Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-03

tor 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 III
found necessary in order to secure by
its own forces the defense of the Uni
ted States and the maintenance of pub
lie order. Immediately following this
treaty congress passed law under
which the president was authorized to
endeavor to secure treaty for acquir-
ing the right to finiEh the construction
Of and to operate, the Panama canal,
which had already been begun in the
territory of Colombia by a French COM
pany. The rights of this company were
accordingly obtained and treaty ne
gotiated with the republic of Colombia.
This treaty has just been ratified by
the senate. 1t reserves all of Colombia's
rights, while guaranteeing all of our
own and those of neutral nations. and
specifically permits us TO take any and
all measures for the defense of the
canal and for the preservation of our
interests, whenever in our judgement
an exigency may arise which calls fol
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 de-
sired the rights and privileges which
we had SO long sought in vain. These
treaties are among the most important
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
those fortunate triumphs, moreover,
which rebound to the benefit of the
entire world.
Our Course in Venezuela.
About the same time trouble arose i'll
connection with the republic of Nenez-
uela because of certain wrongs alleged
to have been committed, and debts
overdue, by this republic to citizens of
various foreign powers, notably Eng
land, Germany and Italy. After fail
ure to reach an agreement these pow
ers began n blockade of the Venezuelan
coast and condition of auasi-war en-
sued. The concern of our government
was of course, not to interfere need
lessly in any quarrel so far as 1T did
not touch our interests or our honor,
and not to take the attitude of protect
ing from coercion any power unless
we were willing to espouse the quarrel
of that power, but to keep an attitude
of watchful vigilance and see that there
was no infringement of the Monroe
doctrine-no requirement of territorial
rights of a European power at the
expense of weak sister republic
whether this acquisition might take the
shape of an outright and avowed seiz-
ure Of territory or of the exercise of
control which would in effect be equiv
alent to such seizure. This attitude was
expressed In the two following pub
lished memoranda, the first being the
letter addressed by the secretary OF
state to the German ambassador, the
second the conversation with the sec
rotary of state reported by the British
ambassador:
Department of State, Washington,
December 16, 1901, His Excellency. DR..
Won Hollenben, ETC.: Dear Excellency:
II inclose memorandum by way of
reply to that which you did me the
honor to leave with me on Saturday.
and am, as ever,
Faithfully yours,
John Hay"
message of the Sd of December, 1901,
used the following language:
1.-The Monroe doctrine is declar
alton that there must be no territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT by any non American
power at the expense of any American
power an American soil. 1t is in no
wise intended as hostile to any nation
In the old world
'.rhe president further said:
This doctrine has nothing to do
with the commercial relations of any
American power, save that it In truth
allows each of them to form such as
lit desires. = We do not guarantee
any state against punishment ii it mis-
conducts itself, provided that punish
ment does not take the form OF the
acquisition of territory by any nom
American power
His Excellency the German ambas-
sador, on his recent return from Ber
lin, conveyed personally to the pres
ident the assurance of the German
emperor that his majesty's govern
ment had no purpose or intention to
make even the smallest acquisition of
territory on the South American con-
voluntary and friendly declaration was
afterwards repeated to the secretary
of state. and was received by the presi
dent and the people of the United
States in the frank and cordial spirit in
which it was offered. In the memoir
andum of the 18th of December, his
excellency the German ambassador re-
peats these assurances as follows: We
declare especially that under no cir
cumstances do we consider in our pro-
ceedings the acquisition or the perna
nent occupation of Venezuelan terri
tory.
Both powers assured us in explicit
terms that there was not the slightest
intention on their part to violate the
principles of the Monroe doctrine, and
this assurance was kept with an hon
orable good faith which permits full
acknowledgements on our part AT the
same time, the existence of hostilities
in Il region so near our own borders
danger in the future that it was oh
viously no less our duty to ourselves
than our duty to humanity to endeayor
to put an end to that. Accordingly
by an offer OF our good services in a
spirit of frank friendliness to all the
parties concerned a spirit in which
they quickly and cordially responded
we secured a resumption of peace the
contending parties agreeing that the
matters which they could not settle
among themselves should be referred
t,,F Il aery,o rr,ih ,nl fin,