New-York tribune., 1901-06-07
SUPINE MONROEISM.

Our special Washington correspondence on
Monday was freighted with food for thought.
and for uncommoniy serious and practical
thought. 1t gave, from authoritative reports. a
most startling account of the commercial prog
ress which Germany, Austria and other Euro
pean powers making in all the countries
south of us, and of the amazing and discredit-
able folly negligence. supineness what not
of the United States in letting itself be crowded
out of those vast and profitable markets. From
Mexico 10 Patagonia the story is the same.
Everywhere European vessels crowd the ports,
European manufactures supply the markets
and return cargoes of raw materials are carried
back to supply the European demand for con-
sumption or for manufacturing The trade of
all Mexico. Central America and South America
is practically in European hands, while we,
cute and enterprisng Yankees. sit in the dumps
and let ourselves be completely outstripped in
our own sphere of influence" by those whom
boast of ability TO beat in competition
at the other side of the world. 1t is an old sub
ject in these columns. The Tribune has pointed
ont these ominous facts again and again. II
has exposed the discreditable anomaly of our
having TO send passengers mails and freight
from New-York TO South America by way of
Europe. and has deplored the policy lack OF
policy which brought to naught earnest attempts
10 establish commercial lines between this port
and Brazil and the Plate River Perhaps these
latest revelations will do something to open
blind eyes and unstop deaf ears and to energize
palsed hands.
1t is not merely that the United States is
yearly losing millions of dollars of trade which
naturally belongs TO it, That is deplorable
But immeasurably worse is the progressive con-
firmation of such conditions. Commerce is ever
marked with conservatism and inertia. 1t set
ties into certain channels, and you cannot get
II out. Or if il does depart from them you can
not drive il back TO them. That has been its
history since the days of the Greeks and Phn-
nicians That is its rule to-day. And so every
day of European dominance in South American
markets strengthens and confirms for the i'm
measurable future the commercial monopoly of
Europe in those countries. Every day of United
States supineness and exclusions makes ii so
much the harder for this country ever TO rise TO
the occasion and to gain entrance TO those mar
kets. we mus respect the future" said
Jacques Cartier. But we seem to be ignoring
and despising one of the most splendid futures
within the entire compass of human vision
Just south of us, and actually within the bounds
of our own political system lie vast and popu-
| lous lands. of greater extent than our own. of
incalculabe resources and of almost as rapid
growth in population our own. And we stand
aoof from them, timorous irresolute indiffer-
| ent, while remote and alien peoples rush in to
| exploit them and 10 preempt substantial mo-
| nopoly of their trade. We shall search the his
tory of faulty in vain for comparable spec
| tacle.
Strongest of all is the emphasis laid upon this
| wretched state Of affairs by the fact of the
Monroe Doctrine. For three-quarters OF CEN
| tury we have been maintaining that doctrine as
| political theory. and at the same time have
| quite neglected its commercial application a
vital and eivifying practice. OF what avail is
IL for us TO stand apart and cry Hands or"
| while as matter of fact those against whom
we utter the warning are rushing in and pos
sessing the land? What spectacle for gods
ana men II is for us to say. practically to the
european powers, You may colonize South
America and exploit IT; you may have forever
"a monopoly of its commerce and finance: YOU
| may make your social and business relations
with it as intimate as you please; we withdraw