Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-04-23

]
is about the Monroe doctrine. but about
oar entire position in the western hemi-
sphcrc--a position so peculiar and pre-
dominant tina; out Of it has grown the
acceptance Of tie Monroe doctrine rs n
cardinal feature of our foreign policy
and in particular wish to point ont
what has been done during the lifetime
J Of the last Congress to make good our
| position ia accordance with this historic
policy.
| Ever since the time when we definitely
extended our boundaries westward to the
l'acihc and southwark to the gulf. since
tho time when the old Spanish and Por-
tuSucc colonies TO the south of us as
{Sertcd their Independence, our nation has
insisted that because of its primacy in
strength among the nations of the west
ern hemisphere it has certain duties end
responsibilities which oblige it to take
Il leading part thereon. We hold that cur
interests in this hemisphere are greater
than those of any European power pos
SlbIy can be and that our duty to our
selves and to the weaker republics who
are our neighbors requires us to see that
none of the great military powers from
across the seas shall encroach upon the
| territory of the American republics or
acquire control thereovcr
This policy, therefore, not only for
bids us to acquiesce in such territorial
acquisition, but also causes us to object
| to the requirement of control which
would in its effect be equal TO terrific
rial ACKNOWLEDGMENT. That is why the
! United States has steadily believed that
the construction of the great isthmian
canal, the building of which is to stand
as the greatest material feat of the TWEEN
tieth ccntury-greatcr than any similar
feat in any preceding century-should
be done by no foreign nation, but by our
selves. The canal must of necessity go
through the territory of one Of our small
or sister republics. We have been scrup-
ulously careful to abstain from perpe
trating any wrong upon any Of these re
publics i'll this matter. We do not wish
to interfere with their rights in the least,
but, while carefully safeguarding them,
to build the canal ourselves under pro
visions which will enable us, if necessary,
to police and protect it and to guarantee
its neutrality, we being the sole guaran-
tor. Our intention was steadfast; we
desired action taken so that the canal
could always be used by us in time of
peace and war alike and in time of war
could never be used to our detriment by
any nation which was hostile to us. Such
action, by the circumstances surround
ing it, was necessarily for the benefit and
not the detriment of the adjacent Ameri
can republics.
| Success in New Treaty.
After considerably more than half of
n century these objects have been exact
| ly fulfilled by the legislation and treaties
of the last two years. Two years ago
we were no further advanced toward
the construction of the isthmian canal on
our terms than we had during the pre-
cedng eighty years. BY the Hay-Paunce
fote treaty, ratified in December, 1901,
an old treaty with Great Britain, which
had been held to stand in the way, was
abrogated and it was agreed that the
canal should be constructed under the
auspices of the government of the United
States and that this government should
have the exclusive right to regulate and
manage it, becoming the sole guarantor
of its neutrality.
1t was expressly stipulated, further
more, that this guaranty of neutrality
should not prevent the United States
from taking any measures which it found
necessary in order to secure by its own
forces the defense of the United States
and the maintenance of public order.
Immediately following this treaty Con
gress passed law under which the Pres
ident was authorized to endeavor to Sc
cure a treaty for acquiring the right to
finish the construction of and to operate
the Panama canal, which had already
been begun in the territory of Colombia
h,, H. ;,.Ht &c
this company were accordingly obtained
and n treaty negotiated with the repub-
lie of Colombia. This treaty has just
been ratified by the Senate. 1t reserves
all of Colombia's rights, while guaran-
teeing all of our own and those of neu-
trail nations and specifically permits us
to take any and all measures for the de-
Tense of the canal and for the preserva-
ton of our interests, whenever in our
Judgment an eXigency may arise which
calls for action on our part.
In other words, these two treaties and
the legislation to carry them out have
resulted in our obtaining on exactly the
terms we desired the rights and privileges
!. which we had so long sought in vain.
These treaties are among the most i'm
portant that we have ever negotiated in
their effects upon the future welfare of
this country and mark memorable tri-
umph of American diplomacy-one of
hose fortunate triumphs. moreover,
which rebounds to the benefit of the en-
ire world.
| The Trouble i'm Venezuela.
About the same time trouble arose in
connection with the republic of VeneZue-
because of certain wrongs alleged to
ave been committed and debts overdue
BY this republic to citizens of various
foreign powers, notably England, Ger
many and Italy. After failure to reach
nm agreement these powers began a
blockade of the Venezuelan coast and a
condition of Quasi-war ensued. The con
A Germ of our government was, of course,
not to interfere needlessly in any quarrel
so far as it did not touch our interests
Or our honor and not to take the atti-
tldc of protecting from coercion any
power unless we were willing to espouse
A the quarrel of that power but to keep
a Ian attitude of watchful vigilance and