The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-12-05

SOIL. II lS III uO Wise ihSChuSu 90
hostile to any nation In the Old
World. Still less is 1t intended to
give cover to any aggression by one
New World power at the expense CT
any other. 1t Is simply step. and a
long step, toward assuring the uni
versal peace of the world by secur-
ing the possibility Of permanent peace
on this hemisphere.
During the past century other in
fiuences have established the per
manence and independence Of the
smaller states Of Europe. Through the
Monroe Doctrine We hope to be able
to safeguard like independence aid
secure like permanence for the lesser
among the New World nations.
This doctrine has nothing to do with
the commercial relations Of any Amer
lean power, save that it in truth al
lows each of them to form such as
It desires. In other words, 1t is really
a guaranty of the commercial indie
pendence of the Americas. We 10 not
ask under this doctrine for anv eX-
elusive commercial dealings with any
other American state. We do rot
guarantee anv state against punish
ment IL it misconducts itself, prorid-
ed that punishment does not take the
form Of the acquisition Of territory
, by any non-American power.
Our attitude in Cuba is a sufficient
guaranty of our own good faith. We
have not the slightest desire to secure
any territory at the expense Of anv
OF our neighbors. We wish TO work
with them hand in hand, 50 that all Of
us may be uplifted together. and we
rejoice over the good fortune of any
OF them. we gladly hail their material
prosperity and political stability. and
are concerned and alarmed II anv cf
them fall into industrial or political
chaos. We do not wish to see any Old
World military power grow up on this
continent. or to be compelled to he
come q military power ourselves.
The peoples Of the Americas can pros
per best II left to work out their own
salvation in their own way.
The work Of upbuilding the Navy
must be steadily continued. No one
point OF our policy foreign or deGes-
tic, is more important than this to the
honor and material welfare, and above
all to the peace. of our Nation in the
future. Whether we desire it or not, We
must henceforth recognize that we
have international duties no less than
international rights. Even II our flag
we're hauled down in the Philippines
and Porto Rico. even II We decided not
to build the Ithmian Canal, we should
need thoroughly trained Navy OF ad-
euuate size, or else be prepared deli
nitely and for all time to abandon the
! idea that our Nation is among those
! whose sons go down to the sea in ships.
Unless our commerce is always 20 be
carried in foreign bottoms, We must
have war craft to protect 1t.
Inasmuch, however. as the American
! people have no thought OF abandoning
| the path upon which they have entered,
and especially in view Of the fact that
the building of the Isthmiap Canal is
| fast becoming one of the matters which
! the whole people are united in de-
mauding. it is imperative that our Ma
Wy should be put and kept in the high
est state Of efficiency. and should be
/ made to answer to our growing needs.
! So far from being in any way provo
/ cation to war, an adequate and highly
; trained navy is the best guaranty
against war, the cheapest and most ef-
fective peace insurance. The cost o!
building and maintaining such a navy
! represents the very llghtest premium
for insuring peace which this Nation
can possibly pay.
Probably no other great nation in the