The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-12-26

eral protectorate by the United states
over other American states. II does
not relieve any American state from its
obligations as fixed by international
law, nor prevent any European power
directly interested from enforcing such
obligations or from inflioting merited
punishment for the breach of them. 1t
does not contemplate any interference
In the internal affairs Of any American
state or in the relations between
it and other American states. 1t
does not justify any attempt on our
part to change the established form of
government of any American state or
to prevent the people of such state from
altering that form according to their
own will and pleasure. The rule in
question has but single purpose and
object. 1t is that no European power
or combination of European powers
shall forcibly deprive an American
state Of the rights and power of self
government and of shaping for itself
its own political fortunes and des-
TIMES"
Congress Must Have Sanctioned 1t.
The secretary says it is fest that
q rule which has been openly and uni
formly acted upon by the executive
branch of the government for 20 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 eff
feet was indeed momentous and far
reaching. 1t was the component factor
in the emancipation of South America
and to it the independent states of that
region are largely indebted for their
very existence. Since then the most
striking single achievement to be cred
tied to the rule is the evacuation of
Mexico by the French. But we are al.
80 indebted to it for the Clayton. Bull
wer treaty, neutralizing any inter
oceanic canal across Central America
and excluding Great Britain from any
dominion there. 1t has been used in
the case of Cuba, as If justifying the
| position that, while the sovereignty OF
| Spain will be respected, the island will
not be permitted to become the posses.
sion of any other European power. II
has been influential in bringing about
the definite REIMBURSEMENT of any sup.
| posed protectorate by Great Britain
over the Mosquito coast. President
Polk relied upon it. though, perhaps
erroneously to prevent the tranfer OF
Yucatan; General Grant, in the same
spirit, declared that existing dependen
cies were no longer subject of trans
fer from one European power to an
other; aud another development il
found in the objection to arbitration Of
South American controversies by Eu
ropean power; and Secretary Bayart
resisted the enforcement of the Pelle
tier claim against Haiti, declaring tha
"Serious indeed would be the conse
quences if European hostile foot should
without just cause, trod those states IL
the new world which have emancipat
cd themselves from European control.
Interest Secured by Blood.
The secretary then says that the peo
pie of the United States have vita
Interest in the cause of popular self
government, which they have secured
at the cost of infinite blood and treas
ure. 1t is in that view, more than an,
other, that they will not tolerate tn
political control of the American state
by the forcible assumption of Euro
pean power. The United States /
today practically sovereign on this con
tinent and its fat Is law. All the ad
vantages Of this superiority are at one
imperiled IL the principle be admitte
that European powers may conver
American states into colonies of thei
own. The principle could be easil
availed Of and any power doing s
would Immediately secure base @
military operations against US, and it |
not inconceivable that the struggl
now going on for the acquisition O
Africa might be transferred to Sout
America. The consequence to tn
United States would be disastrous
II 80 1Na ~
them. We would be compelled to main
tain a large army and navy.
Said he: "Our just apprehension,
are not to be allayed by suggestions o.
the good will of European powers to
wards us, for the people of the UniteC
States have learned in the school of eX
perience to what extent the relations o
states depend, not upon sentiment o.
principle, but upon selfish interests
They will not soon forget that in thei
hour of distress all their anxieties AM
burdens were aggravated by the posi-
bility Of demonstrations against thei
Rational life on the part of powers, es
pecially France and Great Britain, will
whom they had long maintained tn
most harmonious relations. Hoy
France seized Mexico, and if that coun
try and England could have got foot
hold they would likely have dismem
bered the nation. From that grave peri
we were saved in the past, and may b
saved again in the future, through tn
operation of the sure and silent voic
Of the doctrine proclaimed by Pres
dent Monroe"
; His clear and vpmistakahla position
on the Monroe doctrine laid down, Sec
retary Olney goes at some length int
the Venezuelan dispute, affirming tina
the British claim in two years appaI
emily was OK ended some $4,000 squar
, miles so as to command the mouth O
, the Orinoco and dismissing as value
less the contention that Great Britain
possession of Venzuela gives it an
right to be treated ass an America
, state. He shows where Great Britai
, has arbitrated other boundary dispute:
, and declares that it, in effect, says :
, Venezuela y u are not strong enoug
, to get anything by force and we won
; arbitrate unless you first give up paI
, Of the territory. This, he says, amount
to invasion and conquest, and our dut
is summed up as follows:
, "In these circumstances the duty G
the president appears to him unmi!
I, taxable and imperative. Great Britain
: assertion of title to the disputed terr
, tory, combined with her refusal
/. have that title investigated, being
! substantial appropriation Of the terr
J tory to her own use, not to protest an
!. give warning that the transaction wi
| be regarded as injurious to the inte
: ests OF the people of the United State
, as well as oppressive, in itself would /
= to ignore an established policy wit
: which the honor and welfare Of tn
n ~