Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-12
UNCLE SAM A FIGHTER
LET EUROPE
KNOW AMERICAN POSITION.
NO REASON FOR DOUBT
Monroe Doctrine Will be Strenuous,y
Upheld-keen Inside Summary of
the Situation-lncident to Vene-
zueia and the Panama Canal
Germany Acquiesces.

Walter Wellman, the Washington
correspondent for Golfers Weekly.
who stands higher than any other
newspaper man at the national
capital, has prepared the following
inside information relating to the
possibility Of any European powers
attempting to get a permanent hold
IN South America:
There is now going round the
world no more important piece of
news than this: The United States is
ready and prepared to fight for the
Monroe doctrine. 1t is important
news because it deeply affects the re-
/ lations which exist between nations.
1t is today the most significant factor
in the intercourse between our
government and the governments of
Europe.
Two episodes have brought to
European statesmen a realization of
these memorable conditions. One was
the Panama canal. 1t is a fact not
generally known that so insistent
was the rumor Of German meidling
in that business with a view to pre-
venting COlombia's acceptance of
terms, that finally Secretary Hay, at
the direction Of President Roosevelt,
put pointed inquiry to the German
government. A prompt disclaimer
was Immediately forthcoming, and
very soon afterward Colombia signed
the treaty for the canal. The Incl
pOrtunity to make it known to all the
world that no European nation would
be permitted, directly as a govern
ment enterprise or indirectly in aid
OF a private corporation, to dig a
canal upon the American isthmus.
Then there was the Venezuelan
affair. Both Great Britain and Ger
many thought it prudent before enter
ing upon their debt-collecting expedi-
ton in South America to assure the
United States that they had no inten-
ton Of violating the Monroe doctrine
Few communications from foreign
governments have ever been more
gratefully received at our white house
and state department than the state
ment made by the representatives of
Great Britain and Germany about
| three months ago that in cOercing
Venezuela they had no purpose to
traverse any of the sacred principles
of the American republic. This
declaration was not made in so many
words, but such was the unmistakable
purport of it.
But the general public and the
average senator or representative in
congress are not so we'll assured. In
many years nothing more characteris-
tic of the American people has ap-
peared upon the surface of the
national waters than the wave of en-
thusiasm for the Monroe doctrine
which has made its way over the
country during the last few months.
For all this, the immediate impulse
has been the German kaiser. Dis
trust of the emperor, whether rightly
or wrongly, appears to have spread
widely through the United States eX-
cept among the highest and best-in-
formed officials of whom | have
spoken, and the conviction becomes
constantly more deep-seated that
some Gay, soon or late, the United
States and Germany may come into
armed collision over the Monroe
doctrine. The assurances given our
| government count against this con-
viction but particularly in the light
of the Venezuela incident they do not
adequately minimize the fear. Under
tho circumstances it is difficult for
the masses of American rea lers to
take at their par value the friendly
public statements made at Berlin;
and the oft-repeated declarations of
man ambassador to Washington, that
his government has no intention to
question the Monroe doctrine, and
that it would not have a slice Of
Venezuelan territory as gift, DO not
fully remove the prevailing suspicion.
The people of the United States will
not be surprised if ultimately they
must fight for the Monroe doctrine,
| they are quite ready and perhaps a
| little eager to do so, they demand OF
their government that it go on pre-
pairing for the struggle, and they can
not get out of their minds the i'm
preston that, unless the outward
aspect of things changes, Germany is
the power with which the great clash
must come.