Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-04-11
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
" hat the Preside1,, Said in His Mes
sage to Congress in December, 1923.

In these days of threatened COM
plicatiOns with European powers on
account of events in Central America
newspaper readers may peruse with
interest the following extract from
/ President Monroe's message sent to
congress Dec. ., 1923.
In the wars of the European powers.
i'll matters relating to themselves, we
/ have never taken any part nor does
it compOrt with our policy to do so.
1t is only when rights are invaded or
, seriously menaced that we resent in
juries or make preparations for our
defense. With the movements in this
/ hemisphere We are of necessity more
Immediately connected and by causes
| which must be obvious to all en-
| lightened and impartial observers. The
political system Of the allied powers
| is essentially different in this respect
/ from that OF America. This difference
proceeds from that which exists dll
! their respective governments. And to
! the defense of our own, which has
! been achieved by the loss of so much
! blood and treasure, and matured by
the wisdom of their most enlightened
citizens and under which we have en-
! jOyed uneXampled felicity, this nation
| is devoted.
| We owe it, therefore, to candOr and
| to the amicable relations existing be
! tween the United States and these
! powers to declare that we should con-
slider any attempt on their part to
extend their system to any portion
of this hemisphere as dangerous to
our peace and safety. With the exist
| ing colonies or dependencies of any
! European power we have not inter
| fered and shall not interfere. But
with the governments who have de-
clared their independence and main
! tanned it, and whose independence we
have. on great cOnsidera ton and on
| just principles. acknowledged, we
could not view any interpOsitiOn for
the purpose of depressing them OF
controlling i'll any other manner their
destiny by any European power in any
other light than as the manifestation
! the United States.
The late events in Spain and Portu-
gal show that Europe is still I'M
settled. OF this important fact no
stronger proof can be adduced than
that the allied powers should have
thought it proper on principle sat
isfactory to themselves, to have inter
{
Germs Of Spain. Our policy i'll regard
to Europe which was adopted at an
early stage of the wars which have
so long agitated that quarter of the
globe. nevertheless remains the same,
which is not to interfere in the in
ternal concerns of any of its powers:
to consider the government, de facto,
as the legitimate government for us:
to cultivate friendly relations with it,
and to preserve those relations by
frank firm, and manly policy, meeting,
in all instances, the just claims of
every power, submitting to injuries
from none.
But in regard to these continents,
circumstances are eminently and con-
spicuously different. 1t is impossible
that the allied powers should extend
their political system to any portion
of either continent without endanger-
ing our peace and happiness; nor can
anyone believe that our southern
brethren if left to themselves. would
adopt it of their own accord. It is
equally impossible, therefore, that we
should behold such interposition in
any form with Indifference.