The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-03-08
KNOX PROMISES
AID fU IATnyS
Canal Will Increase Importance
Of Monroe Doctrine.
Panamans Hear First Address Of
Secretary. Which 10 Also In
tended for Al to Hear.

Panama-Secretary Of State Knox
made in Panama the first Of his public
addresses on his trip to the capitals Of
Central America, Northern South
America and the West Indies.
The speech, while delivered before
the acting president Of Panama, Senior
Rodolfo Chiari, was in reality adj
dressed to all the countries he will
visit. Mr.. Knex's address, in part,
follows:
"The president Of the United States
believes that the early completion Of
the Panama canal should mark the be-
ginning Of closer relations to all Latin
America, as well as the relations of
these countries to each other, and inn
PEELED by the thought that this is an
suspicious moment, through better &C.
quaintance, to lay the foundation upon
which there should rest broader con-
fidence, a closer sympathy and more
practical reciprocal helpfulness, has
sent me hither as bearer of mes
sage of good will to our sister Ameri-
can republic.
II take this opportunity of assuring
all the American republics that the
purpose of the United States toward
them is that we should live in amity
and that we desire only that more
peace and more prosperity should come
into their individual and national
lives.
"While it is entirely clear to those
who have considered intelligently the
history of the relations of the United
States to the other American Repub-
lies that our policies have been with
out trace of sinister motive, yet it
is true that our motives towards you
have not always been interpreted for
tunately at home, or faithfully repre-
scented by some of our nationality who
have resided in your midst.
Much has been said about the eff
feet of the opening of the Panama
canal, but believe it is given to few
of US to realize what magic possibili-
ties are potential in that event. It
will create for our western world q
better situation fraught with possibil-
tiles so vast as to daze the fancy. In
this new world we must be found
drawn closer by sympathies and mu-
tual esteem, and working in harmony
towards beneficent ends. We who
live on the western hemisphere find
ourselves by force Of geography in cir
cumstances which make our situation
peculiar. 1t was q perception Of this,
which your own thinkers and states
men have seen as clearly as our own,
which prompted the announcement by
President Monroe, Of the great and
bene6cent policy that now bears his
name.
"When the canal is opened and the
ships Of all countries Of the world
come sailing through these Caribbean
seas, the peculiarly Of our position
will be accumulated, and the wisdom
of that doctrine again will be confirm
ed. In its future amplifcation, /
perceive it will be q common heritage,
binding together the nations Of the
hemisphere with force no power can
break.
"In my judgment the Monroe doc
trine will reach the acme Of its bene-
ficence when it is regarded by the
people of the United States as q rea-
son why we should respond constantly
to the needs of those of our Latin
American neighbors who may find ne
cessity for our assistance.
"It is paradox that the severance
of the physical ligament that joins the
two continents Of the New World will
more closely unite them. Culebra is
the only clot in the artery Of inter-
course whose removal will give free
circulation throughout the world or
panism to the vivifying currents Of
friendship, peace, commerce and pros-
perity."