despotism over them in case Of this country
triumph over Spain. This talk especially on
the latter ground, seemed to us from the first
prcposterous, but It found many listeners ana
not few believers. Mr.. LOOMS. the United
States Minister TO Venezuela. tells us that per
sistent and powerful efforts were made TO
arouse in the minds of Spanish Americans n
distrust OF and antagOnlsm toward this Ma
ton Newspapers and pamphlets taught that
the United States had entered upon wanton
and wicked war of conquest in Cuba, which
was merely the first step in n carefully ma
| tured plan for the conquest Of all Central and
| South America. This was widely believed
| among the ignorant masses. and to some extent
! among the well-informcd. and for time there
| seemed danger that at least our commercial
| relations with those countries would he made
| to suffer
| Our Government and It's agents did not. how
ever let the case 60 against us by default.
| Earnest and effective efforts were made 10
combat this false and lbellous prOpaga nda
| with gratifying results Facts and sound arg,l-
| ments carried conviction with them The prog
rcss of the war exerted n beneficial influence
showing South Americans at once the tremcn-
! dous mower and the unsclnsh humanity of the
| United states Long before the end of the con
| nict the tide of official and popular opinion had
set strongly in our favor. But the browning
work came NJ the end, in the terms of peace
| offered 10 Spain by President Mckinley. These
were declared by President Andradr Of Vencz
ucla 10 no ''iust. generous and noble" and that
estimate Of them quickly became genera
throughout the whole South American cont
ncnt. The result to-day is. says Mr.. LOOMS
that President McKnlcy's pcacemnkng has
created for this country feelings of confidence
goodwill and admiration such as it has never
enjoyed before among the peoples OF Spanish
| America
+, We shall not fear accusations Of sordidncss
IL we point out-what is indeed so obvious as
| scarcely 20 need indicating the nature of TIT
opportunity afforded to This Nation by this STATE
! of affairs Our Southern ncighbOrS are nov
more ready than ever before 10 enter Into closet
! commercial relations with ne. Their fear Of NJ
il vanished; their appreciation Of us Is aug
, mented. They are opening wide the door Il
! us. and IL will he our own fault n we do no
| enter In and secure that predominance In thci
| markets TO which we are naturally entitled
We have always maintained that II was re
| preach To this Nation that European irader
| should dominate South American markets t.
the exclusion of orr own that travellers ans
mails between the United States and all points
south Of the Gunnas should have 70 go ant
come by way Of Europe. and that those strug
Cling republics should be abandoned to the nd