New-York tribune., 1903-03-12
A LAW FOR ARGENTINA.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
First South american Nation to G'Ue
Formal Recognition.

o,srh,n~.or March 1.-THE following state
ment was given out to-day at the Legation "a
the Argentine Republic:
Recent publications referring to the note ot Oh
instructions sent by the Argentlne 10 Garcia
Merou in regard to some Of the features Oh tue
VenezueIa incident, give the erroneous I'M
nression that Argentina asked for an alhahce
with the United States and thSt It's propoe0l
was rejected by the Secretary OF state: ~ u.
In fact. the dispatch of Dr. Drego Mnls. P9,eb,,C o.
Foreign Relations of the Argentine hepuDuS
aimed only to explain to his diplomatic a6enI
in washington the views Of his nome govern
nent relative to the coercive coilectio4 u pu
lie debts of American States by European
nations and instructed him to convey those ~
views to Secretary Hay. expressing ms nope oe
that the doctrine of international puonc law ses
forth by the Argentine Government snouiu
prove acceptable to the United States
Taking into consideration the real character
governments of the minor South American Re-
publics, the Argentine Government mas IelI IhaI
there great danger to the peace OF ene late
tinent if the compulsory demand OF immediate
payment Of public debts or natlonal oDngaIiioL'
is to be accepted in silence, without d1scrlIillld .
ton, as a right of the stronger powers o1
Europe to control and dominate the weaker ana
struggling States Of Central and South America:
On this point the Argentine Minister OF
Foreign Relations in his note remarks tnat thc
ca pitalist who supplies any money 70 IoFeisl
State always takes into consideration the re-
sources of the country and the more or less
probability that the obligations Will be hlled
without difficulty; DR.. Drago says further on
this: 1.-THE compulsory and immediate demand
for payment at given moment OF puOllc @ denL
by means of force would not produce other than
the ruin Of the weaker nations and the an
sorption Of their government altogether WIN al
its inherent faculties by the powerful nations
Of the earth" Dr. DTaGO also cites enunciatlons
by Hamilton and provisions Of the constitution
of the United States in this connecfion.
DR. Drago explicitly diS,laims any Intention 10
defend bad faith or irregularities ana deloerate
and voluntary insolvency. we DO not pretehd
neither can We pretend" he says. that these
nations shall occupy exceptional position IN
their relations with the European powers. VINO
have the undoubted right TO protect their sub
jects amply as in any other part OF the glope
against prosecution or from any injustice they
may have been victims of. The only thing that
the Argentine Republic maintains is the prlncl-
pie already accepted that there cannot be Euro
pean territorial expansion in America or op-
their unfortunate financial condition might
obige one of them to put off the fulflment of its
obligati The principle which we maintain
is that a public debt cannot give rise TO an
armed intervention, and much less to the terri
torial occupation of the soil of American nations
by any European power.
Complying with his instructions. Minister
Merou left a copy Of the communication re-
ceived from his Minister of Foreign Relations
with the Secretary of State. In his reply Mr..
Hay did not express assent or dissent to the
doctrine of public law set forth in the note of
the Argentine Minister of Foreign Relations.
He cited the minister to the messages or the
President Of December ., 1901, and December =,
1902.
Secretary Hay stated further that "advocat-
ing and adhering in practice in questions con-
Cerning itself to the resort of international arbt-
tration in settlement of controversies not ad-
Unstable by the orderly treatment of diplomatic
negotiation, the government of the United States
would always be glad to see questions or the
Justice of claims by State against another
growing out of individual wrongs or national
obligations as we'll the guarantees for the
execution of whatever award may be made, lefr
to the decision of impartial arbitration tri-
bunal, before which the litigant nations, weak
and strong alike. may stand equals in the
| eyes of international law and mutual duty
One of the more important features or the
| Argentine note is the recognition and fndorse-
| ment given by the government of that republic
| to the Monroe Doctrine, which for the first time
| is acknowledged and accepted As principle or
American public law by nation of South Amer
| lea.