Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/273

WOODROW WILSON 231 to have their common life and their common affairs so tainted and disturbed. We can have no sym pathy with those who seek to seize the power of government to advance their own personal interests or ambition. We are the friends of peace, but we know that there can be 110 lasting or stable peace in such circumstances. As friends, therefore, we shall prefer those who act in the interest of peace and honor, who protect private rights, and respect the restraints of constitutional provision. Mutual respect seems to us the indispensable foundation of friendships between states, as between indi viduals. "The United States has nothing to seek in Cen tral and South America except the lasting inter ests of the peoples of the two continents, the security of governments intended for the people and for no special group or interest, and the devel opment of personal and trade relationships between the two continents which shall redound to the profit and advantage of both and interfere with the rights and liberties of neither." At the same time, the world was given to under stand that what is known as "dollar diplomacy" would not be countenanced by the Administration. During the Presidential campaign there had been much criticism of this policy and many had attributed to it a growing irritation in some of our sister republics.