The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-01-10

! IN commenting on report form Mon
treal, Canada that Japan is about to ac-
quire from France the island Of St
Pierre Miquelan, the New Orleans
States says:
There is probably no foundation in
fact for the sensational story that comes
| from Montreal to the effect that France
has disposed of the island of Pierre
Alquelan, near the Newfoundland coast.
to Japan and that a formidable comb-
nation has been formed i'll Europe to back
up Japan in the attempt to defy and
overthrow the Monroe Doctrine For
several reasons the story is SO improb-
able as to suggest the theory that it is
the product of some mind surcharged
with sensation and chiefly desirouS OF
creating newspaper talk
| In the first place Japan is i'll no CON
dltiOn at the present thine to enter upon
a war even with nation far less for
midable than the United States The re-
Mobilization of her shattered financial re
sources is taxing all the energies of the
Mikado and his advisors ] ust at the pres
ent time, and the successful solution of
| that problem will quite occupy the atten-
ton of the Japanese statesmen for som
years to come. Nor is the Japanese navy
Iin such condition at present to cope with
any great naval power, fact that would
make the acquisition Of this distant
island an abSurdity on her part
The Monroe ,ctrine is not particu-
larly popular among the land grabbing
nations of Europe. it is true. but th'
time is not propitious now for any Of
them. or even all Of them combined, tc
make an assault upon it. At the presen
time France has her hands full with he
troubles with the Vatican, while similar
troubles are beginning to brew in Spain
Neither of these nations would ever
think Of entering upon a great war witt
: a foreign nation as a mere matter OF
spite and revenge, with these grave in
tcrnal troubles unsettled. Also in Ger
many the government is in the throes OF
4 great fight against the rapidly growing
socialists, and with the powrful clerical
party Evidently the Emperor ha'
troubles OF his own more serious far
than any question that can arise out Of
the Monroe Doctrine on this hemi
sphere.
Italy, which is represented as being
enthusiastically in favor of the combina
ton out Of motives Of revenge for the
killing OF certain Italians i'll New Or
leans some years since, is probably not
so enthusiastic. and certainly not so for
midable as she is represented to be :,
Austria-Hungary,w with her Heterogeneous
peoeples always ready to clutch at the
throat of the government on the slightest
provocation, would not seriously consid-
er entering into a sentimental coalition
| to make war upon this or any other ma
ton. As for England, whatever the
terms of her treaty with Japan might
be. there are few either here or i'll Eng
| land who believe that her people would
consent to assist Japan in a war against
this country.
The whole story is so absurdly im-
probable, so palpably an attempt to unity
that which in its nature is incapable OF
being brought together, as scarcely tc
merit any consideration whatever. II
would certainly require something vastly
more important than the mere gratltlca-
ton of Japan's revenge to bring together
the. nations of Europe in an effort to
chastise the United States. We are ac-
customed to hear startling threats OF
wars and runors of wars when the Re
/ publicans are striving to build UP sen
timent in favor of extravagant approprl-
ations for naval purposes; but the bun
Cling artist who got up this one sur
passer himself and made the whole thing
absurd by the wild and daring flight O.
his fancy.
1t is perhaps needless to say that a
this late day. that the Monroe Doctrine
has been maintained and enforced By
this country when Europe was muci
more violently opposed to it than she I
at present. and when the government
was much weaker and less able to defent
it than now. That she would abandon i
now, whatever the pressure might be, /
uncomfortable The principle was recog
nized by The Hague convention only
year or two ago, and Europe. being de
pendent upon this country for a yer,
large proportion of its food and clothinl
supplies, besides being torn by distrus
and jealousies among the several govern
ments, and with the spirit OF rampan
democracy even now causing several
Ethe thrones to totter upon their founda