The Washington times., 1901-11-10
Circulation Statement.
Europe i'm the Caribbean.

evident determination of the American
people to construct, own, operate, and
defend an exclusively American 18TH
mian canal 1t has been so for some
time. but due regard has been had
abroad for what was supposed to be
the obstacle of England's Clay
ton-Bulwer contention. That in Con-
tinental Europe, has been consider
ed if not an insuperable still postpon-
ing factor. and the Powers have not re-
garded the actual initiation of the ma
tional enterprise as imminent enough to
demand action on their part TO safe
guard such interests as they might as
sumo to have in the premises.
The reported willingness of Great
Britain to drop the Clayton Bulwer
Treaty and to permit the United States
to exercise a free hand in Central
America has come as a surprise to the
chancelleries of Europe. They did not
expect the abandonment to be so com
plete and speedy.
They recognize the meaning of it now,
and the Caribbean Sea would be the
object of a great deal of foreign enter
prise at this time did not the Monroe
DOGlflue Sldlu very lIluNll III NlIt W O. VI
the acquisition of naval and coaling sta
tions by the Governments Of Europe.
1t is proposition hard of acceptance
on the other side of the Atlantic that
the United States not only meaIrs to
dig and control the canal, but definite
~ ii.>sads to dominate its approaches
save in cases where continental or in
sular footholds already have been gain
ed by other nations. notably by Great
Britain. To accomplished facts we must
submit. uncomfortable as they may
promise TO be in the future. But there
our policy of liberation halts. We are
not disposed &c and viii not allow any
European Power to acquire anything
on the islands or shores of the Carib-
bean which by any chance could be
made effective as a naval base against
us in connection with the Nicaragua
Canal or otherwise.
From the transatlantic point CT view
this dictum may seem harsh and un-
reasonable. From ouT own it is a mat
ter of self-preservation. and it is not
claiming too much TO say that the
American people are ready 10 fight to
make il effective, now or at any future
time. Let it be understood that It is
strictly the political and military
phases of the question OF eoaling sta
tions. easily transiatable into naval
bases that concern US. The United
States has no desire to limit or hamper
the commercial enterprise of our friends
oversee But they must respect our
policy and determination to bar them
from acquiring the slightest coign of
vantage in this hemisphere, which
later they could use as a help to the
application of force TO us or our Amer
lean neighbors.
In carrying out the principle upon
which our Monroe Doctrine policy is
founded, it seems probable that we may
have some difficulty in avoiding fric-
ton with Governments now on friend
ly terms with US. For example, il is
reported that the Atlas Line Of steam
ships, owned by German corporation,
is working actively to secure from Co
lombia concession for a coaling sta
tion at the port of Cartagena. The ships
of the Atlas fleet are subsidized by the
German Government. In the event of
war they are li2Sle 10 be taken over
and utilized as auxiliary cruisers There
Is more than a little reason to believe
that such concession, practically
speaking. would put Germany in pos
session of most important ? avail base
in Caribbean waters. in the event of
hostilities. greatly menacing to the
American canal
The German movement to secure
coaling facilities in the neighborhood
Of the waterway is likely TO be follow
ed by others of the same sort, although
France is even now well enough equip
ped in that respect, and England has
all she wants. But nothing Of the kind
can be safely tolerated by the United
States. Our control of the canal must
be absolute and unehallenged Our
guarantee of its neutrality save in war
must be accepted at its face value by
every nation that does not care to make
the matter an issue and fight II NAV
be objected that we are truculent and
wrong in saying that European States
shall not have coal piles to draw from
for their commercial marine in the
waters Of America. The answer is. or
ought to be. that If coal for peaceful
purposes is all that is required. we can
establish our own coaling stations and
furnish the fleets of the world with all
they need at a reasonable price One
OF our contemporaries yesterday took
the view that the German effort to gain
a coaiing station at Cartagena, Colom-
bia, was the thin edge of the wedge
with which the Kaiser intends to pry
out the Monroe Doctrine from the
American and international policy and
practice Of this hemisphere Probably
that may be regarded as an extreme
statement There is no doubt, however.
that the doctrine stands unwelcomely
in the way of expansive dreams which
are dreamed in more than one Euro
pean capital That consideration rem
ders 1t an the more necessary that we
should be alert and watchful. We shall
need To be increasingly so when the
canal has become a fact, and the com
merce of the whole earth is pouring
through The narrow path OF water that
we have made between the oceans.
As the matter is reported, it seems
improbable that the application of the
German Atlas Steamship Company win
be favorably considered by the CoIom-
bian Government In that case it may
be unnecessary to exert pressure from
Washington at Bogota Otherwise. at
the risk of offending Germany, il will
be the duty of the American Executive
N nav "A yqru nafttfed word ar t.xa ff