Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-24
BRAZILIAN BOUQUETS

| TNllE cordiality with which Secretary Colby
L has been received in Rio de .Janeiro was
to have been expected For nearly hun
dred years the United States has had no
stahcher friend in South America than
| Brazil, and none of her sister republics has
accepted the explicit meaning of the Monroe
| Doctrine with less criticism and with more
open favor.
| 1t is perhaps typical Of human nature that
| the chief bencfCiaries of the Monroe Doctrine
have sometimes betrayed tendency to oues.
| tiOn its validity and to msconceiye its sim.
| pie significance.
The theory Of America Gin the govern
| mental scnse) for Americans which is the
basis of the principles enunciated by James
Monroe In his presidential message Of 1923
was primarily expressed as a warning TO the
Holy Alliance of Russia. Austria and Prus-
sia. These nations, banded together in
league against liberalism, viewed with ex-
treme disfavor the success of the Spanish
possessions in America in Their wars of in
dependence. 1t was first of all to safeguard
the new republics that the most celebrated OF
American foreign policies was formulated.
The case. save rather indirectly, did not
invoIv" Brazil. The origin Of that nation il
unique. since it presents the only instance
on record of colony becoming the head of
its own mother country. This in effect was
y
po!eon drove the Portuguese royal family
to Brazil in 1907.
DynaStic and other quarrels eliminated
IN the Very year Of the publication of the
Monro" Doctrine in the independence of the
largest South American nation under an
emperor Of tlRt same house of Braganza
which possessed the Portuguese crown.
Since it was not so much to protect Spain
as to check the progress of democracy that
the Holy Alliance was formed Europe on
I'll" whole adopted noninterferenCe policy
concerning Brazilian Portuguese DISPUTES
Old World reactiOnaries were not seriously
disturbed by the creation of an independent
empire on the American continent. In fact.
desire for something more of the same thing
l"d to the disastrous attempt to maintain the
liapSburg MaNmilian upon a Mexican
throne.
When Brazil turned republican bloodIesslv
and effectively. in 1889. the nation was
sufficiently developed and sufficiently power
flII to tax" care Of itself.
lhc compliments paid by Senator Alfredo
Ellis I" the Monroe Doctrine when Mr..
Colby landed on Brazilian soil the other doy
wcr" therefor" conceived in a spirit of dis
paSNi"nat" detachment OF Brazilian sin.
certify there can be no question: But Mon.
roe Doctrine enthusiasm in Rio de Iaueiro
Is not IN any sens" payment for past favOrS
The S"nStivcncss Of men or nations from
whom gratitude is due is usually extreme
Iuis explains in part the necessity for ap-
plying the utmost drlicacy in our relations
with IN" Spanish Speaking countries of this
hemisphere. Several Of them, moreover are
now we'll beyond til" stage in which the pro-
'vr'Ioh oi great n"ighbor cap be called
necessary
III" friendship which Mr.. Coby'S travels
ar" intended t. foster must be free from the
Ieast hint ot coudcscenson to be fruitful.
The path Of diplomatic roses trod at Rio
is NOT an accurate indication Of the COIN
p!eXiti"s involved in the rest Of his mission,