The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-18

IlOn OF the pO1tlcdl maX1mS which are
Well-known i'll American discussion I'M
der the name of the Monroe doctrine.
AS far as I am aware. this doctrine
mas never been before advanced on behalf
munication directed to the government
OF another nation, but 1t has been gen.
orally adopted and assumed as true by
many prominent writer's in the United
states. 1t is said to have largely Inhu-
enced the government of the country in
the conduct of its foreign affairs; though
MI; clayton, who was secretary. of state
under Secretary Taylor expressly stated
mat that administration had in no way
adopted It,. But during the period that
mas elapsed since the message of Presi-
doctrine has undergone very notable
development and the aspect which it
now presents in the hands of Mr.. Oh
ney differs widely from it's character
IT'S author. The two propositions, which
| IN effect President Monroe laid down.
were first that America was no longer
| 70 be looked upon as field for European
coionlzatlon; and, second. that Europe
muS1 not attempt to extend its politi-
cal system TO America, or to control
me political condition of any Of the
american communities who had recently
declared their independence
Monroe's Movements.
The dangers against which President
Monroe thought it right to guard were
| not as imaginary as they would seem at
| the present day. The formation of the
holy alliance; the congresses of Laybach
ana Verona, the invasion of Spain by
France for. the purpose of forcing uPon
the Spanish people form of govern
| ment which seemed likely to disappear
unless 1t was sustained by external aid,
President Monroe when he penned his
| celebrated message. The system of which
he speaks, and of which he so reso-
lutely. deprecates the application to the
ArnQrindn H.
then adopted by certain powerful states
on the continent of Europe, or combin-
| ing to prevent, by force OF arms. the
| adoption in other countries of political
| institutions which they disliked. and to
| uphold by external pressure those which
they approved. Various portions of South
America had recently declared their in
dependence, and that independence lad
| not been recognized by the governments
of Spain and Portugal, to which. with
small exception, the whole of Central
and South America We're nominaiiy sub
Ject. It was not an imaginary condition
that he foresaw, if he feared that the
same spirit which had dictated the
French expedition into Spain might in
Europe with the idea of imposing, I.y
the force Of European arms, upon the
South American communities the form
! OF government and the political connec-
claring that the United States would
resist any such enterprise il 1t was
contemplated, President Monroe adopted
| a policy which received the entire SYM
pathy Of the English government Of that
date.
No Present Relation.
The dangers which were apprehended
! by President Monroe have no relation to
the state of things in which we live at
the present day There is no danger OF
any holy alliance imposing it's systems
upon any portion of the American con-
tinent, and there is no danger of any
european state treating any part of the
American continent as a hit object Tor
European colonization. 1t is Ineligible
| that Mr.. Olney should invoke in defense
Of the views on which he is now insist
ing, an authority which enjoys so high
a popularity with his fellow countrymen.
But the circumstances with which Presi-
dent Monroe was dealing. and those to
which the present American government
IS addressing itself, have very few fea-
lures in common.
Great Britain is imposing no System
upon Venezuela, and is not concerning
herself in any way with the nature OF
the political institutions under which
the VeneZuelans may prefer to i've. But
the British empire and the republic Ct
Venezuela are neighbors, they differed
for some time past as to the line ON winch
their dominionS are separated. 1t is a
controversy with which the United states
have no apparent practical concern.
Difficult to See.
1t is difficult, indeed, to see how it can
materially affect any state OF commun-
ity outside of those primarily interested,
except perhaps other parts of her maj
esty's domains, such as Trinidad. The
disputed frontier of Venezuela has moth
Ing to do with any of the questions
dealt with by President Monroe. 1t is not
question of colonization by an Euro
pean power OF any portion Of America.
1t is not a question of imposition upon
the communities of South America of
any system of government devised in
Europe. 1t is simply the determination OF
the frontier of British possession which
belonged to the throne of England long
before the republic of Venezuela came
into existence. But even if the interests
of Venezuela were SO far linked to those
of the United States as to give the other
locus standi in this controversy, their
government apparently have not formed.
and certainly do not express any opinion
upon the actual merits vi the dispute. nc
government Of the United States does not
say that Great Britain or Venezuela is in
the right in the matters at issue. But
they lay down that the doctrine of Presi-
dent Monroe when he opposed the IMPOSE
ton of European systems or the renewal
OF European COLOMBIA ton confers upon
them the right of demanding that when a,
European power has frontier difference
with a South American community the
European power shall consent to refer the
controversy to arbitration; and Mr.. Olney
states that unless her majesty's govern
ment accede to this demand it will
greatly embarrass the future relations
DclW COLL GIcdl oilUdiA d1lQ Tie OIuJGQ
States"
Answering For Their Conduct.
Whatever may be the authority for the
doctrine laid down by President Monroe,
there is nothing in his language to show
that he ever thought of claiming this
novel prerogative for the United States.
1t is admitted that he did not seek to as
Sert q protectOrate over Mexico or the
states of Central and South America.
Such a claim would have imposed upon
the United States the duty Of answering
for the conduct of these states, and con-
sequently the responsibility of controlling
it His SagacioUS fOretnought would have
led him energetically to deprecate the adj
dition of SO serious a burden to those
which the rulers of the United States
have to bear. Ut follows, of necessity,
that If the government of tn United States
will not control the conduct of these COM
munitieS, neither can it undertake to pro-
tect them from the consequences attach
ing to any misconduct of which they may
be guilty towards other nations. If they
violate in any way the rights of another
state or its subjects, 1T is not alleged that
the Monroe doctrine will assure them the
assistance of the United States in escap-
ing from any reparation which they may
be bound by international law TO give
Mr. Olney expressly disclainns such an
inference from the principles he lays
down.
But the claim which he POUNDS upon
can state advances a demand for terri
tory of which its neighbor claims to be
the owner, and that neighbor is the
colony of an European state, the United
States have a right to insist that the
European state shall submit the demand
and it's own impugned rights to arbitra-
ton.
/ will not now enter into a discussion