Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-14

The Monroe Doctrine Resolutions.
As we anticipated al the blow ard
bIus.er about the enforcement Of the
Monroe doctrine 70 prevent the conStruc-
ton Of Il de Lesseps Panama canal,
has ended In smoke, and II view Of the
utter sbsurdity Of the position IN which
". Hsyes and majority Of bis Csbingt,
endorsed, b. = few sprssd-e2gle poll
tic5zns and newspapers, would have
placed the government, the country e
to be congratulated On the fact that By :
little sober rejection Congress has dis
covered : way out Of the dilemma that
does not involve Whist would Otherwise
have been inevitable, q most humIlisti1g
back down Tie New York Tines has
come 70 lis senses on The subject. a.
wiz Be seen by its comments On the re-
port Of the House Committee
with respect 70 the Panama ship canal
The TEnSs says: The resolution 70
be reported, instead Of being hostile to
the Panama canal, Is altogether favor
able to Il, and Il n de Lesseps was
pleased, az be professed 70 be, with the
Presidents notion that the United States
must exercise exclusive control, he must
be delighted with the declaration now
proposed. The report Of the committee
Is even more gratifying than is resolu-
ton, FOR Il recognizes the principle that
If the United S.stes viii not tolerate
European interference, it is equally
bound to non-interference on its own
part with the independence Of Colombia.
or with its right to promote the con-
struction Of public works IN its OWE ter
ritory with tie aid Of the money Of the
world"
Rem2rking on the same subject, the
Baltimore Sun says: Those who ex-
pected an active interference with " de
Lesseps project viii Of course be dissp-
pointed Il seems TO have been supposed
By some persons and newspapers that
the United States were pledged. under
the Monroe doctrine, to prohibit any for
eigners from undertaking to build nail
roads or canals. OF any public works in
the independent republics to the south
Of Us, except for the use and At the cost
Of the republics themselves, and that II
would Be q violation Of the Monroe doc
trine if they made concessions to foreign
erg of rights Of way and territorial grants
in support Of their enterprises. an this
Is a mistake. The United States deal
with foreign powers, not with foreign
citizens or subjects.
The Washington Pat. Jealous sdyo-
este Of the enforcement Of the Monroe
doctrine against the contamination Of
VI. De Lesseps interocesnic canal, in an
editorial on another subject. incidentally
remarks:
cit seems 10 Us that We are making
ourselves ridiculous just now, in relation
TO the Monroe doctrine. The resolu-
lions that have been adopted by the
House Committee on Foreign Relations
are uudenisblY fair expression Of pub
llc sentiment. We ought 10 feel the
sentiment that they express. We ought
10 maintain IT, But It is unfortunate
tnat ne are utterly unable 70 back up
the declaration Of hostility 70
sny power that may attempt TO set
up a protectorate in Central America.
Unhappily We have abandoned all
claim to dominion on the seas. Our
commercial marine, except in the coast
ing trade, is but a mouldy tradition. Our
navy Is but a miserable burlesque. We
might build ships and make guns IN
time. but if England, France, Italy or
any other respectable maritime power
wanted to build canal across the 18TH
mus. we have nothing more forcible than
a protest 10 urge against It 4 hundred
such navies as ours could be sunk by
single good ship-any one Of more than
thirty now shoat.
Il would have been well for those
politicians and presses who for the past
SIX months have been Haunting the
Monroe doctrine in the face Of Monsieur
Lesseps and his associates, to have
thought Of all this before bidding de-
fance to the maritime world, and before
Mr.. Hayes ordered the establishment of
those coaling stations On the Istbmus.
The Monroe doctrine, in its place, Is
good American doctrine, if we had the
power to enforce it. But without such
poEer the threat to enforce It for the
obstruction Of purely commercial en-
terprise would be as ridiculous as
futile