The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-12

STATEMENT BY LEGATION
Of Monroe Doctrine and 0CCu-
pancy by Foreign Power.

Washington, March 1.-THE following
statement was given out tonight at the
legation of the Argentine republic:
Recent publications referring to the
note of instructions sent by the Argentine
government 70 its minister in Washington,
Dr. Garcia Merou. in regard to some OF
the features of the Venezuela incident,
give the erroneous impression that Ar
gentina asked for an alliance with the
United States, and that its proposal was
rejected by the secretary of state.
In fact the dispatch of Or. Drago. min
lister of foreign relations Of the Argentine
republic, aimed only to explain to his di-
plomatic agent in Washington the views
of his home government relative to the
coercive collection of public debts of
American states by European nations
and instructed him to convey those views
to Secretary Hay, expressing his hope
that the doctrine of international public
law set forth by the Argentine govern
ment should prove acceptable to the
United States.
Taking into consideration the real char
acter of many of the obligations contract
ed by the governments Of the minor South
American republics, the Argentine govern
ment has felt that there is great danger
to the peace of the continent if the COM
pulsory demand Of immediate payment
of public debts or national obligations is
to be accepted in silence, without discrim-
ination, as fight of the stronger powers
of Europe to control and dominate the
weak and struggling states of Central
and South America.
"On this point the Argentine minister
of foreign relations in his note remarks
that the capitalist who supplies any
money to foreign states always takes into
consideration the resources Of the country
and the more or less probabilities that the
obligations will be fulfilled without diff
Guilty. DR.. Drago says further:
g The compulsory and immediate de-
mand for payment at a given moment of
a public debt by means of force would not
produce other than the ruin of the weaker
nations and the absorption of their gov
ernment, together with all its inherent
faculties, by the powerful nations of the
earth.
DIR. Drago also cites enunciatiOns by
Hamilton. and provisions of the consti-
ton of the United States in this connec-
ton.
DIR. Drago disclaims any intention to
defend bad faith or Irregularities and
deliberate and voluntary insolvency. We
do not pretend, neither can We pretend
he says, that these nations shall occupy
an exceptional position in their relations
with the European powers who have the
undoubted right to protect their subjects
as amply as in any other part of the globe
against persecution Of from any injustice
they may have been victims OF. The only
thing that the Argentine republic main
tains is the principle already accepted,
that there cannot be European territorial
expansion in nor oppression of the people
of this continent because their unfortu-
nate financial condition might oblige one
of them to put off the fulfllment of its
The pdinciple which we main
tain is that a public debt cannot give rise
to an armed Intervention. and much less
to the territorial occupation of the soil Of
American nations by an European power.
Complying with his instructions, Min
lister Merou left a copy Of the communi-
cation received from his minister of for
eign relations with the secretary of state.
In his reply Mr.. Hay did not express
assent or dissent to the dictrine of public
law set forth in the note of the Argen-
tine minister of foreign relations. He
cited the minister to the messages Of the
president Of December 3. 1901
Secretary Hay stated further that 'ad-
vocating and adhering in practice in ques-
tions concerning itself 10 the resort to in
ternational arbitration in settlement Of
controversies not adjustable by the or
derly treatment Of diplomatic negotia-
tions. the government OF the United
States would he always glad to see the
questions Of the Justice Of claims by one
state against another growing out OF indi-
vidual wrongs OF national obligations.
as wen as the guarantees for the execu-
tion Of whatever award may he made,