The San Francisco call., 1896-04-02
O|Az ON THE DOCTRINE,
Mexico's President Favors the
Ultimatum of James
Monroe.
Believes 1t Should Be Defended by
All of the American
Repu blics.

CITY OF MEXICO, MEXICO, April l.
Congress was opened tonight. President
DiaZ in his message said:
Among the events relative to that great
republic which since my last message have
attracted most attention and reused the
interest of the American nations, there is
one respecting which national motives of
decorum and propriety oblige me to say
some words.
Owing to an ancient dispute over the
boundary between Venezuela and the ter
ritory eallad British Guiana-a dispute
exasperated recently by causes which
need not be considered-the President Of
the United States of America sent mes
sage to the Congress of that country, re.
calling as applicable to said contention
the famous opinion of the doctrine which.
in similar document, President Monroe
expounded, and which since 1923 has had
such acceptance among the people.
Very naturally. recurrence to the doctrine
which condemned every attempt at European
usurpation, and every monarchical tendency
to change republican institutions in the new
world, created intense. enthusiasm in the free
nations OF this continent, causing demon
strations OF sympathy from the people
selves of the American countries. The
.AS->AN'A was iiob ldCklliS
in invitations of an international
character TO at once give its opinion on so
grave measure, but the executive believed
that it ought not be in hurry to give its
opinion in matter which at the time involved
not only the Monroe doctrine, but was extended
to the application of its principles to the
with Venezuela. Not as fully under
standing this question as it was
perhaps understood in the United States,
which had received special information from
Venezuela, we were not in position TO pre-
sumo that the cl aims of England constituted
an attempt at usurpation. Moreover, we could
not believe that the very boundary question in
its essence, and even treating OF controversial
points. should be case for the application of
th at wise doctrine.
On the other hand the simple fact that Eng.
land should refuse to submit to arbitration her
rights to one part of the disputed territory
taking it for granted that she admitted to ar
bltrate for the remainder could not be in our
judgment sufficient reason for an unfayorable
presumption since the Mexican Government
itself had decided more than once that it would
not admit arbitration for certain territorial
questions which. in our opinion, involved the
honor of the country. Thus it was that I
declined to make any manifestation. through
the press respecting n matter which affected
the interest or the most delicate sentiments Of
three nations equally deserving our esteem
but confined myself to the reply that, nat.
urally, was partisan of the principles of the
Monroe doctrine properly understood, but
could not say whether it was applicable to the
present case or not.
NOW tudt Hdpplly ana as was TO nave been
expected the crisis is passed that threatened
war between the two great nations in which
the Anglo-SaxOn race is divided; now that our
sister republic OF Venezuela is proceeding at
Washington in peaceful negotiations with her
powerful adversary, it does not seem inoppor-
tune to accede to the desires of those who re-
quested that the Mexican Government should
give its opinion respecting the Mo ,roe doc
trine.
Without entering into an examination of the
origin and history of the occasion which gave
rise to Its promulgation; without descending
to particulars as TO the just limitations which
its author himself would have fixed and which
| with so much prudence President Clevelant
stated, the Government of Mexico cannot do
less than show itself a partisan OF the doctrine
which condems as aggressive any invasion
by monarchial Europe of the republics Of
America-independent nations to-day ruled
by popular Government. Our history in
general and signally the struggle of our
people to throw off the yoke of I'm exotic
empire OF European origin, form and elements
and the torrents of blood shed in that severe
contest give testimony before the world OF our