St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-29
THEY ARE NOT REPUBLICS.

THEY ARE NOT REPUBLICS.
The occupation of Corinto by the
English for the purpose of enforcing,
through customs collections, the pay
ment of a claim is made the occa-
sion of a fresh outburst of jingoism,
bitter as gall in its comment on an
administration that would sit neu-
trail while a weak sister republic was
being thus oppressed by the bullying
English.
There are several phases in which
this question-if it is at all ques-
ton concerning us at any point-may
be looked at In the first place, the sit
uation is no more within the purview
of the Monroe doctrine than, for in
stance, was our claim against Chill
for the lives of our sailors killed in
the Valparaiso riots. Even should
England find it necessary to make
a permanent occupation of the coun-
try the venerable doctrine would not
be violated in its spirit, nor in the
conditions that gave rise to its
enuncia ton.
1t was not England that the Mon
roe doctrine was aimed at. 1t was
at the allied powers that contem-
plated Offering Spain and Portugal
their aid in subjugating their South
American colonies that had set up
for themselves. The motive was one
of alarm at the spread of republican
ideas, the apprehension Of their own
peoples becoming infected, and the
desire of these pure monarchies to
see the republican spirit crushed out
wherever it might show itself. In
fact, it was Canning, the Englshman,
who suggested that the United States
assume the attitude taken in the
message of President Monroe 1t
was the establishment of es-
eminent on this hemisphere by means
of similar European governments,
such as Napoleon's Mexican expert
ment, that the Monroe doctrine was
intended to forestall and prevent.
1t was not at democratic England
that it was aimed.
The Monroe doctrine is purely SEN
timental. 1t sprang from our own ex-
perience in establishing a republic,
out of which came a sentimental
sympathy for republics per Sc, and
without any consideration of their
nature or Of how far they fell short
of being republics in fact. 1t ignored
the race characteristics that remain
the same and result in the same
kind of government, whatever
name it may be. called by. 1t as
sunled that Spaniards, with quail
ties so radically differing from those
of the Anglo-Saxon, and with CEN
turtles of despotic governmental
training behind them, were as capa-
Die OF establishing and maintaining
pure republic as were men de-
scended from peoples long used to
seif-government, and in whom the
instinct of individualism was strong
and virile
There have been and are TODAY no
republics as we conceive of them in
South America. The essence of a
republic is submission to the will of
the majority when that is fairly and
unrestrictedly expressed, and in this
sense there is no republic south of our
own. Chill comes the nearest TO if
but in most of them government is
merely a successful revolution. No
people are capable of self-govern-
ment who submit tn the domination
IN their public affairs of any church,
and the church and state are prac-
tically one in all Of them The Span
lard in America is, no more capable
OF maintaining a government re-
publican in fact than he has been of
establishing one in his place of origin.
He is naturally and by heredity
despot, and remains the same whether
on the peninsula of Europe or on the
southern half of this continent.
The situation in Nicaragua--as If
may later become in Venezuela and
others of these so-called republics that
have been plunged into bankruptcy by
their incapable. governments-is due
to their misconception of our Monroe
doctrine and their reliance that the
United States would act on their con-
adjusted the claim Of England had
she not thought that this country
would not allow the use of force or
the occupation Of her territory to en-
force payment. When Minister Guz-
man advises his home government
of the mistake, there will be speedy
acquiescence in the demands of Eng
land. Meantime the jingoists will
continue to harp on the supineness
OF this administration land the dis
respect it has cast on the ancient ma
tional doctrine of the party, and the
occasion will probably be utilized by
Senators Davis and Lodge to revise
their articles on the foreign policy of
the administration