The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-01-25

ate Committee Says No. and the Presi-
dent Says Yes.
WASHINGTON. Jan. "a. Especial. -
Shall we ever get through discussing the
Monroe doctrines IL docs not seem So
In congress now that famous doctrine is
being very much talked about. The SEN
Ate committee on foreign relations wants
congress to adopt q declaration of the
| Monroe doctrine that goes much farther
than the doctrine which was laid down by
| President Cleveland and Secretary Olney
| In the Venezuela case. It Is important to
understand the distinction between the
| two ideas. The doctrine as the senate
committee would have IL adopted means
that we must resist every attempt of q
European power 10 COLOMBO part OF this
hemisphere. In other words, those ma
lions are not TO bo permitted 20 acquire new
| territory In the Americas even by peaceful
means. They are not TO be allowed to
purchase either with money or by an ex-
change of land for land. In no way what
soever, whether by peace or by force, are
they TO be permitted to extend their pos
sessions on these continents.
A Distinct Issue.
The Cleveland and Olney doctrine does
not go nearly so far. 1t prohibits only
acquisition "by force, against the will"
of the American government from whom
the land is taken.
In this way u distinct issue has been
raised, and IL Is not only one Of great In
terest, but OF vast Importance. IL would
be pretty serious thing for the United
States to adopt in written form q doctrine
to which the nations of the earth have not
yet given assent, because adoption Of IL In
the form OF q joint resolution Of congress
would place IL upon the statute books and
pledge to IL the faith OF the nation. IL
would make IL absolutely necessary for us
TO support that doctrine with our army
and navy whenever we felt It to be violat-
ed, for only in that way could 1t be main
tained and given effect. II IL Is put upon
the statute books and not enforced, it Is
not only a dead letter, but a reproach to
the nation, placing us In most humiliat-
ing position. Therefore congress should
beware what sort of a doctrine IL pledges
the national faith to-
know whereof speak when say that
IL congress passes q joint resolution en-
braoing such a Monroe doctrine as this
President Cleveland will refuse to sign Il.
Joint resolutions, to become of force, must
have the executive signature like bills. II
congress wishes to express its opinion upon
this subject, 1t can do so by passing an In.
dependent resolution in each Of the two
houses, not requiring the presidents sig
nature. But such resolution would have
only the weight of the opinion Of congress.
IL would not be binding at all upon the
or necessarily commit the nation
to the policy declared In It.
A Dangerous Policy.
My information rs to the position of the
president Is absolutely Trustworthy. Mr..
Cleveland thinks a declaration such as the
leaders OF the senate committee propose to
make would DO highly dangerous. It
would commit the nation to policy which
would surely fail 10 meet with recognition
from other nations, and about which we
might at any time be forced to war. 1t
would commit us to policy the virtual
meaning OF which is sort Of probationary
Or suzerainty over all other American gov
ernments. 1t would compel us to say to
Chile, TO Brazil, to Venezuela, to Mexico
and perhaps 10 Canada also: "You are not
independent powers. You own your ter
ritory only subject to our approval. You
cannot dispose of 1t as you wish. II you
sell It or any Of it TO European power
we shall have to make war on you to force
you TO back out Of the bargain" In tho
belief OF the president this would be such
IN absurd position that the United States
would be soon laughed out of 1t by the
voice OF the world. When did we acquire
q right TO say what the other independent
nations OF this hemisphere should or
should not do with their own?
The president does not contend that the
original Monroe doctrine did not include
such theory. 1t did. But the United
States government has never given It's
sanction TO this extreme form of the Mon
roe doctrine and is not bound by the rule
set up by the forefathers of tho republic
only so far rs that rule is wholesome and
sound and applicable at the present day.
Nor does the president deny that cases
might arise which would make IL impera-
lively necessary for this government to set
up the very doctrine which the senate
committee now advocates Suppose Spain
were to endeavor to sell Cuba to England
Dr. Germany. We would not permit Il.
It would not be necessary to have writ
zen doctrine on the statute books to induce
Is to oppose that sale with all our power.
We should oppose II because such trans
er would threaten our interests, menace
'ur safety, cndangor our supremacy.
No Forcible Acquisition.
But how absurd would be our position.
ays the president, IL wo were to adopt
'uch declaration as that proposed by the
enate committee as hard and fast rule,
applicable TO every case, and then Chile
we're to sell few hundred acres Of land to
5reat Britain for coaling station or
Brazil were To receive money consldera.
Ion for tract of land which France
Wished to add to her possessions In Gui-
ma, II we were to apply our law, as we
hould have TO do In order to be consist
mt, Chile and Brazil, as we'll as England
md France, would tell us TO attend to our
business. The South American powers
would ask us when and where we obtained
he right to dictate to them.
Peaceable acquisition of territory we are
o resist only when it threatens our inter.
SITS, and therefore 1t Is impossible to lay |
lown rule covering all cases. Every |
uch incident will have to be dealt with |
'coording to Its merits and the circum. |
tances surrounding IL. To attempt hard |
md fast rule leads us not only into alb. |
urdity, but into danger.
The doctrine OF mo forcible acuuisi. |
lon" Is principle vital to our national |
lie and self preservation. That sets up n |
nfe and rational line ovor which no Eu. |
opean nation Is to be permitted to step. |
Ia .k.ztl l. III a.