Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-08-12

derstood that under no circumstances
vii. the United States use the Monroe
Doctrine as a cloak for territorial az
eression. Should any Of our neigh.
pors. no matter how turbulent, how
disregardful of our rights, finally get
into such position that the utmost
limits of our forbearance are reached,
all the people south Of us may rest as.
sured that no action will ever be taken
save what is absolutely demanded by
our self-respect; that this action Will
not take the form Of territorial ag-
grandizement on our part, and that It
will only be taken at all with the most
extreme reluctance and not without
having exhausted every effort to avert
, 1t.
! As to the second point, II republic
Ito the south of us commits tort
against foreign nation. such, for
instance. as wrongful action against
/ the persons of citizens Of that nation,
ithen the Monroe Doctrine does not
force us to interfere to prevent pun
,ishment of the tort, save to see that
the punishment does not directly or
indirectly assume the form Of terri
torial occupation Of the offending
country The case is more difficult
when the trouble comes from the fail
Iure to meet contractual obligations.
Our own government has always re-
fused to enforce such cOntractual Obli-
cations on behalf of its citizens by
the appeal to arms. It Is much to be
would take the same view. But at
present this country would certainly
not be willing to 60 to war to prevent
a foreign government from collecting
a just debt or to back up some one OF
Iour sister republics in refusal to
Ipay Just debts; and the alternative
may in any case prove to be that we
shall ourselves undertake to bring
about some arrangement by which sc
much as is possible of the just oblisa
ltions shall be paid. Personally
should always prefer to see this coun
try step in and put through such ar
, arrangemet rather than let any for
eign county undertake 1t.
I do not want to see any foreigl
power take possession permanently o
temporarily of the custom houses o
an American republic in order to en-
, force its obligations, and the alterna
tive may at any time be that we shal
be forced to do so ourselves.
t Finally, and what is in my view
r really the most important thing OF al
: it is our duty, so far as we are able
to try to help upward our weake
, brothers. Just as there has been
) gradual growth of the ethical elemer
[ in the relations of one individual
s another, so that with all the faults
: onr Christian civilization 1t yet r
J. mains true that we are, no matter no
q slowly, more and more coming to re-
:, ognize the duty of bearing one anotl
' er's burdens similarly / believe ths
), the ethical element is by degrees O.
d tering into the dealings of one natio
with another.
t Under strain of emotion caused /
h sudden disaster this feeling Is ver
n evident. A famine or a plague in or
r. country brings much sympathy an
e some assistance from other countrie
" Moreover. we are now beginning
It recognize that weaker peoples have
n claim upon us. even when the a
If peal is made. not to our emotions
e. some sudden calamity. but to our co
y sciences by a long continuing cont
r, tion OF affairs.
n do not mean to say that natiol
n. have more than begun to approa'
is the proper relationship one to anotht
lg and I fully recognize the folly OF pI
le ceeding upon the assumption that tn
er Ideal condition can now be realized
d. lfull-for, in order to proceed up'
is such an assumption. we would fiji
Id require some method Of forcing ]
e. calcitrant nations to do their du'
b. as well of seeing that they are p
,h tected in their rights.
ld In the interest Of justice. 1t is
IN necessary to exercise the police pow
lis as to show charity and helpful gen
ID Iosity. But something can even now
In done toward the end in view. I'll