The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-10-09
SOUTH AMERICA.
HER HOPE is I'M IMMIGRATION
FROM EUROPE AND THE
UNITED STATES.
st. Paul Pioneer Press Rep.

y
There isn't much room to doubt that
but for the Monroe doctrine the great
er part of South and Central America
would by this time have been scolon-
lied and held as territorial possession
| by some OF the great European powers.
It is quite conceivable that as the
Spanish mongrel governments IN those
regions have turned out, the South
American contingent and its native
Inhabitants would have been better off
if European civilization of the North
ern European type had been permitted
to gain foothold there, though 1t is
quite doubtful whether the continued
rule of Portugal or Spain or other
countries that might be named would
have resulted in any improvement over
their present conditions. But the
South American republics were entitled
to chance to live and to show the
world what they could do with the
maenifcent domains under their re-
spective flags, and this chance the
Monroe doctrine secured for them.
They have not improved. Their gov
ernments, with scarcely an exception,
have proved pitiable failures. They
are behind the Chinese and japanese
behind most of the native races of
India-behind Turkey and Persia and
Morocco even-in their industrial
development and in the protection they
afford to life and property. Such
real civilization as they have exists
only in isolated spots, as in the neigh
borhood of the capitals of Brazil.
Argentina, and Chile. If the life and
property of foreigner are measurably
safe at any other points, it is not due
to the local authorities, but to
wholesome dread of the foreigners
home government.
But the Monroe doctrine has at least
saved them from the blighting lnfiu-
ence of Spanish and Portuguese rule,
and has kept alive the spirit OF Re
publican liberty and independence
pending the period of their coming
regeneration. That regeneration can
apparently come only through Amerl-
can and European immigration. And
to this immigration the Monroe doc
trine opposes no obstacle except such
as results from the insecurity of life
and property under the feeble and un-
stable governments which prevail
there.
Blaine's conception Of a Pan-Ameri-
can congress may perhaps be utilized
in the development of plans whereby
the vast fertile areas and teeming op-
portunities of these South American
states may be opened to the floods OF
European immigration which we no
longer need and to the joint capital
and enterprise of Europe and America
in building the railroads and planting
the industries which are necessary to
their progress in civilization. The ad-
mission Of the immigrant population
to the fullest rights Of Republican citi-
zenship would be an inducement.
Those from northern Europe and the
United States would generally carry
with them the spirit Of representative
institutions and ready capacity for
and leadership IN
public affairs. Their participation in
the government of these republics
would go far to impress upon them
the principles of orderly and enlighten-
ed administration and give them the
strength, the stability and the pro-
gressiveness which they now lack.
The people of the United States are
deeply interested in promoting the
civilization and development OF the
South American states not only as a
guarantee of perpetual peace in this
hemisphere, but because the higher
they rise in the scale of civilization
the more multiplied their wants and
the wider their market for American
pro6uctS