Arizona republican., 1904-08-02
Venezuela and the Monroe Doctrine

Venezuela and the Monroe Doctrine
 The latest developments in Venezuell
 will tend 10 make a good many Amer
 jeans stin more tired of the Monrc e
 doctrine. Last year the United States
 i1telvened to protect Venezuela from
 q licking at the hands of Germany, and
 the questions in dispute between Ger
 many and Venezuela were referred to
 the Hague tribunal for arbi.ratio l. That tribunal decided that Castros gov
 ernment owed the Germans a Iarga
 sum Of money, and, indeed, no other
 decision could have been rendered just
 ly. But Venezuela was not botkersd
 much by the award. She has calmly ignored the debt, and quite naturally German patience is becoming exhaus- ted. The German government is in sisting that Venezuela should at least do something toward paying interest on the debt; but these complaints Mith- out warships to back them up will not disturb Dictator Castro.
 We shall hear presently scme pointed inquiries from Germany as to what re- srorsibility attaches to the United States in it's role of protector for the despotic and dead-heat governments Of South America. Nothing is more c-r- tain than that Venezuela VII go on re- pudiating her debts so long as she feels safe from hostile invasion. To be sure, it has been made plain that the Amec- ican government does not construe the Monroe doctrine as prohibiting Euro pean powers from chastising South American nations when they deserve reinstatement, and it is held that ctr fixed policy is to foILid cnly the a. Quirement of territory or the setting up of monarchial governments in the new world, but practically the Monroe doctrine operates to shie.d the half savage nations of the south from all forms of punishment for their mis- deeds.
 While political parties continue sol emnly to reai!irm their allegiance to the Monroe doctrine, and orators in congress emit flood of eloquence en the topic, there really exists no pubic sentiment m support of the doctrine Of Monroe It is antiquated, il has been outgrown, and the people of this coun- try no longer care anything about it. The doctrire was formulated to pre- tect this nation, then young and weak, from Euope9n enemies who might cs- tabljsh a base in Central or South Am erica, and there was the additional ground of sentiment. It was considered oar duty to uphold the principles of liberty and protect the young republic which had just thrown off the Spanish yoke. But it has been found that e. publican g0f.e nment south of Mexico is a farce. The people of those coun- ! tries are not capable of self-govern- !! ment and never will be. Their govern ! ments are merely systems of organ | lzed graft and are generally in the hands of GictatCrs. If such a govern ! ment as exists in Venezuela, for ex- ample, could be exchanged for a stable government under German control the | whole world-and especially the Unite1 States W ould be the eainer. The Germans at home enjoy a far greater of liberty than do the people of any South American country and the colonies of Germany and the cole nies of France and Great Britian. are never oppressed. If Venezuela could h.. ! converted into a German colony tho benefits to American commerce wouI1 be immediately evident.
 If all the ridiCuIous republics" oper- a'ed oy tropical bandits could be swep. out Pf existence and replaced bv tte hrm hand of Germany, the United States most of all would have reas-n to be thankful We have nothing to fear rom Germany or any other nati,r  Colombia Pulls the FaoIe,s Ea,tL