The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-06
The President and the Monroe Doc
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A considerable section OF the Presi-
dents message is devoted TO an expo
sition of the purpose Of Secretary RooT's
mission to the South American repub-
lies, and TO an explanation Of the curse
pursued at the Rio de Janeiro Confer
ence with reference to submitting the
expediency Of allowing the forcible col
lection OF contract debts to the second
Peace Congress which is to be held at
The Hague. Nothing could be mor
explicit than the declaration of our
Executives intention to deal with neigh
boring commemorative on a footing Of
perfect equality, and it is equally clear
that our Federal Government has ac-
cepted, frankly and without qualifca-
ton, the Drago Doctrine.
Although the President does not men,
ton the fact, it is undoubtedly true that
the countenanoe given by us to the Sc
cession of the State Of Panama from the
Colombian Confederation, and the inter
position of our Government between the
Dominican Republic and its foreign
creditors-however justifiable may have
been our motives in each ~case-excited
some misgiving on the part Of Latin
Americans with regard to the extent Of
the right of supervision and control
which we might be disposed to arrOgate.
II was the aim Of Mr.. RooT's mission to
dispel the impression that our interpre-
tation Of the Monroe Doctrine carried
with it an assumption OF superiority, or
the assertion Of a right to exercise some
kind Of protectorate owe the countries
to whose territory the doctrine applied.
Nothing, says Mr.. ROOSEVELT, could be
further from the truth than this impress
sion, and he records with satisfaction
the belief that Mr.. Roof has put an end
to it. The President quotes and makes
his own the assurance given by the
Secretary Of State to the Rio de Janeiro
Conference, that we wish for no territory
except our own, and for no sovereignty
except the sovereignty over ourselves,
and that we neither claim nor desire
any rights, privileges or powers that We
do not freely concede to every other
American republic. Mr.. ROOSEVELT also
quotes az defining correctly the attitude
OF the United States in it's assertion OF
the Monroe Doctrine the statement made
by DR.. DRAGo, formerly Minister of For
eign Affairs in Argentina. DIR. DRAGo's
words were (the italics are ours): The
traditional policy Of the United States,
without accentudtin0 superiority or seek
in1 preponderdnce, condemned the OPP
preston Of the nations Of this part Of the
world and the control of their destinies
by the great Powers Of Europe
The President reafirms and empha-
sizes the acceptance OF the Drago Doc
trine which was indicated in his last an
nual message. On December 5, 1905, he
called the attention OF Congress to the
embarrassment that might be caused to
this Government through the assertion
by foreign nations of a right to collect by
force Of arms contract debts due by
American republics to citizens of the col
lecting nation, and the danger that the
process Of compulsory collection might
result in an occupation Of territory tend
ing to become permanent. He also
pointed out at the date named that our
own Government has always refused to
enforce ~contractual obligations on behalf
of its citizens by an appeal to arms, and
he expressed an earnest wish that all
foreign Governments would pursue a
similar course. At the same time tho
President recognized, as he showed in the
instructions given to u delegates at
Rio de Janeiro, that the non-payment OF
public debts might be accompanied by
such circumstances Of fraud and wrong
doing or violation of treaties as to justify
the Use OF force.
What he hopes to see, therefore, is an
International consideration of the sub
iect which shall discriminate between
cases involving tort and the simple nom
performance of a contract with a private
person, such discrimination to be fol-
lowed by a resolution in favor Of a reli-
ance upon peaceful mean in cases of the
latter class. The President explains why
IL seemed inexpedient that the Confer
ence at Rio should undertake to make
such a discrimination, or put forth such
a resolution. As most American repub-
llCb are lnuoOVcu 10 CIcNlIJOIS,
an affirmation OF the Drago Doctrine by
the Rio Conference would look like the
assumption by debtors of a right to tell
creditors how they should act. Such
a performance would be likely to excite
derision rather than respect. The proper
tribunal for the determination of such a
question would obviously be the next
peace conference at The Hague, wherein
the creditor nations Of Europe. a we'll