The Portland daily press., 1895-10-26
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
Origin and Development of Americas
Diplomatic Greco.

John Quincy AdamS's Diary Gives the
First Enunciation of the Doctrine-Tht
Pauama Mission and Later Views and
illustrations.
A phra SO that is much on the lips OF
men in these days, and is glilby used IL
all the newspapers is 1.-THE Monroe Doc
trine - One would think there was
something cabalistic about it, so misty
and even mysterious is the way in which
the phrase is used. 1t is popularity sup
posed to relate in a peculiar way tolthe
South American States and to denote a
guardianship that in some way has been
devolved upon the United States with re-
speot 10 that portion of the Wesern Con
tinent
"What Is this blessed Monroe doc
trine?'' cries out the Westminster Ga
zette last week, with a sneer. The ques-
ton from that source was Jibe, but new
ertheless there is room for information
all around, writes John n. Crawford III
the Chicago Times Herald. There are
even Americans, humiliating as the con-
fession must be, who do not understand,
or who wiIfully misoomprehend it. l pro-
pose to impartially relate its history.
ORIGIN OF THE MONROE DOG
TRINE.
In 1922 and prior to that time both
Russia and Great Britain claimed that
the northwestern coast of America, that
which is now known as British Column
bia, and our own States Of Washington
and Oregon, was still open to colonial
ton and settlement by European powers.
John Quincy Adams was Secretary OF
State under Monroe, and in his diary
under date of July II, 1928, he notes an
interview between himself and Baron
Tuyl the Russian minister. 81 told him
specially that we should contest the right
OF Russia to any territorial, establishment
on this continent, and that we should
assume distinctly the principle that the
American continents are no longer sub
: iects for any new European colonial es-
Establishments.
In that sentence lies the germ of one
branch of the Monroe doctrine. This
nation would not recognize the right OF
European nations to plant colonies and
establish authority over any portion of
the western hemisphere, as they had
done in the sixteenth and seventee nth
centuries
Shortly after this the Russian emperor,
Alexander I, substantially acknow-
edged our contention by making no
more pretension to press his possessions
southwark from what was then known as
Russian America, and is now known as
Alaska.
In the southern hemisphere the case
was different. In Mexico and throughout
South America the Spanish colonies had
revolted and established republican gov
ernments. The United States had &C.
knowledged their Independence, but
Spain was still making an effort to recon-
ouer them. IN 1929 she hoped by the aid
of the holy alliance, q federation COM
posed of France Prussia, Austria and
Russia, to win back her colonies, and
made every effort to gain the alliance to
her cause. Nor were the allies unwill-
ing.
AT this iuncture George Canning. the
British foreign secretary-whO never loved
the United States-suggested to Mr..
Rush, the American minister at London,
that Great Britain would co-ope rate with
the United States in resisting the resub-
jugatlon of the Spanish-American colo
MES Nothing came of this, but it has
given rise to the opinion that Canning
was really the, Inventor, promoter and
champion" OF the Monroe doctrine.
Charles Sumner in his Prophetic Voices
of America" so declares
MONROE'S CELEBRATED MES
SAGE.
The situation when President Monroe
sent his message to Congress in December,
1928. was this: Spain was seeking to re-
gain her lost possessions in South America,
and Russia was claiming the right to
extend her colonization schemes south
ward on the Pacific coast from the region
ON the north.
In respect to Spain and the allied pow
ers Monroe said, after stating the general
situation and the difference of their po-
litical systems:
"We owe it. therefore, to candor and to
the amicable relations existing between
the United States and those powers to
declare that we should consider any at
empt Cd their part to extend their sys-
tenn to any portion OF this hemisphere as
dangerous to our peace and safety. With
the existing colonies or dependencies of
any European power, we have not inter-
fored and shall not interfere. But with
the governments who have declared their
independence and maintained it, and
whose independence we haves--on great
consideration and on just principles ac-
knowledged, we could not view any inter-
position for the purpose of depressing
them, or controlling in any manner their
destiny, by any European power, in any
other light than as the manifestation of
Electric RitteYS.
I