The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-17


nm JUSTICE to the reputation OF the
II vrile American who promulgated the
Monroe doctrine we protest against
II the Interpretation given to that doc
trine by Mr.. Coudert and Mr.. Ed
munds as applied to the Philippine
Islands. The Monroe doctrine was in
tended to he an emphatic declaration IN
behalf OF American liberties; the inter-
probation of Mr. Coudert ana Mr Ed
munds would make it a palladium for
European despotisms.
When that doctrine was pronounced,
the soVcrcignS of the Holy Alliance hdd
formed plot to intervene in behalf of
the king of Spain against the American
provinces that had revolted against him
and were battling for ireO institutions.
! Their plan was to ONCrWhclm the pa
triOtS and riVet upon them the chains OF
Spanish desrutism. James Monroe saw
that this would be a most serious blow to
freedom on this ContinC mt. Success might
induce the Alliance to attempt here Whd.
they had accomplished in Europe, and by
their combined Iower to perpctrate upon
our own republic what they had COnsum-
mated in France and Spain. BY the ad-
vice of jefferson ana Madison, Monroe
determined to meet them on the TIRES.
hold. FOrtul lately for us our knsmen OF
Great Britain threw their weight into
the scale of liberty, and the combined
despOtisms of Europe quailed before the
contest that was offered to them.
q
There is nothing in the Monroe doctrine
as announced by its author that justihes
the Interpretation given to IL by Mr.. COu-
dert and Mr.. Edmunds. Nothing was
further from JGmes Monroes mind than
to clip the wings of the American eagle.
| This is what he said i'm reference to our
European policy: "Our policy in regard
I to Europe, which was adopted at an
early stage of the wars which have so
| long agitated that quarter of the globe,
nevertheless remains the same, which is
not to interfere in the internal concerns
! of any of its powers to consider the gov
ernment de facto as the legitimate gov
! crnment for us; to cultivate friendly re-
| lations with it, and to preserve those re.
| latiOns by a frank, firm, and manly
policy; meeting in all instances the Just
! claims Of every power submitting to in
| juries from nCne."
| How does this affect our action in the
| philippine Islands? 1t declares that it IS
| not the policy of this country ITO inter-
| ferc in the internal concerns of any of
| its powers" but also declares that we
| will submit to injuries from none" The
| Philippine Islands have fallen into our
| hands as an incident of our war with
! Spain That war vas imposed upon us
! by the highest obligations OF our SOW
| ereignty. The destruction of our COM
| merce, the ruin of American property
! and the insecurity Of American lives in
| Cuba appealed to our interest, while the
! horrors of Spanish cruelty appealed to
| our humanity. Either ground would
| have been a sufficient justification for
! armed intervention; both imperauiVely
required it. Having captured the lhilIp-
! pines, they are, our property by the law
| of nations, and We shall do what we
please with our own property.
IL
| If we determine to keep them ana colo
| nize them with American subjects who
| will carry them to the East American
! capital, American energy and Anne rican
| pluck whose business is 1t? by what
right do the nations Of Europe claim eX-
! elusive jurisdiction over the seas ana
! islands Of Asia? Because these nations
| have themselves taken various parts of
I the Asiatic continent by force from Their
/ lawful owners. does that give them a
/ right to say that we shall not take from
| Spain what the right Of conquest gives
! us? Because certain European powers
/ have recently helped themselves to va
! rious ports and portions Of China, does
! that give them n right 10 say that we
shall not hold the Philippines?
! o.
our commerce with China and japan is
immense probably greater than that of
! any European power except Great Brit
! ain. If il Is to our advantage to use Ma
| Mia as cOlling station, or n naval base
| or a commercial! depot, for the benefit
| ana advancement of that commerce. who
| shall forbid MS to do 1t? The Philippine
! Islands themselves have a rich and fer
| tile soil which, even under Spanish mis-
rule, has returned most generous har-
vests to its cultivatOrs. Under such gov
| ernment as we should give them they
would soon become the richest islands or
| the east. Their productions are among
| the most valuable articles OF commerce
| including hemp, sugar, tobacco and in
! digO Before this war broke out in spite
! of the restrictions OF the Spanish reve-
/ nue. laws, our merchants were doing a
! large trade there. In his recent report
! of Feb. ~, 1895 our consul, Mr.. Oscar f..
! Williams, states that the increase in the
! shipments Of the principal product hemp,
! 10 the United States I'm the preceding
| year, 1891 was 5i4 per cent greater than
! all the other countries combined.
] d
/ If we have accomplished this In the
! face of Spanish discrimination against US
| what cannot be expected under system
devised and operated by ourselves for
! l1lr own bgDptit1