The Portland daily press., 1900-11-15
CURRENT COMMENT.
EUROPEAN DOMINATION IN The
WEST.
lChicago Recoru.l

WEST.
(Chicago Recoru.l
Great Britain, Franco. Denmark and
Holland are the European powers already
poesezsIur continental or fnsuiar territory
on the Atlantic side OF the western hem
isphsre, the former with coalin4 stations
&C intervals all the way from Newfound-
land to tine Falkland islands. inciuains
ports throughout the West Indies and on
the Honduras and Guiana coasts. France
has its little islands OF Newfoundland
two laraef ones In the West Indies and
the South American colony OF French
tijuana. Denmark has a western harbor
In the Danish West indies, where st.
Thomas offers excellent naval anvan-
tnees. The Dutch still hold Dutch
Guiana ana the island OF Curacao. with
some small neighboring islets. All OF
these were acquired by the powers that
hold them long before the PRONUNCIATION
OF the Monroe doctrine and before that
famous pronouncelnent would have had
any weight IL Il had existed. But Ger
many was but group OF inoonsequential
principallties when the great colonial
powers were garnerfng their shares OF the
West Indies and the American oonti-
nents, 90 that today the German empire.
with Its enormous commercial interests
in all the world and Its commercial mot
to. "Our future lies over the water, has
Mai roothold In the Western hemisphere.
With an apparently certain dominance In
the European trade with South America
on the way, with enormous Investments
in the South American republics shared
in by larger German population in
Brazil and eisewhere. and .the oonstruo-
tion of an Isthmian canal TO the Pacific
PROMISED In the near future, 1t is not
strange that Germans are anxious for a
foothold In the Caribbean. Only the
United States can prevent the acquisi'
ton.
1t will be for jurists and diplomatic in
terpreters OF tne formulated utterance to
declare just how closely the Monroe doc
rine applies 80 this situation. President
Monroe himself spoke of and appeared to
contemplate only forcible aggression
when he made that declaration against
the further extension of European possess
sion on American soil Indeed, he sug-
gested that It was Incredible to expect
that by voluntary act any OF the republics
would place themselves under q foreign
monarchy, and SO devoted his words TO
the more reasonable proposition that In
some way there might be an effort to on
croach upon them, this to be opposed by
the power OF the United States, But it Is
evident that in the present Instance,
should Germany seek a coaling station
from Venezuela or Brazil, it would be by
not opposed TO the will OF the South
American republic. Furthermore, II
Germany should obtain privileges by pur-
chase or lease from one OF the European
powers already holding Caribbean possess
sions, that wouif still further eliminate
the matter from the letter OF the Monroe
doctrine and oomplicAte the situation
First principles. then, would rule our
action. Ii Is clear that in peace, how
ever great the south ami Central Ameri-
can commerce OF Germany may be, no
necessity exists for that empire TO have a
western coaling station. A dozen har-
Dors are open, more convenient than the
one contemplate. Only In time of war.
and war with an American government,
could such a ooaling station be OF value.
10 admit such a neighb0r to point OF
vantage unnecessarily would be bad bust
ness For the United States It would
mean more warships, more danger to the
Isthmian canal, more concern at the nrst
friction between the counties. 10 yield
this point now would mean TO yield
other points later.