Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-12-04


deemed that by the acceptance Of these
invitations we might appropriately ex-
press the real respect and friendship
in which we hold our sister republics
of the southern continent, and the sec
rotary accordingly visited Brazil, Uru-
quay, Argentina, Chile, Peru. Panama
and Colombia. He refrained from
visiting Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecua-
dor only because the distance of their
capitals from the seaboard made IL I'm
practicable with the time at his dis
| posal He carried with him a message
| of peace and friendship and OF strong
desire for good understanding and mu-
tual helpfulness. and he was every
where received in the spirit Of his
message. The members OF the govern
ment, the press, the learned professions.
the men of business and the great
masses Of the people united every
where in emphatic response 20 his
friendly expressions and In doing hon.
or to the country and cause which he
represented.
In many parts OF South America
there has been much misunderstood
| ing Of the attitude and purposes OF the
United States toward the other Ameri-
| can republics. An idea had become
| prevalent that our assertion OF the
| Monroe doctrine implied or carried
with 1t 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 further 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 apparently 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 against 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 to com
mon prosperity and n common growth
that we may all become greater and
stronger together.
."Within a few months For the first
time the recognized possessors OF ev-
cry foot of soil upon the American con-
tinents can be and l hope will be rep
resented 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 full performance Of the duty 10
which that accepted declara-
ton implies. so that in time the weak
est and most unfortunate of our repub-
lies may come 10 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 maintaining and making
effective an all American public opin-
lon whose power shall influence inter
national conduct and prevent interna-
tional wrong and narrow the causes of
war and forever preserve our free
lands from the burden of such arma-
ments as are massed behind the from
tiers OF Europe and bring us ever
nearer to the perfection of ordered lib
erty So shall come security and pros
perity. production and trade. wealth.
learning, the arts and happiness for us
ALL"
The Monroe Doctrine.
These words appear to have been re-
ceived with acclaim in every part of
South America. They have my hearty
approval, as / 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
can people. l 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
-inguished former minister Of foreign
affairs Of Argentina. DIR. Drago. In his
speech welcoming Mr.. Root at Buenos
Ayres. He spoke Of
1.-The traditional policy OF the United
States (Which without accentuating
or seeking preponderance
the oppression OF the ma