The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-22
nj. tbe american DoctrIne.

II Is the American Doctrine
Nearly the whole Of the press OF the
country heartily support the President I'm
the position he has taken in respect TO the
Venezuela boundary dispute. Both houses
OF congress have practically declared that
his position is the right one. by authoriz-
ing him to appoint a commission TO in
quire into the merits Of the dispute 1t
is fair TO assume. therefore. that the Pres
ident has the approval Of the people in
what he has done.
There are a few newspapers and bust
ness men in New York city that are busily
engaged in trying to create the impress
sion that the President has made a great
mistake. and that he has done the busi-
ness interests OF the country an irrepar-
able injury. Neither these newspapers nor
these business men said a word in oppO-
sition to the course the President was pur-
suing until after his Venezuela boundary
message was sent to congress. They
knew as early as last July, when Secretary
Olney's note was sent to the British gov
eminent. asking for arbitration, what the
course of the President would probably be
if the requesttwas denied. Why did they
not then protest against any interference
in the Venezuela boundary matter?
We do not know what the motive is
that prompts the World. Evening Post
and Journal of Commerce of New York
city to oppose the administrations Vene-
zuela policy, but it is pretty plain that
the New York business men who are OPP
posing it are afraid that their business and
financial affairs would be affected inju-
riously if the outlook for trouble between
this country and Great Britain should
become more threatening than 1t is.
The day after the Venezuela message
was sent to congress the New York World
called it a blunder, and now it is striv-
ing 10 show that the doctrine which the
President set forth in his message is not
the Monroe doctrine-that the Monroe doc
trine is in no wise involved in the Vene-
zuela boundary dispute 1t goes into the
history of that doctrine and quotes Prof.
Won Hoist, great authority on interna-
tional law and American constitutional
history, to prove that what it says about
the Monroe doctrine is correct!
Was there ever great public question
to which there were not two sides? Was
there ever policy proposed to which
there was not opposition? 1t is doubtless
true that the celebrated declaration of
President Monroe was suggested by Can
ming, a prime minister of England, and It
may have been intended as a protest
against the plans of what was known
at the time as the holy alliance-an alli-
ance formed for the destruction of free
institutions and the establishment of
monarchy everywhere. but the interpre-
tation given the Monroe doctrine by the
President in his message is the Monroe
doctrine as the American people now I'M
derstand it. The doctrine. as they under
stand it. is involved in the Venezuelan
/ boundary dispute. and they are ready to
make sacrifices to maintain IT, They
| don't care particularly what interpreta-
ton was put upon President Monroe's
famous declaration seventy years ago.
They know what Interpretation is put
upon it now, and that Interpretation they
! believe to be the right one.
II the facts. as stated by Secretary
| Olney. are correct Great Britain has been
/ for many years. and is now. acquiring
/ Venezuelan territory against Venezuela's
! consent and extending her system of gov
eminent over it. We regard that as a
violation of the Monroe doctrine, and we
must either take a positive and deter
mined stand against such violation OF
the doctrine or abandon the doctrine for
! all time to come. If we draw back now
the Monroe doctrine will cease to be a
living principle. 1t will be as dead as il
it had never existed.