The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-09
PRESIDENT DIAZ IN HIS MES
SAGE, DEALS WITH THE MON
ROE DOCTRINE.
AMERICAN REPUBLICS SHOULD ACT
Each Republic Should Make Declara-
ton to Conform With the Monroe
Doctrine-Uncle Sam Should Not
Bear All the Burden.

City of Mexico, April 1.-The most i'm
= portant part of the presidents message
delivered today at the opening of con
gress, is an alusion to the Anglo-Vene
zuelan controversy and President Cleve.
lands message to congress. This part OF
the Mexican presidents address is as
follows:
with our Northern neighbor our in
Z tercourse is of the same friendly and cor
dial character as our diplomatic and
other relations with that country have
4 been for some years past, strengthened
as they are by the growth of common in
terests which hold the two nations in
bonds more solid than steel rails that
weld their traffic systems. Naturally
GyQcation of that doctrine which con-
y nemns all attempts at European us>lrpa-
ton and all tendencies to modify repub-
lican institutions of the new world in n
monarchial direction, aroused great en-
thusiasm among free nations of this con-
tinent and gave occasion for demonstra-
lions of sympathy, both popular and gov
ornamental.
indications of international character
were not lacking that the Mexican gov
eminent should at once state its opinion
in so grave a matter.
But the executive considered that
haste was not proper in expressing an
opinion on subject which involved not
only the Monroe doctrine, but also its
application to the concrete case of con-
trOversy between Great Britain and Ven
ezuela. As we were not acquainted with
that question, as perhaps the United
States specially informed by the Vene-
zuelan government, is acquainted with
it, we were not in a position to assume
that the claims of England necessarily
constituted an attempt at usurpatiOn.
Nor could we consider that every bound
airy dispute in it's essence, even though
involving debatable points, afforded
ground for application of the wise doc
trine in question. On the other hand,
the simple fact that England refused to
submit to arbitration her rights to a part
of the disputed territory, while accepting
ct for the rest, was not in our opinion
sufficient ground for unfavOrable pre-
sumptions, seeing that the Mexican gov
ernment has declared on more than one
occasion that it will not accept arbitra-
ton for certain territorial questions, es-
pecially affecting the honor of the nation.
For these reasons declined to make any
public statement to the press in regard
to the question which affected the inter
'ests and the most delicate sentiments of
|spect. l simply stated that l was in
favor of the Monroe doctrine, rightly in
terpreted, but that l did not know
whether it was applicable to the concrete
Ta q in question. Now that, happily, and
az was to be expected, the crisis has
passed, which seemed to threaten war
between the two great nations into which
the Ango-Saxon race is divided, and now
that our sister republic, Venezuela, is
carrying on at Washington peaceful ne
gotiatiOns with her powerful adversary, |
it may not be out of place to accede to |
the desires of those persons who have re-
quested the Mexican government to state |
her opinion with regard to the Monroe |
doctrine, without entering into discus
sions as to its origin and historical Cir |
cumstances which gave rise to its enun-
cation; without descending into the par
ticulars as to its proper limitations |
marked out by it's author and so prudent
ly recalled by President Cleveland.
THE Mexican government can not but
declare its Partially for doctrine which
condemns as criminal any attack on the
part of the monarchies of Europe against
the republics of America, against the in
dependent nations of this continent, now
all subject to popular form of govern
ment. The whole of our history, and es-
pecially the struggle of our people to
shake off the yoke of foreign empire,
which was European both in it's origin,
form and resources, and torrents Of
gle, are sufficient testimony to the world
of our love of independence and our alb
florence to all outside interference
But it is not our opinion
that to the United States, or the immens-
ity of its resources belongs the obligation
of assisting other republics of the hemis-
phere against the attacks of Europe, if
t..h ffnn e,N.n /
possible; but for the attainment of an end
to which we all aspire, each one of those
republics ought, by means of a declaration
like that of President Monroe, proclaim
that every attack on the part of a foreign
power with a view of curtailing territory
)r independence, or of altering institu-
ions of any one of the republics of Amer
ca, would be considered by the nation
making such declaration an attack on {
tself, provided the nation directly at {
acked or threatened in that manner be- I
'poke the aid of other nations Opportune-
X In this manner, the doctrine now I
,,dled by the name of Monroe would be- /
'ome the doctrine of America in the full
st sense of the word. and although orig
mating in the United States would belong
o the international law of this CONT {
tent. Y
''As to the means to reduce this idea to n
ractice, this is not the place or time to G
scuss them" r
In dealing with internal affairs the pres
dent is very concise. He dwells with q
pecial emphasis on the growth and pros n
Gritty of mining industry, as evidenced
" the fact that number of applications o
or mining grants during the six months
list was more than a thousand, against Il
My five hundred in the previous six
lonths.
He also draws attention to the growth
agriculture and increase in the expor- Fl
ltion of tropical staples. o.
In the part of the messages dealing with a
nances of Mexico, General Diaz states ii
nat the financial difficulties of Mexico n
ave disappeared, it is hoped, forever
he ordinary revenue of the nation is now
IMPLY sufficient to meet all legitimate ex-
enses, including enterprises calculated to d
remote the moral and material progress OF
the country. III
During the first half of the current fiscal W
ear the revenue exceeded expenditures fir
Y S2,OOO,OOO. The task now awaiting til
lie finance department is one of mere q,
organization and gradual improvement. an
In view of the losses suffered by inhab-
ants of the frontier through scarcity and
ten absolute deficiency of water on the
10 Grande, our representative in Wash IH
gton has been instructed to enter into bu