The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-07-22

~ REAT good is looked for by
n the American people and
u none more so than those on
the Pacific Coast. from the
sending Of Secretary Of State
Root TO the third international con-
ference OF the American republics in
no Janiero, which convenes this week.
TIE Secretary has been sent there 10
lend as much Importance as possible to
the affair. He personally believes he Will
meet there the. best men Of the Central
and South American republics. men
who like himself. are interested in
creating better relations between the
United States and the southern repub-
lies.
II by his presence the Secretary of
State can aid in dispeIling some of the
false impressions that exist, can i'm
press upon those people that their in
terests are our interests, and that the
material development of all the coun-
tries on this hemisphere is for the mu-
tual advantage Of nations north and
south Of the isthmus of Panama, he
vain.
Mr. Root does not expect to see any
great results accomplished. because the
establishment Of better relations is a
matter OF slow growth. especially
where suspicion exists on one side, and
an attitude Of superiority and indiffer-
ence on the other. To allay the sus-
picion Of a representative people and
10 show that the supposed indifference
or contempt is not natural. but confined
TO those who belong to an un-American
class Of adventures. is a task worthy
OF a man like Elihu Root who. as Sec
rotary Of War. accomplished much. and
who viii have accomplished more If
~ tears down the barriers between the
United States and her neighbors on the
American continent.
Secretary Root does not expect 20
establish political union Of the
American republics. He knows that is
Impossible and undesirable. Neither
does he intend to spread the wings Of
the Monroe doctrine further: in fact.
this famous doctrine has nothing TO do
with the relation Of the American re-
publics 10 each other, but is purely a
policy Of the United States toward
European governments. The United
States does not send her Secretary OF
State to this conference either to ex-
tend protection or assume a protector
ate over any Of the countries on the
American continent. The United States
does not claim any rights whatever
IN or over any Of these countries. p
necessary Secretary Root would so as
sure the representatives OF the Ameri-
can republics who are accredited to this
country. but they thoroughly under
stand the situation and know that the
only policy involved in the visit Of the
Secretary OF state TO the conference
is that good will and to assist so
far as he can in bringing about
better relations and the mutual ad-
vancement OF all the American States.
He has found that our relations with
South America have been almost exclu
sively Of a political character. The
IAtin-Americsn countries have con-
tinued in close aff1liation with Europe.
This was natural because Of race con-
ditions, business interests, capital
which has been invested by Europe in
those countries and the ties that natu-
rally bind peoples together. The people
Of South America buy their goods in
Europe. When they take a vacation
they go TO Europe They do a large
share OF their banking in Europe, and
nearly everything that establishes in
tercourse between the countries Of one
continent and another exists between
Europe and South America This is
due 70 many causes, principally, how
ever, TO origin, TO language and to the
fast lines OF steamers that have been
established, and also to the fact that
South America has looked TO Europe
for the capital with which TO develop
her resources. T-he South American
countries have been and are today. as
the United States was up to a short
time ago. debtor nations. They had to
borrow money and naturally sought it
where IL could be obtained, which was
in Europe.
The business intercourse between the
United States and these southern re-
publics has amounted TO but very little.
our capital has been used TO develop
our own country. Sure and profitable
investment at home has been more en-
ticfng, and. moreover, IL has been only
in recent years that we, too, have not
sought capital abroad for the develop
nent Of our industries. Americans in
these southern republics have been
chiefly adventures and promoters per-
sons seeking concessions for specula-
tive purposes, and often these conces-
4 SONS prove a source of Irritation and
lead to grave Misunderstanding These
Adventures sometimes foment revolu-
lions. assist malcontents and in other
ways disturb the existing governments.
Many of them promise, or even guaran7
tee the support of the United States
in order to carry out their schemes.
such adventures have naturally pro-
duced q bad impression and the people
there view us IA an unfavorable light.
The conferences that have been held
have done some good, and considerable
has been accomplished through the
Bureau OF American Republics, but
more must be done. 1t is Secretary