Arizona republican., 1902-12-17


 tion should be one of watchfulness. There was a general agreement that while the means adopted by Great Britain and Germany for the collec- ton of their debts had been quite strenuous they had thus far committed no infringement of the Monroe doc Urine and therefore had done nothing to which the United States could take exception.
 This was the position of Senator Cullom as it was of other senators who spoke Mr. Cullom said that much light as to the attitude of the admins tration had been obtained by consult ing the correspondence between the state depaI tment and the German am bassador a year ago. He then called attention to the fact that on December 10. 1901, the representative of Emperor William had brought the matter of Venezuela's debts and her apparent in difference to them to the attention of the secretary of state. The German am mbassador in his letter gave the de- partment complete information from q German standpoint of the position of his government.
 He said for seven years Venezuela had failed to pay the interest on the debt to Germany of about S5,OOO, ,OO1 contracted in the construction or 2 railroad and in addition there were ether debts amouting to about $1, 700, GOO due to German citizens from Venezuesl which it had proved to be impossible io collect. He added that every known pe2ceable means had been tried to se- cure the money and that his govern ment feeling that patience had ceased to be a virtue had decided to use coer- cive means. It was desired, however 1 he said that it should be explicitly uu- | derstOod that whatever steps might be taken by his country, there was no | desire to encroach or interfere with the | Monroe doctrine. This explanation ne 1 thought due the United States as the
 only purpose of his government was 10 assist its people in collecting debts que | them.
 Secretary Hay replied, on December | 1G, 1901, saying in effect that the Nion- roe doctrine was not intended to shield any American nation from the pay | ment of it's honest debts; that it's pur- 1 pose was to prevent the acquisition O. l territory by old world nations To l further elucidate the position of the l United States on the Monroe doctrine !
 age of President Roosevelt which had been in the hands of congress for only
 few days.
 When Senator Cullom had concluded | Senator Lodge called attention to the
 declaration attributed to Lord Lans-
 dOwne by to-day's dispatches that
 there was no disposition or desire on the part of Great Britain to acquire | any Venezuelan territory.
 l Senator Bacon of Georgia, a leading
 minority member of the committee. on foreign affairs said that on question
 of this kind there was no party di-
 vision, that everybody would stand
 with the administration in doing wha, 1 the administration thought best for l the general good. There was no desire on the part of anyone to embarrass ! those who were in control of the af- ] fairs and upon whom deveIoved the
 duty of protecting American interests ! The maintenance of the Monroe die | urine, he added, deyolved on the whole people.
 | Senator Hoar said that thus far
 nothing had been done to cause appre-
 hension and expressed the opinion that
 for the present the government of the
 United States could do nothing more
 than keep a watchful eye on the situa-
 ton.
 Senator Stewart dwelt somewhat or
 the bOmbard:aent of a Venezuelan for and said that the incident should b, accepted by our government as a warn ing what this country might expec whenever the excuse might offer II, gave as his reason for his admonitIol the fact that our recent acquisition O territory had aroused the jealousy O all European powers and they migh attack us at any time.
 Not in two generations" he said could we build up a navy equal to tha of Great Britain, but we can strength en OUT coast Notifications and in viev of Venezuela's experience it behoove ] us to do so."
 AS there was no formal question De ! fore the senate the matter was drop 4 ped.