The river press., 1909-12-15


doctrine as it exists nor any other doc
trine Of American policy should
permitted to operate for the perpetus
tion Of irresponsible government th
escape Of just obligations or the insidi
GUS allegation Of dominating ambition
on the part of the United States.
My meeting with President Diax an,
the greeting exchanged on both Amer
lean and Mexican soil served, l hope
to signalize the close and cordial rela
tions which so well bind together thi
republic and the great republic imme
diately to the south, between which
there is so vast network of materia
interests.
l am happy to say that all but on,
Of the cases which for so long vexei
our relations with Venezuela have
been settled within the past few
months and that, under the enlight
ened regime now directing the govern
ment Of Venezuela. provision has beer
made for arbitration of the remaining
case before The Hague tribunal.
On July 30, 1909, the government Of
Panama agreed, after considerable ne.
gotiation. to indemnify the relatives OF
the American officers and sailors who
were brutally treated. one of them
having. indeed, been killed by the
Panaman police this year.
This government was obliged to in.
tervene automatically to bring about
arbitration or settlement Of the claim
Of the Emery company against Mica
ragua, which it had long before been
agreed should be arbitrated. A settle
ment of this troublesome case was
reached by the signature of a protocol
on Sept. 1S, 1909.
Many years ago diplomatic interven-
ton became necessary to the protec-
ton Of the interests In the American
claim Of Alsop & Co. against the
government of Chile. The govern.
ment of Chile had frequently admitted
obligation in the case and had prom
lsed this government to settle it. There
had been two abortive attempts to do
30 through arbitral commissions, which
failed through lack Of jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result of the re-
cent diplomatic negotiations, the gov
ernments of the United States and of
Chile, actuated by the sincere desire
10 free from any strain those cordial
md friendly relations upon which both
yet such store, have agreed by proto-
:ol to submit the controversy to defin-
tive settlement by his Britannia majes-
y Edward VII.
The Niearasuan Trouble.
Since the Washington conventions Of
0O7 were communicated to the gov
of the United States as con-
ulting and advising party this gov
has been almost continuously
allied upon by one or another and in
urn by all Of the five Central Amer
can republics to exert itself for the
of the conventions. Near
Y every complaint has been against
he Zelaya government Of Nicaragua.
which has kept Central America in
tension or turmoil The re-
ponses made to the representations of
central American republics as due
rom the United States on account of
IS relation to the Washington conven-
Ions have been at all times conserva-
i've and have avoided, so far as possi-
lie, any semblance Of interference, al
hough it is very apparent that the
considerations of geographic proximity
the canal zone and of the very sub
tantial American interests in Central
AMERICA give to the United States a
pecial position in the zone of these
epublics and the Caribbean sea.
/ need not rehearse here the patient
forts Of this government to promote
eace and welfare among these re-
ublics, efforts which are fully appre-
lated by the majority Of them who
re loyal to their true interests. 1t
7ould be no less unnecessary to re-
earse here the sad tale of unspeak-
BILE barbarities and oppression alleged
have been committed by the Zelaya
overnment. Recently two Americans
'ere put to death by order Of Presi-
ent Zelaya himself. They were off,
ers in the organized forces of a rev.
luton which had continued many
'eeks and was in control of about
alf OF the republic, and as such, ac-
ording to the modern enlightened
ractice Of civilized nations, they were
ntitled to be dealt with as prisoners
t war.
At the date when this message is
rinted this government has termi-
ated diplomatic relations with the
elaya government for reasons made
ublic in communication to the for
Ter Nicaraguan charge d'affaires and
intending to take such future steps
. may be found most consistent with |
8 dignity. its duty to American in
'rests and it's moral obligations to
entral America and to civilization. 1t
lay later be necessary for me to bring
lis subject to the attention of the
'ngress in special message.
In the Far East.
In the far east this government pre-
'rves unchanged its policy of support
lg the principle Of equality of oppor