The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-01-05

uoSI Oh SOou IalIn, ana look TO the fu-
ture to tell US whether or not our con-
fidence has been misplaced.
Then the Times letter goes on to
discuss the statement of General Es-
trada, calling into question his sin
certify and declaring that no one ac-
quainted with the Latin American
characters will be deceived by what he
says; that the truth is that the idea
OF American Imperialism Is believed
from Chile to Mexico; that the Latin
American cannot understand how tho
United States, having the opportunity
should refrain from the annexation Of
Latin America, that to him, the Latin
American, the seizure Of Panama, the
annexation Of Porto Rico, the oonstruc-
ton Of the canal, the Intervention in
Nicaragua, and apparent willingness to
intervene in Mexico, are but instances
of the unfolding Of this plan to make
America yankee" from Patagonia to
the north pole.
The writer ends his discussion In
the following manner: American
statesmen who have never been fur
Their south than Washington declaim
their friendship for Latin America. and
their good intentions towards Mexico
and Nicaragua. With a snug patron
age that is a burning insult, American
editors talk Of helping Latin America
to find itself" These men are sin
cere, but they are mistaken. It is hol-
low to talk Of keeping peace in Mica
ragua until the local government can
do SO, of developing the countries so
that the natives may establish them
selves. Latin Americans know that
they will not cannot. take up the work
where it is laid down, and that the
yankees" therefore, will not lay it
down. They know that their part in
the development will be that of infe-
riors. They know these things, be-
cause they have no real desire for the
blessings which are about to be fois
ted upon them. They know because
they feel their Incompetence to keep
UP the pace the Americans will set"
Right In Conclusions.
Il believe" he continues, that the
Latin Americans are right in their con-
illusions about the inevitable annexa-
ton. They are wrong only in believing
1t carefully worked out policy of the
United States government. The yam
kee' invasion of Latin America can
mean nothing else than ultimate annex
alton. No nation believing itself SUI
perior ever took step back from the
territory of a nation which it consider
cred inferior. The United States has
one Of two courses In Latin America
either keep out entirely, or come to
rule Events of the present seem to
be pushing them rapidly toward the
second course. There are hundreds of
brilliant men like General Estrada in
Latin America who talk hopefully, as
he does. but who, like him, are in
despair. realizing the impossibflfty of
the people stemming the tide Of the
American invasion"
Detects Nothing UnfriendIy.
One detects nothing unfriendly to the
United States in the tone OF this let
ter and surely the writer had no
intention Of contributing In any way
to the growth of the spirit of distrust
so prevalent in Latin America today
The immediate effect OF the publication
of such ideas, however, is undoubted-
ly much more harmful than the violent
attacks on our foreign policy some
times met with in the European or
South American press. The paper IN
which the letter was published is a
monthly supplement sent out by the
famous London Times, is widely read
throughout Spanish speaking America
and because of It's very eminence is
likely to carry conviction to a great
host of its readers, who are either pre-
disposed to a belief in the intention Of
the United States to annex Latin
American territory, or who lack oppor-
tunity Of getting at the facts necessary
f1y-
judgment.
The Times letter is but sample. The
Spanish American papers frequently
contain articles Of a very different sort
1t is true, calculated to arouse a feeling
OF distrust with regard to the pur-
poses of the United States in Latin
America, and not a few books with the
same aim are being published from
time to time. One Of these, as an ex-
ample, "The Political and Social Evo-
luton of Spanish America" by R.
Blanco- Fombona, a Venezuelan, sets
forth as one of its principle aims "the
redemption Of Spanish America from
the absorption and domination Of the
Anglo Americans, who, in their gilled
masquerade under the cloak of Pan
Americanism in order to convert into
Sot1S tie pSOpIG VI Jul AOblC
race" From a book entitled The Flu
ture of Latin America" by Manuel
Ugante, a we'll known writer of Argen-
tina, may be taken a longer quotation
in order to give a clearer idea Of
the attitude of certain Latin Ameri-
cans. It is as follows:
Nobody doubts that the frontier of
Mexico marks the boundary between
two distinct civilizations. To the north
prevails the Anglo Saxon spirit and to
the south the Latin. The two peoples
constitute two antagonistic entities
which imply a divergence Of interests
and social tendencies which cannot be
conciliated. What separates and limits
is not a boundary fixed on the hazards
of a diplomatic victory. but rather an
incompatiblity deep-rooted' In the very
natures of these two peoples. The
problem as to whether the Anglo
Saxon of America shall rule over the
whole continent, or whether the Latins,
mora T11ixed with fha aboriginal races