Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-03-07
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
What 1t Is and Why It Is Upheld by All
American HtateAmen.


THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
What 1t Is and why IL Is Upheld by All
American Statesmen.
The collapse OF the company which
undertook TO construct the Panama
canal, and the possibility OF prosecu-
ton OF the enterprise by the French
Government, have called attention once
more to ''the Monroe Doctrine, which
is generally supposed to be hostile to
the Interference OF any European gov
eminent with the scheme.
What is the Monroe doctrine?
The best way of answering this ques-
ton is to quote the words of President
Monroe himself, in his annual message
OF 1928, when it was feared that Spain
and Portugal, with the aid of the re-
stored Bourbons of France, were about
to send powerful expedition to re-
conquer Brazil and Columbia, and sub
ject them again to the powers from
which they had successfully revolted.
The United States had acknowledged
the independence of these countries,
and this threatened attack was regard
ed by Mr.. Monroe as aimed at repub-
lican institutions in general. He said
in his message:
1--WE owe it, therefore, to candor,
and to the amicable relations existing
between the United States and those
powers, to declare that we should con.
slider any attempt on their part to ex-
tend their system to any portion of this
hemisphere as dangerous to our peace
and safety"
Again, in the same message, ant
evidently still referring not to the pos
session of parts of America by Eu
ropean governments, but to the intro
duction of monarchical forms on Amer
lean soil, he said:
at is impossible that the allied
powers should extend their political
eystem to any portion of either con
tinent North or South America] with
out endangering our peace and happi
ness"
The circumstances Of the world have
changed since these words were writ
ten. France is u republic, and cal
have, therefore, no interest in extend
ing political system not in harmon.
with her own. The object of he
anticipated action in Panama is tn
completion of canal, to be used b,
the vessels of all nations on equa
terms. 1t is evident that the words O
Mr.. Monroe, wise and weighty as the,
were in 1928, do not apply very obvious
ly to the case in hand.
What he feared was union of tn
despotic powers of Europe for the eS
tirpation of the republican system
America. Nor would his fears hav
been groundless if the Bourbons ha
not been more incompetent than the
were perverse.
But Presidents do not always say al
that they mean in their messages
From the time when Benjamin Frank
lin, about the middle of the last cent
ury, began to foresee the destiny c
America, all American statesmen hav
felt, as he did, that it is not best fo
any European power to have posses
sions in America-not best for us, NJ
best for Europe.
Twice Franklin had seen his countr
embroiled in long and bloody war
solely through the fact that Canad
belonged to one European power, an
the colonies south of it to anothe
Hence, at the peace of 1888, he pr
forth all his powers to induce Gre'
Britain to give up Canada, so as to r,
move forever peril to the peace tn;
ought to subsist between the two Ell
glish-speaking nations.
He favored this policy not for tn
mean and pitiful reason OF adding t
the magnitude of his country, but fl
reasons noble, humane and worthy {
man. He deemed 1t best for bot
nations, as well as for the general il
terest of civilization that what natul
had joined together, and interlocke
by every device of geography, the foo
ish politics of men should not p,
asunder.
This is the real Monroe Doctrine
which renders the people of the Unite
States a unit against the mingling
American and European powers al
possessions. Mr.. Monroe applied it
one case; Mr.. Jefferson to anoth
when he bought louisiana; Gener
Washington to another when he sign,
the Jay treaty; and no doubt futu
Presidents will be equally vigilant al
decided. Youths Companion.