Arizona republican., 1905-09-21
PHOENIX ARIZONA, SEPT. 21, 1905.
Weakening the Monroe Doctrine.


 Yesterdays dispatches brought the news that President Reyes of Colon bia has declared himself dictator of that republic" and that cOinciden- tally with the announcement a revolu- tion had broken out. The chronie state of nisruIe that exists in most of the Latin nations of America is rap idly tending to cool the interest that the average citizen of the United States may have in the Monroe doe Urine.
 Only a few days ago Nicaragua gave evidence of it's unftness to be classed with the civilized nations. The story is told by the Hartford Courant. The substance of the story is that an American corporation, having secured the necessary rights in that country, had produced a fine crop of tobacco. One day last March a body of armed men appeared at the place, the men being under the command of Nica- raEuan army officer, and made a de- mand for this tobacco in 'the name of of the government tobacco syndicate. The American agent in charge-one William c. AIbers of Philadelphia met this demand with the answer that he had no contraband tobacco; that he had complied with every legal for mality required in Nicaragua and held the evidences of this compliance. The tobacco thus being the absolute prop crtv of his employers. under the rules and regulations of the locality, the American agent furthermore promised to shoot the first man who undertook to carry the tobacco away-the under standing of course being that the shooting would be a continuous per formance as long as the circumstances required it and permitted it. It may have happened also that the agent also made side remarks about the manner of maintaining property rights in Nicaragua, as illustrated by his own experience; but these no doubt were overlooked by the recording angel, even if later they did serve the covet- orz objects of the Nicaraguan author ities.
 There was no shooting. however. and finally the agent permitted the officer 10 inspect the tobacco and run through the papers that proved none of it to be contraband. Was this the end of the matter? Not bit of it. A new decree was straightway promulgated at Managua, the capital of this en- terprising little state, fOrbidding any one to hold tobacco in stock, without a permit. upon pain of coaiscaion- The rest was easy. When permits were applied for the Niclra guan gov ernment refused to issue them. Under this condition of affairs it seems to have been inferred by the American growers of tobacco in Nicaragua that the government really had a desire 70 obtain their years product, and accordingly they aIl-with the excep- ton of this particular obstinate Phil adelphian-sold their crops to the gov emment agency. It was then that those side remarks made earlier by MT. AIbers proved to be Opportune for the government of Nicaragua.
 Warrants were got out, in due le- gal form, for his arrest, on the charge of resistance to authority and ''vio- lent" abuse of the executive, and he, and his brother, too, were taken into custody, and have been held for months. pending the decision of one of those automatic little courts that are kept by such states for such Oc- casions Now the gunbOat Princeton and William L. Merry, our minister, are going to see what can be done about it aU