Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-12-04


last been adjusted. simultaneously
came the news that the boundary dis
pute between Peru and Ecuador had
entered upon a stage Of amicable set
tlement.
China.
In China the policy of encouraging
financial investment to enable that
country to help itself has had the result
of giving new life and practical appli
cation to the open door policy. The
consistent purpose of the present ad
ministration has been to encourage the
use of American capital in the develop
ment of China by the promotion Of
those essential reforms TO which China
is pledged by treaties with the United
States and other powers.
The hypothecation to foreign bankers
IN connection with certain Industrial
enterprises, such as the Hukuang rail-
ways, of the national revenues upon
which these reforms depended, led the
department of state early in the admin
istration to demand for American citi-
zens participation in such enterprises,
in order that the United States might
have equal rights and an equal voice in
all questions pertaining to the DISPOSE
ton Of the public revenues concerned.
The same policy Of promoting inter.
national accord among the powers hav'
ing similar treaty rights as ourselves in
the matters of reform, which could not
be put into practical effect without the
common consent Of ALL was likewise
adopted in the case Of the loan desired
by China for the reform of its cur
rency. The principle of international
cooperation in matters Of common in
terest upon which our policy had al
ready been based in all of the above in
stances has admittedly been great
factor in that concert of the powers
which has been so happily conspicuous
during the perilous period Of transition
through which the great Chinese nation
has been passing
Central America Needs Our Help In
Debt Adjustment.
In Central America the aim has been
to help such countries as Nicaragua
and Honduras to help themselves. They
are the immediate benefciaries. The
national benefit to the United States Is
twofOld. First. 1t is obvious that the
Monroe doctrine is more vital In the
neighborhood of the Panama canal and
the zone. OF the Caribbean than any
where else There, too. the mainte
nance of that doctrine falls most heav-
lily upon the United States. 1t Is there
fore essential that the countries within
that sphere shah be removed from the
jeopardy involved by heavy foreign
debt and chaotic national finances and
from the ever present danger Of inter
national complications due to disorder
at home.
Hence the United States has been
glad to encourage and support Ameri-
can bankers who were willing to lend
helping hand to the financial re-
Mobilization Of such countries because
this financial rehabilitation and the
protection Of their custom houses from
being the prey of woulu be dictators
would remove at one stroke the men,
ace Of foreign creditors and the men,
ace of revolutionary disorder.
wish to call your especial attention
to the recent occurrences in Nicaragua.
for believe the terrible events re-
corded there during the revolution of
the past SUMMERTIME useless loss Of
life. the devastation of property. the
bombardment Of defenseless cities, the
killing and wounding Of women and
children, the torturing of noncombat-
ants to exact contributions and the
suffering of thousands Of human be-
ings-might have been averted had the
department of state, through approval
of the loan convention by the senate.
been permitted to carry out its now
well developed policy of encouraging
the extending of financial aid to weak
Central American states with the pri
mary objects Of avoiding just such
revolutions by assisting those repub-
lies to rehabilitate their finances. to
establish their currency on a stable
basis. to remove the custom houses
from the danger of revolutions by ar
ranging for their secure administra.
ton, and to establish reliable banks.
! / wish to congratulate the officers
and men Of the United States navy and
marine corps who took part In re-estab-
fishing order in Nicaragua upon their
splendid conduct and to record with
sorrow the death of seven American
marines and bluejackets. Since the re-
establishment of peace and order cleo
lions have been held amid conditions Of
quiet and tranquility. Nearly all the
American marines have now been
withdrawn.
Our Mexican Policy.
For two years revolution and counter
revolution have distraught the neigh
boring republic of Mexico. Brigandage
has involved a great deal of depreda-
ton upon foreign interests. There nave
constantly REQUIRED questions of ex-
treme dellcacy.s On several occasions
very difficult situations have arisen on
our frontier. Throughout this trying
period the policy of the. United States
has been one of patient noninterven-
ton. steadfast recognition of constitut-
ed authority In the neighboring ma
ton and the exertion Of every effort