The Washington times., 1911-05-29
Has Passed Through Its
Severest Tests and Out
look Is Bright.
MENACING STRAIN
FELT LAST DECADE
Task of Clearing Up Latin-Ameri-
can Conditions Appears
Much Easier.
By JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.

By JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.
The Monroe doctrine has passed
through the epoch of its severest test.
From this time forth, If events verify
the expectation of diplomacy, the Wash
tngton Government will have decreasing
embarrassment and complications in
connection with the maintenance of au-
tonomy and the exclusion of European
interference from the minor republics
of South America and Central America.
The last decade has subjected this
doctrine to its most menaoing strain,
save only that which was imposed in
the era of Latin-American revolts
against the domination of Spain and
Portugal. Venezuela, Colombia. Brazil.
Santo Domingo and different Central
American states have at different times
been the centers of anxious interest at
the washington foreign Office, because
OF tumultuous internal conditions,
threats of foreign Intervention, or both.
With the departure of Diaz from Mexi-
CO and the establishment of a new re-
glme that is expected to maintain order
and meet all International obligations,
the task of cleaning up Latin-American
conditions is nearer satisfactory conclu-
sion that ever before. Relations with
the United States are more frank and
confidence in this countrys good will
IS deeper than ever before.
Conditions Good.
Beyond all this, however, is the big
fact that the smaller republics to the
south are generally in good financial
condition, comparatively free from
danger of entanglements with Europe,
and at peace among themselves. Great
progress has been made toward definite
establishment of boundaries that form
the time Of the revolutionary era in the
early part Of the last century have been
more or less vague.
Financial reorganization has been made
possible in several of the lesser coun-
tries, in such manner as to lift them
out Of the slough of imminent bank
ruptcy and give them a fair chance to
maintain themselves hereafter. Self
seeking usurpers have been discarded
and driven from power in half the coun-
tries; and, under the quiet but firm lead
ership and direction of the Washington
Government, affairs have been placed on
Q new and much more substantial basis
German Specter.
Reviewing the events of recent years,
Il is striking. showing Of progress to-
ward stable, enlightened conditions.
Only a few years ago the specter of
threatened German aggression in Brazil
was held constantly before the Amer
lean public. Germany was seeking
everywhere for opportunities of colon
ial and trade expansion. She had
rapidly accumulated great business in
terests in Brazil, and was cOlonizing
some of the southern provinces with
zeal that not unnaturally aroused con-
Germ. Today such fears look like bogies
and scarecrows. Whatever designs Ger
many may ever have had against Brazil
and probably these were much e&ag-
gerated in heated Interchangeable de-
Velopnent Of the American navy since
the Spanish-American war, together
with the firm policy of Roosevelt. the
and the rapid improvement of condi-
tions in the more important South Amer
lean countries, served to lay the speCter
of German interference.
There was another era, vet more re-
cent, when alarmists were wont to
worry about japanese aggressions on
the west coast of South America. There
were ghost stories of q pact between
Chile ami Japan, Just as iatterly there
have been old wives tales Of secret
dealings between Mexico and Jaran,
looking to the disadvantage of Amer
lean interests and the menace of its
military security. Those stories like
wise have boon forgotten. The Alsop
claim and some other matters of differ
ence between the United States and
Chile have been settled or put in the
way Of settlement in such manner as
to lessen greatly the possibility Of
future friction.
Boundary Quarrel.
Venezuela for half a century threat
ened the embodiment of this country
and Great Britain. The crisis of that
long boundary quarrel was reached
when Grover Cleveland made his his
toric reiteraticn and revivifcation of
the Monroe proposition. 1t brought the
two countries to the verge of war, but
il also brought an adjustment which
made war between them, at any proxi-
Latin America knows now that, on the
one hand. the Erited States does not
intend to conquer and exploit 1t.
ON the other hand. it fully under
stands that this country will not at
tempt to protect any American repub-
lie from the obligation to pay its debts
and maintain a decent, orderly relation
to the rest of the family of nations.
This is the great, valuable lesson that
has been impressed deeply in the period
since the Venezuelan incident under
Cleveland.
When the South and Central Amer
lean countries, under the lead of Boil
ivan. drove out Spanish arms and set
up republican forms in imitation OF the
United States, they lacked something
very neeOlul. 1neI Ildu DChiIiu me-
no age-long traditions of human lib
erty and parliamentary government.
such as the North American colonistS
had inherited. They tried to do by
avulsion what with the thirteen colo
ries represented merely the taking OF
one more step in a thousand-years evo-
lutionary process. They were not ready
for democracy, or Tor republicanlsm.
They tried to use tools to which their
hands were not accustomed. The re-
suit was that trying period of internal
disorder which made the two lesser
Americas the romancer's favorite set
ing for tales of revolution, government
1xpioitation and modernized adventure.
IN three generations since that time
the Latin American peoples have been
learning the use of these tools. They
have had the example and the aid of the
United states, and from this flows the
result that is seen in the conviction,
foday. that the troubles Of Latin-Amer-
lea are we'll nigh over, and that the
Monroe doctrine will gradually sink to
The status of an interesting tradition
IF a medieval epoch.