The Ely miner., 1896-02-26
SPEECH BY DAVIS.
Minnesota's Senior Senator Talks
on the Monroe D -ctrine.
The Resolution Reported from the Com
mittee on Foreign AfAirs Taken As
aText for Forcible Ar
gument.

on Monday, supporting the resolution
of which he is the author, enunciating
the policy of the United States on the
Monroe doctrine, was the event of the
day in the senate. 1t is a matter of
common observation, said Mr.. Davis in
beginning. that each year. our foreign
relations increase in difficulty, complex
ity and importance. This results from
the growth of our nation and to the
tendency of the times to bring together
nations in social and commercial inter
course. 1t was this tendency" said the
senator. which explained the fact that
the United States was involved in more
difficulties with Great Britain than with
all other countries com bined.'
He was glad 10 know, however, that
the last month had brought some ameli-
Grafton of the immediate difficulties to
which the attention of the country had
been given. If these new conditions
were founded on the Monroe doctrine
then they should receive the warmest
approval of the American people: but
if they involved any concession the
principles laid down by President Mon
roe, ther the people of this country
would visit upon such concession their
condemnation and disapprovaL
Mr.. Davis said that as he understood
the Monroe doctrine, it was an asser-
ton BY the United States that it would
regard as an infringement any attempt
by an European power to take or ae-
quire any new or additional territory
on the American continent, or any
islands adjacent thereto, CT any right
of sovereignty or domi MON in the same,
and that such infringement will be
deemed dangerous to the peace and
safety of the United States.
The senator reviewed al length the
conditions existing in Europe at the
time of the enunciation of the Monroe
doctrine. He did not view the course
of the British statesman, Canning. who
favored the doctrine, as inspired by
love for this country. 1t was a move
on behalf of British trade, then begin
ming to expand the world over. Speak
ing OF the criticism that the pending
resolution contemplated a protectorate
over South American countries. Mr..
Davis said il would bear no such con-
structiou. nor would it bring about
such results. 1t suggested no guard
ianship over Southern countries None
Of them was relieved from the chastise-
men o the war by foreign country.
The only condition being that territor-
ial extension shall not result from such
war. There was nothing new or novel
in the spirit of this doctrine, proceeded
the senator. 1t was recognized and en-
forced by European governments, and
Turkey offered a marked instance of
the mutual agreement to refrain from
territorial extension in the Ottoman
empire. Mr.. Davis referred to the
statement of Lord Salisbury that the
Monroe doctrine is not based on any
canon of international law. and the
senator insisted that the right rested
on any nation to interfere in the affairs
of another state when conditions arose
dangerous to its peace and safety.
This was recognized principle of inter
national law, upheld by eminent Eng
lish authorities from whom the senator
quoted.
Taking up the islands of Cuba and
Hawaii Mr.. Davis showed the consist
ent and persistent course of the United
States in applying the spirit of the doc
trine to those islands 1t had been in
vokei in the case of Cuba whenever
England or-France had sought foot
hold there. In the case of Hawaii. a
resolution had been passed at the last
session of congress declaring that the
United States would not look with
favor on any foreign intervention in
the affairs of Hawaii. The senator re-
ferred incidentally to the animosity of
the debate over Hawaii and to the ef-
fort to restore to the Hawaiian throne
a ''sanguinary and barbarous queen"
If it was proper to pass such reso-
luton as to Hawaii, why should ques-
ton be raised as to the policy of firm,
temperate and explicit enunciation of
the application of the Monroe doctrine
to the binding difficulties. Mr. Davis
took mp the Venezuelan question and
outlined its essential features Vene-
zuela had steadfastly claimed the Es-
siquibo river as the rightful boundary
The claims of Great Britain had shifted
constantly and had increased immeas-
urably in recent years map show
ing the~various claims of Great Britain
is bewildering in its intricacy. Great
Britain had never fixed a definite line
and declared '-here is the limit"
On the contrary, she had pushed
westward to the Orinoco river until tie
British claim covered 10000 square
miles
Concerning this territory Great Brit
ain asserted there should be no arbitra-
ton In explaining the advance of the
British claims. Mr.. Davis exhibited an
old map and pamphlet prepared by Sir
Robert Schomb berg, showing the line
laid down by him. The senator said
l.