The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-06-25

policy of friendly relations with al
nations and entangling alliances will
none" With this end in view. W.
by treaty or by reciprocal relations
amicable, rather than retaliatory
trade relations with the nations o.
the world, giving and taking for mu
tual benefit; obtaining and maintain
ing, as far as we can, broader and
more profitable foreign and home mar
kets for our agricultural, mining, man
ufacturing and forest productions.
We ought especially as Democrats
having the interest Of the entire peo
pie in view, In contradistinction tc
the policy of the Republican party
which has made no sincere effort in
that direction, to secure more friendly
and mutual trade relations with the
Dominion of Canada and with our
children, who, driven by taxation at
home, and induced by fertile lands
and liberal laws there, are daily flock
ing to her fields. 1t Is as absurd to
have a high protective tariff wall be-
tween the American State of Wash
ington and the Province OF British
Columbia as 1t would be to have one
between the States Of Vermont and
New Hampshire insofar, at least, as
mere commercial and industrial re-
suits are concerned.
Seventh-The maintenance OF the
Monroe Doctrine in its full integrity as
conceived by Jefferson, announced by
Monroe and signally executed by
Grant In this connection we think
it our duty to guard against European
and colonization and
Of monarchial in
situations the countries of the west
ern hemisphere; but we do not think
1t or duty, nor did Jefferson, Madison,
Monroe Of Jackson imagine 1t our
duty, under the Monroe Doctrine, as
the acting president Of the United
States seems to conceive it to be, to
the affairs Of Central and
South America.
We believe that the utterances Of
the acting president Of the United
States in his letter to ex-Secretary
Root upon the second anniversary OF
Cuban independence, in which he init
mated that we were, as govern
ment in some way Gods vicegerent to
correct and control those who do not
conduct themselves we'll" and those
who "do not pay their obligations"
would have been reckless and unwise,
even if they had emanated from pri-
Tate American citizen, but coming
from one acting as chief magistrate
of the American Republic, they are
in a yet higher degree.
His yet more reckless assertion that
We have duty" in the western hemi-
sphere, which I'VE can not ignore"
% intervene governmentally wherever
there is brutal wrongdoing, or i'm
)otence which results in a general
cosening of the ties Of civilized So
.iety, meets with our earnest disappro-
,ation. Such position would be in
tself a general loosening" of those
ties of civilized society" which bind
he nations in times of peace, at least
II a common brotherhood. We espe-
tally resent the doctrine, which was
lot born of Mr.. Monroe, but was born
# Mr.. Roosevelt, that it is, or can be,
he duty of the United States to con-
'ert its army and navy into constab-
llary for the purpose Of collecting
lebts due by Central and South Amer
can nations to European countries, or
wen to the citizens of the American
'epublic. If Imprisonment for indi-
'idual debts be wrong and barbarous,
len surely the bombardment of cities.
Inhabited by individuals, for the pur-
2ose of collecting government or indi-
7idual debts is still more wrong and
jarbarous. Commercialism, when TAX
ng it's chance in countries with I'M
stable governments, does so with its
eyes open and generally fixes for itself
/ profit proportionate to the risk, the
chief risk beng indeed these same
political institutions and ir-
local governments. If it
chooses to make for itself that sort Of
/ bed, let it lie in it. When the act
ng president says concerning our
lealings with other nations, "all that
We ask is that they govern themselves
we'll and be prosperous and orderly.
Where this is the case they will find
lelpfulness from us" we answer, that
We are not the guardians of the pros
,erity and domestic order of other peo-
lies and that SO long as they neither
Iirectly, nor indirectly, injure us, nor
~ their conduct drag us into interna-
ional entanglements of their own
reating we have no more to do with
ne internal administration of their
fairs than they have to do with that
( ours.
Eighth-The preservation, insofar
S we can, of an open door for the
worlds commerce in the Orient, with
ut unnecessary entanglements in ORR
ntal and European affairs, and with
ut arbitrary, unlimited, irresponsible
nd absolute government anywhere un-
er the Stars and Stripes, or the juris.
lotion of the Union. We oppose, as
eryently as George Washington him
elf did, an indefinite, irresponsible,
iscretionary absolutism and policy of
olonial exploitation, no matter where
r by whom invoked or exercised we
elieve with Thomas Jefferson and
ohm Adams that no government has
right to make one set of laws for
hose "at home" and another and
ifferent set of laws, absolute in their
haracter for those "in the colonies"
IL men under the American flag are
ntitled to the protection of the insti
ltions whose emblem the flag is; if |
hey are inherently unfit for these in
titutions then they are inherently I'M
( to be members of the American body |
olitic. Wherever there may exist a |
eople incapable of being governed |
nder American laws, in consonance |
18th the American Constitution, the |
srritory of that people ought not to
e part of the American domain. Be-
ewing this, we believe that we ought |
, do ultimately for the Filipinos what |
e have already done for the Cubans.
he example is there; it is a worthy
ne; it constitutes a bright page in
he history Of our country; it tells the /
.ory of American courage, magma
unity ami Justice; the Democracy pro-
1ses to follow that example and it is !
lr intent, as soon as it can be done
isely and safely for the Filipiros
fknw