The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-12-05

try 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 Amer
lean republics. An idea had become
prevalent that our assertion of the
Monroe doctrine implied, or carried
with it, an assumption OF superiority,
and Of a right to exercise some kind
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 barrier to good under
standing, to friendly intercourse, to the
Introduction of American capital and
the extension of American trade. The
impression was so widespread that APP
parently it could not be reached by any
ordinary means.
1t was part of Secretary Roots mis-
sion to dispel this unfounded impress
sion, and there is just cause to believe
that he has succeeded. In an address
to the third conference at Rio on the
31st of July-an address of such note
that send it in, together with this
message-he said:
I'VE 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 independence and equal rights of
| the smallest and weakest member of
the family of nations entitled to as
much respect as those of the greatest
empire, and we deem the observance of
that respect the chief guaranty of the
weak aatnst the oppression Of the
strong. we neither claim nor desire
any rights or privileges or powers that
we do not freely concede to every
American republic. We wish to in
crease our prosperity, to extend our
trade, to grow in wealth. in wisdom
and in spirit, but our conception Of the
true way to accomplish this is not to
pull down others and profit by their
ruin, but to help all friends 10 a COM
mon prosperity and a common growth,
that we may all become greater and
stronger together. Within, a. few
months for the first time the recog-
nfzed possessors Of every foot Of soil
upon the American continents can be,
and | hope will be, represented with
| the acknowledged rights Of equal SOW
ereign states in the great world con-
gress 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 full
performance Of the duty to humanity
which that accepted declaration inn
plies, so that in time the weakest and
most unfortunate of our republics may
come to march with equal step by the
side Of the stronger and more fortu
nate Let us help each other to show
that for all the races Of men the lib
| erty for which we have fought and IA
bored is the twin sister Of justice and
peace. Let us unite in creating and
maintaining and making effective an
all-American public opinion, whose
power shall influence International con-
duct 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 perfec-
ton 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 re-
ceived with acclaim in every part of
South America. They have my hearty
approval, as 1 am sure they will have
yours. and l cannot be wrong in the
conviction that they correctly repre-
sent the sentiments Of the whole Amer
lean people. / cannot better charac-
terize the true attitude of the United
States in it's assertion of the Monroe
doctrine than in the words Of the dis
tinguished former minister of foreign
affairs of Argentina, Doctor Drago, in
his speech welcoming Mr.. Root at
Buenos Ayres. He spoke Of
'The traditional policy of the United
States (Which without accentuating
superiority or seeking preponderance,
condemned the oppression of the ma
tions 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, en-
twined with Argentine and American
flags for the reception Of our repre-
sentative, there were emblazoned not
only the names of Washington and
Jefferson and Marshall but also, in APP
preeiative recognition of their services
to the cause Of South American indie
| pendence. the names of James Monroe,
| John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay and
lRichard Rush. We take especial pleas
ure in the graceful courtesy of the gov
| eminent 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 Acknowledgements are due to
the governments and the people of all
the countries visited by the secretary
of state for the courtesy, the friend
ship and the honor shown to our coun-
try in their generous hospitality TO
him.
In my message to you on the 9Th of
December. 1905, I called your attention
to the embarrassment that might be
caused to this government by the as
sertion by foreign nations of the right
to collect by force of arms contract
debts due by American republics to cit
liens of the collecting nation, and to