The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-01-31
VlOIJ0f VI
THEsCOLORADO SENATOR
ON
1rhis Doctrine, He Declares, Does Not Apply
e 4 Venezuela Controversy, and was
Never Intended Other Than for self-De-
fenseThere VIII BE No wax.

Never Intended Other Than for Self-De-
fense--There win BE Ma war.
WASHINGTON, Jan. o3.-The Senate
galleries were we'll filled to-day IN an
tlcipatlonsof the speech of Senator
Wolcottto OF Colorado on the Monroe
doctrine. a majority of the members
OF the Senate committee on foreign
relatlons were present.
After referring to the message of
President Cleveland onthe Venezuelan
question and the appointment of the
commission to determine the true
divisional line separating Venezuela
and British Guiana, Senator Wolcott
said that, under the circumstances, it
would ordinarily seem to be the part
OF wisdom to refrain at present from
further comment upon SO sensitive
and delicate matter.
Continuing, ne said; ssThe remarks
] shall make will be chiefly that the
so-cailed Monroe doctrine has been
misapplied in the pendingicontroversy;
that SO much OF President Monroe's
message as referred to the colonial
ton of portions of America by Eu-
Pean powers could have no applicable
ity to any boundary dispute now exist
Ing in South America; that the hostil-
lty to the extension by European pow
ers OF their system to any portion of
this hemisphere, as expressed in that
message, had especial reference to the
systems of government which were
based on the divine right of kings and
which were directed to the overthrow
of all republics wherever existing:
that the Monroe doctrine was in no.
wise intended as Insisting upon repub-
mean forms OF government in this
hemisphere or as committing this row
ernment to maintain the doctrine out
side its own borders or except as it's
own integrity might be affected; that
this country is embarking upon u new
and different policy from the one laid
down by our fathers, and that from
1871 until now, congress has uniformly
declined to define the so-called Monroe
doctrine or to adopt it as a rule Of
action.
There has been much tension for
secretary of state to Mr.. Bayard was.
from adiplomatic point of view, almost
incendiary. The Presidents message
glowed with possibilities of war. Mem
bers OF both Houses of Congress. not
to be %outdone, followed the Presidents
suggestion as to the appointment Of a
commission with feverish haste. But
what the commission is to do or how it
IS to DO 1T. nobody knows, but we have
1T and it stands, as vet more a
menace than q guarantee Of peace.
The efforts Of the government to
fre the national heart have not been
~unavailing, Q was the work difficult.
There is discomfort, too, with existing
conditions IN many sections of the
country, and men feel that any
change. even war with a foreign tcoun-
try, could not make matters worse.
and might bring Improvement. There
are all over the West and South, men
who work on their farms, and find the
grain they raise little more valuable
Tor food than as fuel, who know that
the railways that charge them for the
transportation Of their products are
largely owned in Great Britain and
either prosperous, or if insolvent, are
fostered and protected and managed
by the federal courts. They also vie w
with distrust the close financial rela-
tions existing between the bankers of
the East and those of London. and
they would welcome any event, even
war, that would result, as they believe
war would result, in destroying these
relations and lead us to rely upon our
alone and to embrace
economic policies which would not be
dependent on those of foreign coun-
tries. Thoughtless and weak and
ignoront these views may be but the
person who denies their existence is.
not familiar with the conditions. or
opinions, in many states Of the Union.
There has never been a doctrine
misunderstood or misapplied
than the Monroe doctrine. 1t u.s. and
ever has been, without recognition by
other countries, and has always been
refused approval by Congress. Presi-
dent Monroe protested against
despotic governments, but against it's
forcible extension by the Holy Alll-
ance in this Western world, of which
he stood in well grounded fear. q Com
5gress had failed to give the Monroe
doctrine official sanction and when q
congressional resolution respecting
Panama was under discussion Congress
expressly refused to commit itself to
the Monroe doctrine in any form.
1.-The Monroe doctrine was essential
" a doctrine of se~lf-defense, promul-
gated for own preservation and
for no other purpose. We have made
1t infinitely more difficult for Great
Britain to accept arbitration bv &our
demonstrative diplomacy and v%olun-
lteer commission; and we are Drifting
into 8 position where Great Britainss
refusal to arbitrate, and she may law
fully refuse, will be considered as de-
manding from us a dignifed and earn