The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-11
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

our government and France and perhaps
other European governments, relative to the
construction Of an inter.oceanic canal across
the Is,hmus Of Dsrien, a consideration oftbe
Monroe doctrine is notuntimely. President
Garfield, il appears 10 our mind, was very
pronounced and decided 10 the enuncisllon
of bis adherence TO the Monroe doctrine.
He virtually said that all the power at his
command during his administration should
DO used to prevent tbs construction OF sny
inler-ocosnic canal that WA not under toe
supervision nnl control Of the United SLstes
government. He expressed tho opinion Lhss
the commerce had reached that point Of de-
velopruent when an intor-ocesnic canal at
some point, either through Nicaragua or
Panama, or saip railway, IS necessity, but
the United States governmon. had too many
vital interests at stake to PERM. tho frul.ion
of any such enterprise that WAS not under
the direction and tho control Of our govern
ment. He very wisely expressed no prefer
ence for any route, 9lthough sotne Of the
papers are disposed 10 cri,icise his silence on
this poiut. This much Of tho presidents
foreign policy the country knows, and with
m able, ss.ute, diplomatic secretary Of state,
in tho person Of Mr.. Blaine to vigorously
carry on. this policy, We may reasonably
expect TO hear of some notes being passed be-
tween our authorities and those OF France
especially as tho Count do Le5aeps 10 dis
posed TO hurry the commencement Of work
on hi. Pauama schame. His intense Ameri'
canism ID ono trait 10 The character OF Pro'i
dent Garfield that we greatly admire. Tho
interests, and welfare, aud honor, aud fame
of The Urited States government loem TO ba
first With him above oil other cOntjeratlonB
and This being 80, his foreign policy will Ger
tsiny bo shaped 30 guard well our flag md
our commerce. Tho principle involved in the
Monto7 doctrine 10 Il principle indeed, not a
mere tradition, mere sentiment ballowed
as il were, by age. IL hiss almost from tho
creation Of our government boeu part and
parcel of its polcy---io much so in fact, that
it has, in reality, become TO be one Of the
principles Of its organism. We are glad TO
SEQ that the United.Statea government, rs
personated and represented by President
Garfield, the chief magistrate Of tho coun-
try, considers this inter-oeesn scheme
''mainly an American question:" in which it
haa a very deep and vital Interest, while
France and other European powers have n
very limited ono. II cannot DO maintained
that the Uni.ed States havs m exclusive in
telest In this subject, but it is matter Of
fact that we have tsr deeper and Il much
more Immediate interest that France or
Great Britain, or MI Europe for that matter,
can lay cl,im to, The annexation of Louisiana
10 1903, and of California in 1913, gained
for the United States government ell hor
western frontier and opened The way TO tho
Pacific ocean. Since then toaming millions
have settled that section of the country;
great and prosperous cite, have sp,ungup nj
Pacific scaporte, a1d treaties with Japan aud
China, and the development of many of the
Pacific islands, all combined, hsvc hnilI up
an immense trade and dow of commerce DO
tween tho occldont md tho orient, True,
wo have lines Of railroad spanning tho
American continent, some completed and
others shortly to be, but these ara not
adequate to tho trade There is commerce
for thousands and Thousands Of tonnage il
tho waters of tho Atlantic and Pacific can
b. connected, other across Darlen
or Tehusntepoc or the Nicaragua route, with
ship canal or ship railway so Ms to ami
h,la,e the long and dangerous, trip around
Cape Horn, the souLhernmost extremity Of
South America. Tho bulk of this commerce
and tho bottoms to carry it belongs to tho
United States, and must tha. commerce aud
that merchant marine be jeopsrdiaed in even
tho remo.ost ex.oat by the hostility of for
oign supervision? II tho people of this
country AFRO truo 10 their Americanism the
Monroe doctrine will DO rigidly enforced in
this canal matter. II WAS this doctrine that
made us what we sro. IL led 10 the absorp
ton OF Louisiana in 1903, Of Florida
in 1919, Of Te,as 10 1913 and Of California in
1915, and in 1865 II sent the French home
from Mexico. Our government being n
republic, government that is representa-
tive government, under i. religious equality,
civil liberty, the freedom Of the press, and all
those grand attributes of Auglo-SAxon'
Norman civilization can best DO extended
therefore 1t NUS. be our poll cy that nowhere
on the North American continent! or sdjoiu-
ing shall kinely power obtain or Keep u
foothold. While prudential motives and
tho interests OF poaco, may dictate that We
should DO quiosceot and await the develop
mon.s and outgrowing necessities of time,
yet the British possessions, British CO.
lumbia and tho Cauajs are
a constant menace TO tho liberties Of our
country and to our form of government; they
are violation of the Monroe doctrine. a
wise and conservative craftsmanship would
oppose my attempts TO dsloigo Groa,
Britain from these possessions, II II lay In
tho power Of our govornmcn! 10 do 1t, nor Is
tho limo ripe FOR negotiations for pescesblc
l nossnss;rn frha uocnaainna nf I,ni,,a,o