Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-14

Il
hope that through the influence of the |
United States and the other countries |
at peace, those Republics at war may |
be brought TO a state Of peace. We |
have progressed beyond the time In |
civilization when we can stand up and |
say OF our neighhors that we have no |
interest whether they are at peace or |
at war We are neighbors of the Cen
trail American Republics. We have /
always felt it incumbent upon us to |
help them out of their difficulties. and |
10 intervene and prevent them from |
cutting each others threats. our
enormous interest in Panama only ac- l
centuates the necessity for our taking |
Icare that those countries SO near the |
I1sthmus shall not be the scene of war
fare which might threaten the useful |
lness of the canal For many years IT |
has been our function to intervene here
to protect foreign property. and to use
our good offices To bring about peace. |
| This is the one spot in the civilized
world today where there is more danger
of constant war than any other. We are I
so situated with reference to these five /
| Republics that we are certain to get |
large part of the trade which peace and /
the tranquil development must greatly |
| enlarge. Whether we take formal
steps to give us right to intervene OF /
not we shall have thrust upon us in 1
ialmost every quarter the necessity fol |
intervening. Is Il not better that we |
should step in with due authority an6 |
act with directness and promptness tc |
suppress war than that We should al /
How it to go on because We lack au- |
thority to interfere: and then, at the |
lextremity be called in to use force to |
prevent violation of the rights Of for
eign nations which always occurs at q |
certain point in revolution.
| do not care to discuss the oXac
boundary lines of the Monroe doctrine
! II was announced in a message o
President Monroe. and was really dl
| rccted against the then existing Hol!
| Alliance which il was feared was pro
posed TO assist Spain In the subjuga
| ton of her lost colonies in this hemi
| snherc. They had become republic
| and their independence had been rec
Iognfzed by the United States There
was a reference in the same messag'
to the objection which this country
| had to colonization on this contlnen
by European countries. but it seems
clear that that referred to the settle
ment by Russian eolonists of territor!
claimed by the United States, and tina
| It was not the declaration of Il gen
eral principle that mere colonization
which did not involve the overturning
of established government in this
country was objected to by the United
L.. TIL. ri hoe haen
interpreted to be the policy of the
| limited States in conserving the inter
Tests of all American Republics where
they are liable to possible injury from
without. 1t has been invoked to JUS
fifty our great and sometimes active
Interest in the settlement of contro-
lversics between the countries Of this
hemisphere and the countries Of Eu-
Irope and also the settlement Of all
controversies between the nations OF
this hemisphere. The declarations of
Mr.. Olney at the time of the Nenezue.
Ian difficulty We're emphatic-some
people thought extreme-in reference
to the responsibility which the United
States thereby assumed for the entire
hemisphere, and the rights asserted il
the exercise of that responsibility
Certainly it does not involve any eX
IRENE view Of our friendly relation Il
these Republics 70 stand sponsor fo'
and cooperate with them in securing
such loans as are necessary to enabh
them 10 pay their debts and to ente.
new era of development and pros
perity. We do not guarantee the pay
ment of the loans; we simply aecep
the responsibility of selecting the elias:
! OF persons 30 be appointed receivers OF
taxes, and we undertake to protect
| those receivers in the discharge o
their duties. 1t happens that this a
| titude, without further action on oul
part, enables those countries TO max,
loans on reasonable terms. Now. gen
tlennen, is ii not a good neigiborly &C
ton for us to allow ourselves to be
come involved tn this slight extent il
order to help these struggling sister
Republics Is ii not prudent TO pu
those who are certain to be our gooe
customers in condition where the,
can increase their business and in
crease our trade? Is there not. an oh
| legation higher. than any of these {
prevent the recurrence of wars whicl
have deluged with blood that beautiful
part of the world and have caused un
told misery and unhappiness to hun
F, dreds of thousands of Gods creatures
Having taken this step in SAINT
| Domingo. and having shown how sue
cessful the method is in suppressine
war, in maintaining power, and in Sc
curing prosperity, ought We not to ex
| tend the same assistance to countries
which have an equal right to look t,
us for aid and protection?
| In the promotion of this humane
policy the administration has done its
part The treaties with Honduras anC
Nicara qua have been negotiated ano
contracts for loans under their pro
visions have been tentatively ap
proved. All have been submitted t.
the Senate and are pending there II
is for the Senate to decide whether
this, the most effective step in the
promotion of peace on this continent
shall be taken whether the finances of
these Republics shall pe put on a
sound and stable basis, their citizens