Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-08-05
WAS An AMERICAN VICTORY
PROCEEDINGS AT THE HAGUE
The Monroe D6ctrin Is Recognized the
world Over-It Won at the Hague
IL Has Been of Great Value to the
United States in the Far East.

TIE Hague, Aug 4.-The United State,
comes on of The peace inference with its
prestige greatly increased by the victory
1t has won i'll obtaining a recognition OF
the Monroe doctrine Whatever the world
at large may think of the labors of the
! conference, the delegates themselves are
almost unanimous in affirming that their
accomplishments are greater and more iu-
portant than they expected at the outset.
| Their view is probably justified if one
includes the unWritten and indirect results
OF their deliberations. The feature of the
congtess which most impresses many OF its
I members Is the removal OF many prelu-
dices and misconceptions which more than
two months close and amicable associa-
ton between representative men of all
countries has accomplished. This unques-
tlonably viii prove Of greater value to the
| nlted States than to any other country.
Ii Is true, as mentioned earlier in these
| dispatches, that there was IA tacit feeling
at The outset in the minds of many of the
delegates that the Americans were almost
| interlopers i'll what heretofore had been
regarded exclusively European questions.
This feeling had entirely disappeared, even
before the American delegates themselves
raised the point a week ago that the Unit
ed States must decline to accept the pro-
posed duty to volunteer friendly offices i'll
quarrels between European countries.
The American delegates also accom-
panied their adhesion to the arbitration
convention with statement which
amounted to an express reservation of the
Monroe doctrine, saying: Nor shall any
thing in said convention be construed TO
require the REIMBURSEMENT by the United
States of its. traditional attitude toward
purely American questions"
In accepting this declaration on the part
of the United States the continental pow
ers virtually admitted the validity of the
Monroe doctrine as principle of interna-
tional law, as its validity had been adj
mitted by Great Britain in the Venezuela
affair.
Moreover. America was not only fully
recognized as the great new factor i'll the
international situation, but her delegates
commanded greater influence during the
last six weeks of the session than any
others.
1t is curious, hut significant, that moth
ing added so much to American influence
in this parliament of the world as the adj
vent of the American flag in the east.
Ii has been manifested again and again
in indirect ways to the United States dele
gates that the appearance OF American au-
thoritv ON the other side of the Pacific has
won such recognition and respect from the
other great powers as no amount OF IN
ternal progress and prosperity would have
accomplished.
The Philippine question. of course has
been discussed. but never in any line eX'
ccpt the thorough execution of the present
policy. The European statesmen at Inc
Hague simply do not recognize as possible
the existence of any other policy, ana
would be extremely astonished II opposl-
ton to the energetic establishment OF
American authority in the islands should
be seriously considered