New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-29
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
.,r1, IT'S APPLICATION TO THE vENEZU-
ELAN BOUNDARY DISPUTE AND
THE BRITISH ULTIMATUM.
London, November s.


London November s.
The cavilling and c6ntemptuous criticism 10
o.hich the United States Government mas oeeh
subjected by the English press because IL mas
.Sou,n Soma signs of befriending and protecting
venezuela, is an unerrng indication OF ignorance
., and lack of sympathy with the Monroe Doc
.-,n. There is nothing novel in this exhibition
=, cynical indifference to the principal canon OF
,o,,can diplomacy. For half a century English
,.or have been accustomed to refer to the
,,,,roa Doctrine as a characteristic bit Of Yankee
,occodocio Mr.. Froude drew parallel be-
,noen II and the famous Papal bull bestowing
~, sns,n all lands lying within the tropics west
-, tho Atlantic. The Pope. as lord OF the New
u-orA had proclaimed that Span!ards alone
sho,ld own territory in the continent discovered
~. cham The bull was respected so long as there
os nhysical force behind It, but when European
sao.rovers buccaneers, Adventures and colonists
challenged Spanish ascendancy on land and sea.
,,s authority of the Pope to order the destnes Of
the New World repudiated. In like manner,
according TO the English view, the United States
Government has assumed the responsibility or
decreeing that America Is for Americans; but
the Monroe Doctrine has never been recognized
as international law and has ceased long ago 10
have any potency conjuring phrase.
A
nor appreciated in England. so also it is unin-
,elligible in Spanish America AS one who has
travelled much in that portion Of the world.
can bear testimony TO this fact. In its primary
form the Monroe Doctrine was protest against
any extension OF European colonization on the
American continent. and a declaration that any
interference with the liberties Of nations wnich
had won their independence, would be Regarded
as a manifestation of unfriendly disposition
toward the United States Except in Venezuela
there is no longer any dread OF European coloni-
cation and encroachment in tropical America.
II never enters into the Spanish-Amerlcah
mind that the Monroe Doctrine and the diplo-
macy Of Washington have been helpful 10 MN
during the present century Fear OF european
Invasion has passed away Each republic at
tributes its political emancipation TO It's own
civic virtues Every spanish-American country
ascribes It's material development and industrial
progress to the energy of its own people. aided by
European capital With the single exception OF
Venezuela all these tropical republics are con-
Adent of their ability to repel foreign invasion
without the moral support Of the Monroe Doc
trine or assistance from the United States
FACTS THAT ARE EASILY UNDERSTOOD.
- tho Monroe Doctrine be a mystery to Span
,sh America the maritime and mercantile en-
,ernrises Of Europe and the enormous invest
uent Of English and French capital in railways,
mines docks and National securities are facts
easily understood Maritime Europe has taken
possession OF the import markets OF those
Southern nations and converted them into COM
mercial dependencies 1t has opened rapid
steam communication with those countries, cul-
tjvated trade relations with them and supplied
the capital required for the construction OF
railways and the development of mineral ana
agricultural resources. From Guatemala TO
Patagonia the weight of English money ana
the force of German mercantile energy nave
been felt. Every Spanish-American country ex-
cept Mexico has been soliciting European I'M
migration on a large scale. and has been de
pendent upon English and French capital for
the development of its industries
So long as Italian immigrants swarmed across
the ocean to do the heavy work in town and
country and the credulous English investor
was ready to advance the money Tor every
railway and industrial enterprise, little did the
Argentine Spectator or politician care about
the Monroe Doctrine and the moral force OF
American diplomacy This Is perhaps an ex-
IRENE case because the Argentine Republic has
been more thoroughly Europeanzed than the
other Spanish republics; but so long as London
Paris and Berlin were furnishing the capital
for building railways. stocking mines and fund
ing and refunding National debts in tropical
America little attention was paid TO the changes
which were rung upon the Monroe Doctrine by
one Administration after another in Washing
ton.
If the Monroe Doctrine has been msunder-
stood in Europe and has been unintelligible in
Spanish America the fact ought not to excite
surprise In view Of the historical evidence of
the uncertainty and vacillation with which it
was carried into practice by the United states
Not long after 1t proclaimed by President
Monroe the Spanish-Annerican States en-
deavored TO put the principle to a practical test
by calling an Amphictyonic Council at Panama
and inviting the United States to send delegates
10 IT, Mr. Clay then Secretary of State
He had been the American champion OF the
liberties Of the colonies rising in revolt against
snain and the scheme appealed strongly TO his
inagination The second Adams Admnistra-
ton approved of the project and nominated
commission to represent the United States In an
assembly Of American nations which were APP
parently anxious to place themselves under the
leadership Of the Northern Republic as well as
to take common council for promoting their
mutual interests.
But wher President Adams sent a special
message to the Senate on the subject he an
nounced that the Panama congress wouiu
probably adopt the Monroe Doctrine as an
agreement that each country must guard its
own territory from European encroachment.
This Interpretation seemed to forestail the idea
that the United States meant to extend us
protectorate 10 Spansh-American countries
menaced with European invasion. The ad-
vantages to be derived from the united action
Of American States on many safe subjects were
enumerated; but there was plain intimauoh
that each country was to defend its own terri
tories by resources at its command
THE PANAMA CONGRESS A FAILURE
This special message excited acrimonious de-
t.,o A.. - co.o,o ond tho commission not