Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-11-21
WEAK SISTERS.

A short time since letter from
Rio. South America was pub
lished in Vienna paper and SO
found its way to the press in this
country. The writer of this let
ter claims to have opportunities
of learning public feeling there
respecting us. He declares that
''there is a desire among the
South American republics for
Coalition against the aggresslons
of the United States" He does
not set forth very clearly just
what has created such desire
nor what aggressions they have
suffered at our hands. The fac;
he notices is nothing new to OBJ
servant Americans. They have
recognized the existence of such
a feeling toward us. Sometimes
it is more manifest than at other
times, and may be encountered
now here, now in some other sec
ton of the country. That there
is a widespread and increasing
desire for such a coalition may
we'll be doubted.
There are at least three things
at work to create and foster such
a desire on the part of the re-
publics. First is the commercial
jealousy of English and German
traders. In nearly all the South
American commercial centers the
English or the Germans have
long since secured a foothold.
1t is only within a few years that
American exporters have made
any considerable effort to develop
a commerce in these regions. OF
course they have come into sharp
competition with both the Eng
lish and Germans, and Yankee
skill and ingenuity are pushing
their way to the fore. Trade
jealousy has been aroused, and
has without doubt contributed
not a little toward fomenting dis
trust of Americans.
Our superiority in all things
over these little so-called repub-
lies excites the envy aud possibly
the ill-concealed dislike of their
peoD1e. We out.class them in
every particular. They claim to
be republics, but when they catch
a glimpse of our greatness and
our perfectioas they see how far
short their best realizations are OF
true republicanisrn. They do
not see that their inability to
realize a perfect representative
democracy is racial.
Finally, they have total mis-
conception of the Monroe doc
trine. They imagine we hold
this for their protection, for their
benefit. This is no new idea.
When Mexico was warning fol
her independence of Spain he1
leaders insisted that the Monroe
doctrine bound us to give Mexico
material assistance, and desired
us to make a demonstration
against the Spanish authority i'll
Cuba. Until it was possible fo1
Mexicans to shoot the usurping
emperor, Maxnillian they were
unable to understand our pur-
pose as set forth in that famous
doctrine.
South American republics are
just beginning to see that the
United States does not propose to
protect them from the just coase'
quences of their own acts. They
are unable to understand that we
hold the Monroe doctrine first fol
our own political safety. 1t is q
breastwork in our own line ot
defense.
1t might not be amiss for this
country to give an authoritative
Interpretation of the Monroe
doctrine for the special informa-
ton of South American repub.
lies 1t would show them that
we hold no false promises to them
nor give them any shadow OF
hope that through us they may
achieve Dolitical Derfectiop.