248 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XIX 



many, both in America and Great Britain, broke out with 

 renewed violence, and there was more talk about dangers 

 to the Monroe Doctrine. As one who, at The Hague Con 

 ference, was able to do something for recognition of the 

 Monroe Doctrine by European powers, and who, as a 

 member of the Venezuelan Commission, did what was pos 

 sible to secure justice to Venezuela, I take this opportu 

 nity to express the opinion that the time has come for 

 plain speaking in this matter. Even with those of us who 

 believe in the Monroe Doctrine there begins to arise a 

 question as to which are nearest the interests and the 

 hearts of Americans, the sort of &quot;dumb driven cattle&quot; 

 who allow themselves to be governed by such men as now 

 control Venezuela, or the people of Germany and other 

 civilized parts of Europe, as well as those of the better 

 South American republics, like Chile, the Argentine Ee- 

 public, Brazil, and others, whose interests, aspirations, 

 ideals, and feelings are so much more closely akin to our 

 own. 



Occasionally, too, there have arisen plaintive declara 

 tions that the Emperor does not love the United States or 

 admire its institutions. As to that I never saw or heard 

 of anything showing dislike to our country ; but, after all, 

 he is a free man, and there is nothing in international law 

 or international comity requiring him to love the United 

 States ; it is sufficient that he respects what is respectable 

 in our government and people, and we may fairly allow 

 to him his opinion on sundry noxious and nauseous de 

 velopments among us which we hope may prove tempo 

 rary. As to admiring our institutions, he is probably not 

 fascinated by our lax administration of criminal justice, 

 which leaves at large more unpunished criminals, and es 

 pecially murderers, than are to be found in any other 

 part of the civilized world, save, possibly, some districts 

 of lower Italy and Sicily. He probably does not admire 

 Tammany Hall or the Philadelphia Ring, and has his own 

 opinion of cities which submit to such tyranny; quite 

 likely he has not been favorably impressed by the reck- 



