The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-18
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Of self government and Of shaping for itself
Its own political fortunes and destinies.
RESULTS OF THE DOCTRINE.

acted on by the executive branch or the
government for seventy years must have
had the sanction of Congress. Nor" he
adds, ''if the practical results of the rule
be sought for is the record either meager
or obscure. Its first effect was indeed
momentous and far reaching. 1t was the
component factor in the emancipation OF
south America and to IL the independent
states of that region are largely indebted
Tor their very existence; since then the
credited 10 the rule is the evacuation OF
Mexico by the French. But we are also in
debted to 1t for the Clayton Bulwer treaty.
neutralizing any interoceanic canal across
Central America and excluding Great Brit
ain from any dominion there. 1t has been
used in the case of Cuba as IL justifying
the position, that while the sovereignty OF
Spain Will be respected, the island will not
be permitted TO become the possession or
any other European power. 1t has been
influential in bringing about the definite
REIMBURSEMENT of any supposed protec-
torate by Breat Britain over the Mosquito
coast. President Polk relied upon it. though
perhaps -erroneously, to prevent the trans
FER or Yucantan. General Grant. in the
same spirit, declared that existing de-
transfer from one European power TO an
other, and another development is found
in the objection to arbitration OF South
American controversies by. a European
power. and Secretary Bayard resisted the
enforcement of the Belletier claim against
Hayti, declaring that serious. indeed.
hostile foot should without just cause
tread those states in the new world which
have emancipated themselves from Eu-
ropean CONTROL
american questions, 1t is said. are for
American decision" says Secretary Olney,
and then,- applying this doctrine in the re-
verse, he says: IF all Europe were sud-
denly to fly to arms over the fate OF Tur-
key, would 1T not be preposterous that any
American State should find itself inextrica>
bly, involved in the miseries and burdens
of the contest? What have the States OF
America 10 do with the vast armies ana
fleets Of Europe. and why should they be
have no direct concern? The moral inter-
ests OF Europe are peculiar TO her and en-
tirey adverse to those which are PHsulias
single. important exception. COM
mitted to the monarchial princi-
pc America is devoted to the idea tha.
self government. Any European control or
our interests is necessarily both incongrous
and injurious, and. If the forcible intrusion
OF European powers in American politics ie
to be deprecated the resistance must come
from the United States. the only power with
strength adequate to the exigency.
UNCLE SANS FIAT IS LAW.
There can be but one answer to the ques-
ton whether the safety and welfare of the
United States are so concerned with the
maintenance of the independence of every
American State as against any European
position whenever that independence is en-
dangered. These States are our friends and
allies. commercially and politically, and to
allow the subjugation of any one OF them
by any European powers reverses the situa-
tion and signifies loss of all the advan>
tages incident to their natural relation 10
US. But that is not all The people of the
United States have vital interest In the
cause of popular self government, which
they have secured at the cost of infinite
blood and treasure. The age Of the crusades
has passed. and they are content with such
assertion and defense of the rights OF self
government as their own security and well
fare demand. 1t is in that view, more than
any other, that they will not tolerate the
political control of the American States by
the forcible assumption OF European
power. The mischiefs to be apprehended
from such source are none the less real,
because not Immediately imminent in any
specific case.
The United States is to-day practically
sovereign on this continent and its fiat il
law All the advantages of this superiority
are at once imperilled If the principle be
Vert American States into colonies of their
own. The principle could be easily ayailed
of, and any power doing SO would immedi-
assiy against fes the United States and It is not
inconceivble that the struggle now goine
on for the acquisition of Africa might be
transferred to South America. The weaker
countries would soon be absorbed and South
America would be partitioned between Eu>
ropean powers. The consequences to the
United States would be disastrous. Loss OF
prestige would be the least Of them. Our
own real rivals in peace, as well as ene>
mics in war, would be located at our very
DOORS We must be armed to the teeth,
convert the flower of our male population
into soldiers and sailors and thus annihilate
a. large share of the productive energy OF
the nation Our just apprehensions are not
to be alIayed by suggestions OF the good
will of European powers towards US, Tor the
people of the United states have learned
the relations of states depend. not upon
sentiment principle, but upon seinsn In.
terests They will not soon forget that In
their hour of distress all their anxietIes M @
sibility of demonstrations against tnelr ma
tional life on the part of powers with whom
they had long maintained the most mar mar,
that France seized upon the apparent OPP
portunity of our civil war TO set up a mon>
archy in Mexico and had France and Great
Rritain held important South American po-
sitions to work from the temptation TO de-
stroy our predominance by furthering our
dismemberment might have been III lrreslssl, ss,,ad
ble From that grave peril we were saved
in the past and may be saved again In the
future through the operation of the sure
but silent voice of the doctrine proclaimed
nv President Monroe"
Dsserhere is. then Secretary Olney con-
times "a doctrine OF the American public
law well founded IN principle ana aDundant-
ly sanctioned by precedent which entities
and requires the United States to treat as
an injury 10 herself the forcible assumption
bv an European power of political control
over an American state. The application OF
the doctrine TO the boundary dispute be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela remains
to be made and presents no real difnculty.
EXTENT OF BRITISH AGGRESSION.
The Secretary shows that though relating
TO the boundary line, the question is one Of
political control over a domain OF great ex-
tent, the British claim apparently expand
ing in two years some 5000 square miles
and directly involving the command OF the
mouth OF the Orinoco, of immense conse-
uuence in connection with the whole river
navigation OF the interior OF South America.
He dismisses as valueess the contention
that British Guiana may in this controversy
be regarded as an American state, like Ven-
ezuela- He suggests that while Venezuela
might possibly not object to settling the
matter directly with British Guiana, IL this
European power with a South Amer
lean colony might extend its pos
sessions indefinitely, while other powers
might do the same by first
procuring a voluntary cession of small
tract of soil. 1t is not admitted and there
is in fact usurpinG dominion over Ven
ezuelan soil. While Venezuala charges such
usurpation, Great Britain denies IL, and the
United States, until the merits are author
itatively ascertained. can take sides with
neither but ii may demand that the truth
shall be ascertained. Being entitled to re-
sent and resist any sequestration of Ven
ezuelan soil by Great Britain, ii is neces-
sarily entitled to know whether such Sc
questration has occurred or is now going on.
termining the merits of the question" the
serratary saws "and that is naaceahIa arhi-