The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-01-09
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
SOME REMARKS SUGGESTED BY THE
PRESIDENTS ATTITUDE.
Not Good Policy for the Country to
Remain Quiet and see Foreign
Power in Possession of Territory So
Near to the South of Us-As the
Constitution Views it.
lAtlanta constitutional

Some Of the administration and
cuckoo newspapers are finding fault
with the Constitution because it is
carrying out its Nilsson as a newspaper
and giving all the news in regard @
the Venezuelan question.
1t is intimated by some of them
that our endorsement of the president S
Venezuelan message was not sincere,
because we have several times made
| the prediction that there will be nc
war, as there is nothing in sight to
provoke it.
If there IS anything which the Can
shtuhon has always advocated and
defended it is The Monroe doctrine.
In numerous foreign complications in
the past, when our cuckoo friends
were silent, we have always been out
spoken in favor of vigorously enforcing
our traditional policy. The president's S
message, 81 far as it reasserts, the
Monroe doctrine, has been time and
| again Endorsed, IN these columns. The
Monroe doctrine held that no Euro
pean power should be allowed to ex-
tend It's institutions by the acquisition
OF new territory III this hemisphere,
though in his late message President
Cleveland SO. ewhat modi6es the
scope Of that principle, as follows:
Great Brtain's present proposil ion
has never thus far been regarded as ad-
mlsslble by Venezuela, though any ad
justment of the boundary which that
country may deem for her advantage,
and may enter into of her own free
will, cannot, of course, he objected to
by the United States.
President Monroe did not express
Willingness to see The European pow
ers acquire territory in this hemisphere
by the consent of the countries giving
up their land. He said
We owe it, therefore, to candor, and
to the amicable relations exist ,g be-
tween the United States and those
powers to declare that we should con-
slder any attempt on their part to ex-
tend their system to any portion of
this hemisphere as dangerous to our
peace and safety.
The following declaration of Presi
dent Monroe is also on the same
line;
1t is impossible that the allied pow
ers should extend their political sys-
tenn to any portion of either CONT
nent without endangering our peace
and happiness; nor can any one be-
lse'e that cur Southern brethren, if
left to themselves, would adopt it of
their own accord. 1t is equally i'm
| possible, therefore, that we should be-
hold such lnterposltlon, in any form,
with indifference.
We do not believe that it would be
good policy t, r this country to remain
| quiet if Spain should cede Cuba to
England, nor should we view with in
difference the cesslon of part of
Mexico to any European country,
! In Other weyt.s. No arc cmpha,ically
for The Monroe doctrine as it originally
stood and we believe it is the duty of
our government TO sustain and defend
the principle enunciated in that doc
| trlne.
But while we hold these opinions
and cypress them almost every day,
we also hold that it is the duty of
newspaper to publish both sides of
every question Of public interest. This
has been our policy on the money
question. We have time and again
given up page after page to Mr.. Car
isles speeches, Mr.. Cleveland's ut
te1ances and numerous other articles
on the same disastrous and destructive
line,
| This is precisely what we have done
in regard to the presidents Venezue-
message. We have clearly defined
our position and given both sides a
hearing.
| 1t must be admitted that there is
some cause tor disagreement in the
contention that the Venesuela boun-
Gary issue lnvolves the Monroe doc
trine. One side holds that England
does not seek to acquire new territory
and that she is simply trying to main
tain the boundary of the territory
which belonged to her at the promul-
CATION of the Monroe doctrine. If
this is true it goes without saying the
doctrine does not apply iu this place.
The other side, however contends that
England is seizing more territory year
after year.
Of course, we cannot say which side
is right. We must wait until the com
mission appointed by Mr.. Cleveland
looks into the facts, sits the evidence
ana makes report. In the mean
time we propose 10 print the news
Ii the commission reports that England
is unlawfully acquiring territory in
Venezuela, then will be the time lor
vigorous action, after first having en-
deavored to bring about a peaceable
settlement of the trouble:
Tue presidents motive in taking his
present stand for the Monroe doctrine
has been criticized and many news.
papers have hinted that a third tern,
was in his mind. Some Of their eA=
pressions have been reproduced as in
eidents of the discussion, but the third
term idea is SO monstrous that We dc
not believe that Mr.. Cleveland enter,
tains it. Even The suggestion has been
suddenly dropped by its most active
advocates and it will not be again