The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-06-08
A Necessary Reservation.

Sir Edward Grey. the British foreign
secretary, speaking in London a few
days ago at dinner given by the Pill
grim's Society, showed a clear under
standing of what, and all, the Monroe
doctrine is. He defined it as mean
ing that no European nation could ac-
quire more territory on the American
Continent, and added, our policy is in
full accord with that doctrine. These
words may be taken in all sincerity as
expressing not only the opinion and
policy OF the present ministry, but the
permanent official policy of the British
Empire. It would not be easy to
think of reason why Great Britain
should want any larger territorial pos
sessions on this continen than she has
already.
We wish that this clear understand
ing of what the doctrine is, and all it
is, could be found outside as well as in
side official circles at London. It is
not long since one of the leading re-
fiectors of English opinion, printed
there, advanced the notion that the
protectorate of the United States over
weaker republics on this side of the
water involves financial responsible
for their debts, or, at least, the moral
responsibility of compelling them to
pay foreign creditors with claims their
own governments would be willing to
enforce if they had the chance. This
is strange delusion, and altogether
unaccuuntable, stree it is not SO long
ago that the modus operandi in such
cases was made plain. British credit
ors, with claims against the govern
ment of Nicaragua which the Nicar-
aqua Government refused to pay, ap-
peale to London. The British Gov
eminent was willing to act, but the
Nicaraguans having appealed to Wash
ington, nothing was done until Wash
ington was heard from. What Wash
ington did finally was to notify the
Micaraguans that they owned the mon
ey and that they could not look to this
country to make an effort to prevent
its collection. Thereupon British
vrssels were ordered to Corinto, where
they landed marines and seized the
the Corinto Custom House, the revenue
of which were collected by British
officials until the amount due the cred
itors cad been realized. Then the |
British ships and marines sailed away
and the incident was closed.
It is presumed that we are conced-
ing nothing, in the pending arbitra
ton treaty, which would substitute for
his sensible way of settling such things
1 possibility that this government might
lnder the terms of an arbitrator's de-
.iston, be made to serve as bill col
ector, or become, in any way, fiDan-
:ia surety for any Latin-American deb
or government, because of our policy
If protecting their territorial integrity.
The, Monroe doctrine should in no
way be submitted to the arbitration of
lnybody as to its scope, or the duties,
obligations or responsibilities it places
lpon US. The doctrine in itself is SO
lear and explicit easily understandable
hat no arbitration ever will be needed
o tell what it means and what it does
lot mean. Sir Edward Grey has the
um and substance of it in letrer and
pirit. Care should be taken, and, if
lacessary, reservation made, to keep it ,
,ut of any arbitration court called to
lefine its meaning and purpose. or our /,
obligations under il. Globe Democrat. ,