Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-25
new POINTS BY HILL
The Senator Expounds the
Monroe Doctrine.
United States Not Pledged To As
sumo Protectorate at All Times
Discrimination Must BE Exercised
Between Legitimate Disputes and
J11egitimate Purposes.


Between Legitimate Disputes and
t1legitimate Purposes.
Albany, April 22.-In view of the
general interest which Is now being at
tracted to the subject of this country's $
relations with foreign governments and
especially the discussion now in progress
regarding the true features of the much
talked of "Monroe Doctrine" repre-
sentative of the United Press interviewed
Senator Hill at 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 to the United States a
special right, not given by the general
law to intervene between Great Britain
and Venezuela in the pending boundary
dispute, or assume a protectorate over
Spanish-America ?'' He answered that
he had never thought so. "But does not
the Monroe doctrine" was inquired,
"declare that the United States cannot
permit any Spanish American republic on
this continent to be oppressed, or its
destiny controlled, by European state Z"
NOG Legitimate dispute.
"That would not have referred, " he said
"to alegitimate dispute such as we, or any
other government, might have to morrow
with Spanish-American state. 1t pro-
tested against using such a controversy
with an intention to increase European
political dominion on this hemisphere, or
control the destiny of an American state,
or transfer colony like Cuba, to a new
European owner, but did not change
what was then the law of nations. The
establishment, 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.
Exerted a Powerful Influence.
'John Quincy Adams, our then min
lister of foreign affairs, had the eyes to
discern 1t. Entangling alliances on this
side as well as on the other side of the
ocean were to be avoided so far as could
be. We had to maintain impartial neu-
trality in the affairs of the new and in
dependent Spanish American states and
suppress as we should do to-day pratt
cal expeditions from our shores against
any of them, or any remaining European
colony. The Monroe doctrine has ex-
erted a powerful influence, at home and
abroad, in regard to Cuba, Yucatan,
Nicaragua and its tribe of Mosquito In
dians, invented by England; Napoleonic
dynasty set up thirty years ago in Mex
leo, and dominion over all the regions of
projected interoceanic canals"
Not National Pledge.
"But, was not the Monroe declar alton
to congress a national pledge, guaran-
tee of our intervention, forcible if need
be, in behalf of each Spanish-American
republic whenever, in our opinion, op-
pressed by European state2' was
asked. 81 think not" he replied. "Not
otherwise, certainly, than if Chilli shall
oppress Peru, or Mexico shall be un-
reasonable in dealing with Guatemala.
Congress has never affirmed the Monroe
doctrine. In 1868, President johnson
projected treaty with Colombia, which
was signed, embodying the Monroe doc
trfne; but neither the Colombian senate,
nor our own senate ratified it. You re-
member, that when, two years after
President Monroe made his declaration,
a congress was convened by Bolivar at
Panama for the consideration and dis
cussion of an American alliance to en-
force the eclaration, there was substan-
tiaI concurrence of opinion between Pres
ident John Quincy Adams, who had
formulated the Monroe doctrine, and the
members of the senate and house, es-
pecially the democrats, including Sena-
tor Van Buren of New York, participat-
ing in long debate, that the declara-
tion did not pledge the United States to
forever thereafter prevent European
power from interfering with the inde-
pendence, or form of government, of a
Central American state"
Discrimination Must Be Made.
$50 you think that President Monroe
has the reputation of having given his
name TO rule of conduct by the United
States for which neither he nor Mr..
Adams contendedYn Precisely that"
the senator answered "The doctrine
cannot be formulated in treaty, or a
statute, but yet its moral influence has
been, is, and ought to be very great.
Discrimination should, however, be made
between legitimate disputes and illegiti-
mate purposes behind the disputes such
as imposing by force European political
control over the destiny of a reluctant
independent Spanish American state.
Should Not Dictate.
III 1000 IresluenI arthur ulu author
ize Secretary Frelinghuysen to go so far
as to say officially that the state depart
ment will not sanction arbitration by
European states of South American diff
culties, even with the consent of the
parties. Two years before that, Secre-
tary Blaine had written to our minister
at Paris that the president would regard
with grave anxiety an attempt by France
to force, by hostile pressure, the pay
ment by Venezuela of her debt to French
citizens. Interposing our good offices
between England and Venezuela is one
thing, but debating to one or the other
in peremptory way is very different
thing, unless it be clear case of self
defense"
Australiats Gold and Silver Output.
Washington, April pa report re-
ceived at the department of state from