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Show DEFENSIVE ALLIANCE. The Pan-Americau Scientific congress, con-gress, which has just concluded its labors at Washington, will undoubtedly have tbe effect of binding the republics of the -western hemisphere into a compact com-pact commercial and political union. Most of the Latin-American republics have always been suspicious that in ap-piying ap-piying tho Monroe Doctrine the L'uitcd States had some ulterior purple, some scheme of ap-prandizenient. This suspi cion has been allayed and the South and Central American states new know that it will be used to protect them against foreign aggression. They go even farther than that aud are willing to apply the doctrfne both ways, which means standing back of the United States in case a combination of foreign powers should attempt to overwhelm us. According to present indicatious, if the plan of President Wilson and Se;retary Lansing is carried out, a purely defensive defen-sive alliance will be favored aud the chances of becoming engaged in war greatly lessened. Naturally enough, such conditions will foster commerce between the republics and the United States will be given preference over the European nations in the matter of supplying the Central and South Americans with such manufactured manufac-tured articles as they desire, quality and price being equal. While this was not the primary purpose of the proposed alliance, al-liance, it will undoubtedly result that way unless tbe United States, by some unfortunate and now unforeseen circumstance, cir-cumstance, casts its opportunity to the winds. Now that Mexico is uuicting down a long era of peace may be looked for in this part of the world. South America, witli its untold but undeveloped undevel-oped riches, is beginning to attract the attention of the world and it will not bo long before these republics will exert a tremendous influence. It is pleasant to reflect that this influence is to be east into the scale with that of the t'nitcd States and that great good will result to the human race. We expect much from the seeds sown in Washington during dur-ing the past two weeks. |