Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04

countries of South America to visit them
as the guest of their Governments II was
deemed that by the acceptance or tnese IN
vitations we might appropriately express
she real respect and friendship in which
Ae hold our sister Republics of the south
ern continent. and the Secretary accord
fngly. visited Brazil. Uruguay. Argentina,
Chile, Peru. Panama, and COLOMBIA he
refrained from visiting Paraguay, BOLIVIA,
and Ecuador only because the distance OF
their capitals from the sea board MADE II
fmpractcable with the time at his dis
posal. He carried with him a message or
peace and friendship, and of strong oes,re
for good understanding and mutual heip,
fulness: and he was everywhere received
In the spirit of his message. The members
of government the press, the learned pro.
LESSONS, the men of business. and the great
masses of the people united everywhere IN
emphatic response to his friendly express
sions and in doing honor to the country
and cause which he represented.
In many parts of South America there
has been much misunderstanding OF the
attitude and purposes of the United states
toward the other American Republics. An
idea had become prevalent that our asser-
ton of the Monroe Doctrine implied, or
carried with it, an assumption OF superior
fly. and of right to exercise some kino OF
protectorate over the countries to whose
territory that doctrine applies Nothing
could be farther from the truth. Yet that
impression continued to be a serious bar
rier to good understanding. to friendly IN
tercourse, to the introduction of American
capital and the extension of American
trade. The impression was 50 widespread
that apparently 1t could not be reached ~
any ordinary means.
Secretary Roots Mission.
1t was part of Secretary Roots mission
to dispel this unfounded impression, and
there is just cause to believe that he has
succeeded. In an address to the third con-
ference at Rio on the 31st of July-an ad-
hot In n
gether with this message-he said:
We wish for no victories but those OF
peace; for no territory except our own;
for no sovereignty except the sovereignty
over ourselves. We deem the ndepend-
ence and equal rights of the smallest and
weakest member of the family of nations
entitled to as much respect lnose of the
greatest empire, and we deem the observ-
aHce OF that respect the chief guaranty of
the weak against the oppression of the
81 strong. We neither claim desire any
rights or privileges powers that we do
not freely concede to every American Re-
public. We wish to increase our prosperity,
to extend our trade, to grow in wealth,
In wisdom. and in spirit but our concep-
ton of the true way to accomplish this is
not to pull down others and profit by their
ruin, but to help all friends to a common
prosperity and a common growth that we
may all become greater and stronger to-
gether Within a few months for the first
time the recognized possessors of every DOT
of soil upon the American continents can
be and / hope will be represented with
the acknowledged rights of equal sovereign
states in the great World Congress at The
Hague This will be the worlds. formal and
final acceptance of the declaration that no
part of the American continents is to be
deemed subject to colonization. Let us
pledge ourselves to aid each other in the
ftt1l f.rrDn of la dur init
which that accepted declaration implies.
that in time the weakest and most unfortu-
nate of our Republics may come to march
with equal step by the side of the stronger
and more fortunate. Let us help each
other to show that for all the races of
men the liberty for which We have fought
and labored Is the twin sister of justice and
peace. Let us unite in creating and MAIN
tanning and making effective an all-Ameri-
can public opinion, whose power shall in
fluence International conduct and prevent
international wrong, and narrow the causes
of war, and forever preserve our free lands
from the burden of such ornaments as are
massed behind the frontiers of Europe. and
bring us ever nearer to the perfection of
ordered liberty. So shall come security
and prosperity, production and trade
wealth, learning, the arts, and happiness
for us all
These words appear to have been received
with acclaim in every part of South Amer
lea. They have my hearty approval, as l
sure they will have yours, and l can
not be wrong in the conviction that they
correctly represent the sentiments of the
whole American people. l can not better
characterize the true attitude of the United
States in its assertion of the Monroe Doc
trine than in the words of the distinguished
former minister of foreign affairs of Ar
gentina,<Doctor Drago, in his speech well
coming Mr.. Root at Buenos Ayres. He
spoke Of
THE traditional policy of the United
States (which without accentuating su-
Arfr inO u
demned the oppression of the nations of
this part of the world and the control of
their destinies by the great Powers of
Europe"
1t is gratifying to know that in the great
city of Buenos Ayres, upon the arches
which spanned the streets. entwined with
Argentine and American flags for the re-
ception of our representative. there were
emblaZoned not only the names of WASH
ington and Jefferson and Marshall, but
also, in appreciative recognition of their
services to the cause of South American
independence, the names of James Monroe,
John Quincy Adams. Henry Clay, and
Richard Rush. we take especial pleasure
In the graceful courtesy of the govern
ment of Brazil which has given to the
beautiful and stately building first used for
the meeting of the conference the name of
'Palacio Monroe" Our grateful acknowl-
Judgements are due to the Governments
and the people of all the countries visited
by the Secretary of State for the courtesy
the friendship. and the honor shown TO
our country in their generous hospitality
TO him.
In my message to you on the 9Th of De-
cember, 1899 | called your attention to
the embarrassment that might be caused to
this Government by the assertion by for
egn nations of the right to collect by force
OF arms contract debts due by American
republics to citizens of the collecting ma
zion. and to the danger that the process of
compulsory collection might result in the
occupation of territory tending to become
permanent. l then said:
our own Government has always re-
fused 10 enforce such contractual obga-
lions on behalf of its citizens by an appeal
10 arms. 1t is much to be wisht that all
foreign governments would take the same
view
This subject was of the topics of
consideration at the conference at Rio and
u resolution was adopted by that confer
euce recommending to the respective gov
ernments represented Ito consider the ad-
Visibility of asking the Second Peace Con-
ference at The Hague to examine the uues-
ton of the compulsory collection of public
debts, and in general. means tending to
diminish among nations conflicts of purely
pecuniary origin"
This resolution was supported by the rep
resentatives of the United States in accord
ance with the following instructions:
1t has long been the established policy
OF the United States not to use its armed