The Monticellonian., 1895-04-26
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

A NOW Light Thrown Upon an Old Idea Senator David B. Hill Interviewed-He Declares that the Popular Understanding of the Much-Vaunted Doctrine is Err roneous-What It Really Does Mean.
 ALBANY, N. Y, April 22.-In view of the general interest which is now be- ing attracted to the subject of this country's relations with foreign gov ernments, and especially the discus sion now in progress regarding the true features of the much-talked of Monroe doctrine, q representative of the United Press interviewed Senator Hill Ut his residence. "Wolfert's Roost," in the suburbs of this city upon this interesting topic. Senator Hill was asked, among other things, whether experts in public law think the Monroe doctrine has given the United States special right, not given by the Spanish h-American. He an swered that he had never thought about it.
 But does not the Monroe doctrine" was inquired, declare the United States cannot allow any Spanish American republic on this continent to be oppressed, or its destiny con- trolled by European state?n
 That would not have referred" he said, ito legitimate dispute such as we, or any other government might have tomorrow with Spanish-Amer- ican state. It protested against using such controversy with an intention totncrease European political dominion on this hemisphere, or control the destiny of an American state or trans fer q colony like Cuba to a new European owner but not change what was then the law of nations. The es- tablishment, year or two before 1923, of more than dozen independent states at the south of us, naturally forced the United States into new lines of thought and action. John Quincy Adams, our then minister of foreign affairs, had the eyes to discern it. Entangling alliances on this side of the ocean were to be avoided so far as could be. We had to maintain inn partial neutrality in the affairs of the new and independent SpanishAmeri can states and suppress as we should to-day piratical expedi- tions from our shores against any of 1 SAANtit Cl any INhldll1ALS HUI icI'tat colony. The Monroe doctrine has ex- erted powerful influence at home and abroad in regard to Cuba, Yuca- tan, Nicaragua and it's tribe of Mo squito Indians Gnvented byEngland1 Napoleonic dynasty set up thirty years ago in Mexico and dominion over all the regions of projected interoceanic canals
 But was not the Monroe declaration to congress t national pledge, a guar antee of intervention, fercihle if need be, in behalfof each Spanish-Ameriean republic whenever, in our opinion, op- pressed by m European state?'
 'I think not, ," he replied. Not other wise, certainly, than if Chi1i should oppress Peru or Mexico should be un- reasonable in dealing with Guatemala. Congress has never affirmed the Mon- roe doctrine. You remember that when President Monroe made his eclara tion congress was convened by Bolivia at Panama for the censidera- tion and discussion of an American alliance" to enforce the declaration, there was substantial concurrence of opinion between President John Quincy Adams, who had formu- lated the Monroe doctrine and the members of the senate and house, especially the democrats including Senator VanBuren, of New York, par ticipating in a long debate, that the declaration did not pledge the United States to forever thereafter prevent European power from interfering with the independence or form of govern ment of Central American state.a
 "So you think that President Mon- roe has the reputation of having given his name to a rule of conduct by the United States for which neither he nor Mr. Adams contended?"
 Precisely that" the senator an- swered, the doctrine cannot be for mulated in treaty or statute, yet it's influence has been, is and ought to be very great. Discrimina- tion should, however, be made between legitimate disputes and illegitmate purposes behind disputes.
 Tn 1879 when the United States of Colombia granted to Frenchmen a concession for building and controlling an interstate oceanic canal at Panama, President Hayes did not intervene or ask congress to intervene and congress did not intervene to prevent the work.
 "lnterposing our good offices be- tween England and Venezuela is one thing, but dictating to one or the other in a peremptory way is very differ ent thing, unless 1t be clear case of self-defense.
 The reported conversations of our minister at St. Peters burg, Mir. Mid dleton, concerning the Monroe doc- urine, with Emperor Nicholas and his accessory in 1926, who was his brother, the Emperor Alexander; the note from Nerselrode, the notes from Secretary Henry Clay on the same subject to Bernsett, our minister at Mexico, Everett at Madrid, Rufus King at London and Brown at Paris. pour flood of light on what was in the mind of Mir Adams from 1922 to March 1929, when that incam- parable man, Andrew JaeksoR-mF ideal of an American president-tegaa to fill the sounding trump of fame The Monroe doctrine was, as l have at- ways thought, part of that diploW , by Mir. Adams successfully tNertee t# that end The Momre doctrine aea= and is immensely popular, but HeaH. plication should of course vary witl
 facts and situation which invoke
 NELLIE MFFKS