The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-09
Our Relation to Seventeen RepubIIcs

The acquisition by the United States of
sovereignty over the Philippine Islands
has been regarded by most of the op-
ponents of expansion as equivalent TO the
abandonment of the Monroe doctrine.
There was, and is, as The Post has re-
peatedly shown, no reason for that as
sumption. The Monroe doctrine being
simply a declaration Of American policy,
not feature of international law. rests
now, as 1t has done in the past. upon
the ability and determination CT the
United States TO maintain il. Great Brit
ain is the only European power that has
given its assent to that declaration. This
happened in the Venezuela affair. when
the British government consented to ar
filtration. thereby preventing the calamity
of an armed conflict between the two
great English-speaking nations.
The London Spectator OF last Saturday
has an editorial on Germany and the
Monroe Doctrine" in which the position
is taken that America, and not England.
is the rival in German opinion" that lit
is with America and not England that
Germany realizes she must struggle for
supremacy" The Spectator does not
mean to assert or imply that Germany
regards this country as an enemy, but
says that Germany realizes it is America
that at the moment lies across Germany
path, and that unless she is able 10 reck-
on with America on equal terms she
Will not become the world power of the
future that she desires to be-" The Spec
tator, according to the press telegram
from which We are quoting, goes on to
declare that
"Germanys objective is South Amer
lea, but that the Monroe doctrine bars
her way. How 10 get around this is
puZZling, but. the paper declares, En-
peTOr William counts upon the German
vote In the United States TO hep him
when his new navy is ready TO carry out
his South American expansion idea, espe-
cially in Brazil.
The Spectator then warns the United
States that ii IL intends 10 uphold the
Monroe doctrine in The future il must not
80 10 sleep over IL now, but prepare 10
support navy and army equal TO the
strain of maintaining a policy so tremen-
dOus. If not, she is certain to suffer great
I,
efficient, and persistent Germany adding:
when the hour comes, Germany will
not be bluffed into respect OF Monroeism.
She will call the American fleet, and if
the fleet Is no higher than hers, Germany
will act
Making due allowance for exaggeration
there Is still left some matter worthy OF
consideration in the Spectators article
II harmonizes, in some respects, with SEN
timents recently expressed in German
newspapers. The intimation that Emperor
William relies upon the German vote In
the United States 10 help him" has a ia
miliar sound. It's latest appearance, prior
10 this one. was in a telegram from Ber-
lin purporting TO quote from an editorial
in one OF the prominent journals of the
empire. Statements OF that kind are not
10 be accepted without some admixture
OF salt. They are guesses at rather than
expressions OF imperial hopes. But
whether uttered in Germany, in England,
or In any other country. they do a gross
injustice 10 the patriotism of a large. in
telligent, and influential element OF our
population. When IL comes 10 a choice
between German and American interests
and policies, neither the ballots nor the
sympathies OF that contingent Of our peo-
pie will be arrayed against their adopted
country. the German vote" will be miss
ing; only the American vote will be found
in the ballot boxes.
The Post. In spite OF the Spectator
warning, has no apprehension of any in
creased difficulty in maintaining the Mon
roe doctrine. Our government will continue
to keep as clear as possible from Euro
pean politics. We shall remember that
no less than seventeen American repub-
lies depend on such friendship from US as
We have shown TO Mexico and Venezuela.
We have no present reason to apprehend
trouble from Germany. The relations be
tween Williams empire and the United
States ought 10 be friendly. and we shall
try 20 keep them so.