The Press., 1900-05-17
Washington Letter.
washington, May IA, 1900

Is the Monroe doctrine in danger? 1t
Is evident that members of the admin
istration, and prominent administration
senators believe that it is. Secretary
Roots warning to the country to be pre-
pared to fight for the Monroe doctrine,
given several weeks ago, has been follow.
ed by similar talk from Secretary Long,
and now the same warning has been
sounded by Senator Lodge, and notwith-
standing contrary statements, there Is no
doubt that Germany Is the nation from
which an attack on the Monroe doctrine
is apprehended. Senator Lodge said in
his speech "The Monroe doctrine is the
greatest protection of the U. s. To that
doctrine we all, without distinction to
party, adhere. am by no means con-
vinced that some European power, per-
haps one Of those whose navy is just now
receiving such rapid increased Germany,
may want to test that doctrine, and that
we may find ourselves called upon to pro-
tect Brazil or some other South Ameri-
can state from invasion, and to see to 1t
that no new European state is establish
ed In the continent to the south. am
not conjuring up imaginary dangers. 1
think that they exist and are very real.
1 trust they will never find actual result
in war but am sure that the way to
prevent any such test of the Monroe
doctrine, the way to prevent peaceably the
seizure of any part of the South American
continent or of the West Indian islands
by any European power, is to have an
American navy which no power in the
world can afford to disregard" Senator
Daniel said: "No nation on this earth
would be 50 fatuous as to seek to be
treading upon the skirts of the U. S. No
fact Is better known than that the U. s.
will fight for the Monroe doctrine, and it
is we'll known, too, that fight with the
U. 8. Is a mighty serious business In
which any nation Is likely to be worsted."
These and other speeches Of the same
tenor were made while the senate was
discussing whether the naval appropria-
tion bill should provide for the purchase
of armor for the new war ships from pri-
vate parties who are In the armor trust,
or should provide for the establishment
of a government armor plant.
One result of the defalcation of G. F.
W. Neeley, financial agent of the Cuban
postal system, now officially stated to be
$36, 200, and unoffcially stated to be
$105, 900, will be a general investigation
of all Cuban accounts. Gen. Wood is now
making an investigation, under orders
from Washington, and it, Is possible that
there may also be q. congressional inves
tigation. Senator Bacon has offered a
resolution instructing the senate commit
tee on Cube to toinsestigate all moneys re-
ceived and paid out since the occupation
of the island by our military forces. The
president has directed the attorney-gener-
al to personally see that the prosecution
of Neeley is pushed. There have been
rumors from time to time of extravagant
living on the part Of American officials in
Cuba, which indicate either that some Of
those officials were making a lot of money
Those familiar with conditions at Ha-
vana, have from the first feared that pee.
ulation would cause scandal. The whole
moral atmosphere of the place has been
tainted by long years of the corrupt rule
of Spaniards, who regard peculation of
public funds as one Of their privileges,
and even the better class of Cubans re-
garded 1t as a matter of course. Spanish
officials In Cuba grew rich ,and the Cubans
expected the American officials to.do the
same thing. A mans honesty must be of
the most rugged sort to stand fast amid
such surroundings.
1t Is now as plain as the nose on your
face that powerful interests are working
to prevent action by the senate at this
session on the Nicaragua canal bill. The
strongest factor is the adjournment pro-
gramme, but there are others. Members
of the Isthmian canal commission have
rbally told the senate canal committee,
before which the bill now Is, that they
favored the Nicaragua route, but their re.
port will not be completed for several
months. The newest scheme of delay is
for the committee to grant hearings to
the officers and directors of the new
Panama canal company. Meanwhile the
congressional leaders are figuring on ad-
journment early In June and working
everything toward that end.
This week will show whether it will re-
quire fight to get vote on the Clark
resolution in the senate, as Senator
Chandler has given notice that he intends
trying to keep the resolution before the
senate, whenit comes up under the agree.
ment, until a vote is taken.
The split in the opposition to the ship
ping bill, indicated by two minority re-
ports, has revived talk about pushing the
measure through before adjournment, but
the chances are against any action at this
session.
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