The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-12
Us NIT HEAD.0N AS TO DEBT COLLECTING
The Government of Argentine Com
,municates It's Views to the
d S.fss@ ~
United States.

/ Washington, March 12.-The following
statement was given out at the legation
of the Argentine Republic:
Recent publications referring to the
note Of instruction sent by the Argentine
government to it's minister in Washing
ton, DR.. Garcia Mereu, in regard to some
Of the features of the Venezuelan Incl
dent give the erroneous impression that
Argentina asked for an alliance with the
t United States. and that it's proposal was
| rejected by the secretary of state.
! In fact, the dispatch of DR., Drago.
minister of foreign relations of the Argen-
| tine Republic, aimed only to explain to
his diplomatic 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 would prove acceptable to the United
States. %,r&s@tsag y
Taking into consideration the real char
acter of many Of the obligations corr
tracted by the governments Of the minor
South American republics, the Argentine
government has felt that there is great
danger to the peace Of the continent If
the compulsory demand of immediate pay
ment of public debts or national obliga-
tons is to be accepted in silence, without
discrimination. a right of the stronger
powers of Europe to control and dominate
the weaker and struggling states of Cen
trail and South America.
! THE only thing the Argentine republic
maintains is the principle already accept
ed. that there cannot be European terri
tOrial expansion in, ncr oppression OF the
people Of this continent. because their
unfortunate financial condition might
oblige them to put off the fulflment of its
obliga lions. s,s. l.s.,.
The principle which we maintain is
that a public debt cannot give rise to an
armed intervention, and much less to the
territorial occupation of the soil of Amerl-
can nations by any European power.
Complying with his instructions, Min
cation from his minister for foreign rela
tons with the department of state.
Secretary Hay Replies.
: In reply, Mr.. Hay did not express as
sent or dissent to the doctrine of public
relations. He cited the minister to tn
message of the president of Dec. 8, 1904
and Dec. /, 1902.
"Secretary Hay stated further that, lad
vocating and adhering in practice in ques
tons concerning itself to the resort Of in
I ternational arbitration in settlement o
controversies not adjus table by the ordi
! nary treatment of diplomatic negotiations
the government or the United States WOul
always be glad to see the questions Q
the justice Of claims by one state agains
: another growing out of individual wrong
+ or national obligations, as well as tn
,. guarantees for the execution of whateye
award may be made, left to the decisio
d of an impartial arbitral tribunal, befor
s which the litigant nations, weak an
e strong alike, may stand as equal in tn
n eye of International law and mutual duty
e Zone of the more important features {
the Argentine note is the recognition an
, Endorsement given by the government {
+ that republic to the Monroe doctrine
t which for the first time is acknowledge
v and accepted as principle of America
J. public law by nation of South America.