The Washington times., 1913-07-20
THE NICARAGUAN PACT.

Even sounding phrase as dollar diplomacy
could not decree abandonment of policy manifestly
sensible and nationally necessary toward Central
America. For the purpose of campaign claptrap it
was we'll enough to assail Roosevelt for his Santo
Domingo settlement, and Taft for the Honduras and
Nicaragua "usurpations But with power to act and
responsibility for results the Democratic Admin
istraton while yet less than haf-year DID, outsteps
the utmost pace of Roosevelt or Taft toward estab-
lishment of firm policy in the minor Americas.
Nicaragua would be drawn closer to the United
States under the Bryan treaty now before the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee, than either Cuba
or Santo Domingo; for this Bryan plan includes in
general the fiscal features of the Santo Domingo
agreement, and the political control which exer
else in Cuba We would control all the foreign rela
tons of Nicaragua would have the right to intervene
in force to preserve domestic peace, would dominate
her finances, and would secure exclusive control of
the Nicaragua canal route.
The presentation of such plan by Mr.. Bryan
with the assurance that Nicaragua is desrous of its
adoption, is epochal to our relations with Central
America. The Democratic party will experience a
severe wrench in changing front; but it has learned
its masters voice. 1t has obeyed in the making of
the tariff measure, and in the currency legislation
it has refurbished the Adrch plan Bit and, after
unlimited denunciation for five years, puts forth
that modified plan as Democratic panacea for cur
rency ills. President Wilson has little respect for
preudices traditions the sensbilities of party
who may find it difficult to change front. He IS
giving his party fine lesson in the desirabiliy of
being reasonable and moderate when in opposition.
few days ago intimaton came from Europe
that the United States ought to pacify Mexico or
stand aside and let Europe do it. Perhaps Europe
wanted to feel out the foreign policy of Democracy
and learn whether Mr. Wilson inclined to relax in
sistence on Monroesm. If there was desire for in
formation on that point, the answer has been con-
veyed, and in unmistakable terms The chancel-
leries will not mistake its meaning Assumption OF
suzerainty Nicaragua involves presently exten-
sion of that suzerany the rest of Central Amer
ica; over the whole Caribbean region. That we
would permit another Macmillan adventure in Mex
co in such circumstances, will not be suspected for
an instant
Gen. Victoriana Huerta likewise will not be too
dense to note the hint that is addressed to him
through this Nicaragua proceeding. The Mexican
usurper will not need to be told that ntrigues in
London and financial dickers in Paris will fail to
enlist those capitals in overt hostility toward the
United States.
In this Nicaragua business the deft hand of our
old and oft-derided friend Manifest Destiny, may be
seen America must maintain in the Caribbean a
paramountcy that will guarantee safety to the canal
exactly as Britain has been compelled to make Egypt,
in effect British dependency in order fully to pro-
tect the Suez canal. All that was plain when this
nation went into the canal enterprise. The canal is
about to be opened. There are foreign complica-
tions across the Atlantic and likewise the Pa
cifc, which make its security absolutely necessary
The Caribbean is become for America what the
Mediterranean is to England. America below the
Rio Grande is our Egypt. The Pacific is our route
to the East But it is 1t is also our highway
between the two sides of our own country The
canal route is important to US as the North sea is
to Britain. The Nicaragua proposal is simply the an
nouncement to the world that this Government real
ICES all this and is going to insist on everybody else
recognizing it.