The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-02-01
MONROE DOCTRINE
1ortsln and Impartial Interpretation Of
This Well Grounded and Famous
American Idea.
LATE VIEWS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Scope of the Declaration Very Plainly and
Interestingly Set Forth
In Detail.


all the newspapers, is t'The Monroe Doc
trine." One would think there was some
thing cabalistic about it, so misty and
even mysterious is the way in which the
phrase is used. 1t is popularity supposed
to relate in a. peculiar way to the South
American states and to denote a guard
ianship. that in some way has been de-
volved upon the United States with re-
spect to that portion Of the western con-
tinent
What is this blessed Monroe doc
trine?' cries out the Westminster Ga
zette hast week, with a sheer. The CUES
ton from that source was a jibe, but,
nevertheless, there is room for :nfornla-
ton all around There are even A1neri-
cans, hlrniliating as the confession must
be who do noE understand or who will
fully miscomprehand it. propose to i'm
partially relate it's history
In 1922 and prior to that time both
Russia and Great Britain claimed that
the northwestern coast Of American, that
which is now known as British Columbia
and our own states Of Washington and
Oregon, was still open to colonization and
settlement by European powers.
5 John Quincy Adams was secretary OF
state under Monroe and in his duty I'M
der date OF July II, 1929, he notes an in
terview between himself and Baron Fuyl.
the Russian minister. Il told him spec
tally, 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
jects for any new European colonial es-
Adjustments
In that sentence lies the germ of one
branch of the Monroe dctrine This ma
ton would not recognize the right OF E'l-
ropean nations to plant colonies and es-
tablish authority over any portion OF the
western hemisphere, as they had done
ID, the sixteenth and seventeenth CEN
turtles.
Shortly after this the Russian ernper-
or, Alexander l., substantially acknowl-
edged our contention by making no more
pretension to press his possessions SOUTH
ward from what was then known as Rus
siam America. and is now known as Alas
ka.
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 acknowledged
their independence, but Spain was still
making an effort to reconauer them. In
1922 she hoped by the aid OF the holy
alliance, a federation composed OF france,
Prussia Austria and Russia, to win back
her colonies, and made every effort to
gain the alliance to her cause. Nor were
~11s i,u
George Canning, the British foreign sec
retary--who never loved the United
States-suggested to Mr. Rush, the Amer
lean minister at London. that Great Brat-
ain would cooperate with the United
States in resisting the resubjugatlon OF
the Spanish american colonies. Nothing
came of this, but it gave rise to the opln-
ion that Canning was really the invent
or. promoter and champion" Of the Mon
roe doctrine. Charles Sumner in his
..Prophetc Voices Of America so de-
clares. ...
The situation when President Monroe
sent his message to Congress in Decen-
Der. 1923, was this: Spain was seeking to
enlist the aid of the European powers
to recover her lost possessions III South
America. and Russia was claiming the
right to extend her colonization schemes
L
region of the north.
Tn 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 anlicab'e relations existing between
the United States and those powers to
declare that we should consider any at
tempt on their part to extend tne'r sy&-
TEN to any portion OF this hemisphere
as dangerous to our peace and safety.
With the existing colonies or depeuden-
cies of any European power, we have not
interfered and shall not Interfere. But
with the governments who have declared
their independence and maintained it,
and whose independence we have On
great consideration and on just principles
acknowledged, we could not view any in
terpositicn for the purpose OF oppressing
them, or controlling in any manner their
destiny by any European power, IN any
other light than as the manifestation CT
AN unfriendly disposition toward the
United STATES.
This doctrine. so stated has received
the Endorsement OF every American
statesman from that day to the present
time We clio not propose to suffer any
European government to overturn the
government or any SOuln American STATE,
or to establish new government on its
ruins. Daniel Webster speaking on the
subject few years later. said: Sir. l
look on the message of December, 1928
as forming bright page i'll our history.
L will help neither to erase it not tear it
I out: nor shall it be by any act OF mine
blurred or nlotted. It did honor to the
eagacity Oh the government. and I will
not diminish that honor. 1t elevated the
homes and gratited the patriotism OF the
Deople. Over those hopes | will not bring
a mildew, nor will put that gratlfied pat
riOtfsm to shame"
This phase Of the Monroe doctrine has
never been questioned by al American
writer on international law, or any Amer
lean statesman.
Jefferson, with whom Monroe had con-
suited, warmly approved Of it. In writ
ing to Monroe ne said:
Our first and fundamental maxim
should be never to entangle ourselves in
the broils of Europe. Our second never
to suffer Europe TO NEEDLE in cisatlantic
affairs. American, North and South
has a set of interests distinct from those
of Europe and peculiarly her own. She
should therefore have a system of her
own, separate and apart from those OF
Europe. When the last is laboring to
I become the domicile of despotism, our
endeavor should be to make our heni