New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-08-02
AMERICA WITH THE WORLD.

There is probably no feature of Secretary
Roots wholly admirable address to the Pan
American Congress at Rio Janeiro which will
appeal with suggestion and inspiration to the
thoughtful mind more strongly than will his
reference to the potential place of America at
the next worlds conference at The Hague. At
the first conference at The Hague it will be
recalled. only two American states-Mexico and
the United States-were represented, among
four Asiatic and twenty European powers
Consequently. and not unnaturally, there was
a certain inclination on the part of some TO ig-
more the existence, or at least the equal SOW
eregnty, of the other American states, and
there has since been a disposition the part
of some of the American states, or at least Of
their statesmen TO ignore Europe in return.
But at the next Hague conference. said Mr.
Root. with profound significance, "fOr the first
time the recognized possessors of every foot
"Of soil on the American Continent can be rep
resented with acknowledged rights as equal
sovereign states" That is entirely true. and
its truth is emphasized by the circumstance that
the second Hague conference has been post
pOned expressly in order not TO interfere with
this Pan-American Congress and in order to
permit and facilitate the fullest possible Ameri-
can representation.
In all this there is dual significance of the
highest interest. The first part of it was tersely
"be the formal and final acceptance of the dec
"aration that part of the American CONT
'nent is to be deemed subject to colonization
The logic of that is irrefutable and convincing.
Tie very power which eighty years ago took
the lead in the Holy Alliance for the result
jugatiOn of the American states now takes the
lead in recognizing those states one and all,
as equal sovereign powers. members of the
International House of Peers From Mexico to
ApOo 70,
are welcomed by Russia as her equal in indie
pendent sovereignty. We do not know that a
more impressive and gratifying vindcatiOn OF
the Monroe Doctrine could be desired or con-
ceived.
Nor is the second part of the significance of
these things less important. If the American
States-and we count the United States among
them without discrimination just as Mr.. Root
did--are thus recognized by the rest of the
world, 1t is incumbent upon them to recognize
the rest of the world in return. They are under
Il moral and logical obligation to comport them
selves not only American states. hut also as
members OF the worldwide community of SOW
ereiSn powers. The time is past when Euro
pean powers might consider the American Con-
tinent subject to colonization. The time is
equally past when American states might scOrn-
fully demand. What do we care for 'abroad'?'
America must care for abroad" since it ex-
poets and demands that abroad" shall care for
it. We may have here whatever Pan-American
or intTa-A American arrangements we please, so
| far as purely inter-American relations are con
cerned, and they are none of the business Of
the rest OF the world. just as Europe may have
whatever arrangements ana alliances it pleases
to preserve its concert and its balance of
power which are none of our business But in
the wider and higher affairs which involve
world wide relationships America must give
due consideration to European rights and inter-
ests. Just as it requires that Europe shall have
regard for American rights and interests
There is nothing more true than what Mr.
Root systematically repeated aud re-empla-
sized. that NO nation can live unto itself
alone and continue TO live" If it tries to do
SO. it inevitably puts itself into Lord Snlishury's
category of dying nations The growth of
each nation is Il part of the development of
axe race" and that nation grows most which
most fully and tremendously Identifies itself
with the development Of the race. The need
of commercial and social intercourse among na-
tiOns is universally recognized. and it is rec
ognized, 100. that such intercourse TO he profit
able must be mutually agreeable. No less nee
essary is it to maintain mutually agreeable
political intercourse, in harmonious compliance
with those principles Of ethics and interna-
tiOnaI equity which the common sense of most
prescribes as essential to the general welfare
Once il seemed TO be America against the world
Now ii is America with the word.