Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-05-05
rae MoNRoE pocrRINE.


THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
In accordance with wish expressed
by one of our correspondents last week
we will address few remarks to the
Monroe Doctrine" as it was aud is,
as affected by the present embrOliO.
The history Of it is about as follows:
In the latter part of the first quarter
of the present century large portion
Of the territory In South America UNI
der Spanish rule rebelled, organized
into several republics which in due
time were recognized by the I'm ted
States as independent governments.
1t was time when republicanism was
we'll begun on its career Of conquest
and had aroused the intense and I'm
placable hatred of the European mon
arches The "HOlY Alliance" formed
of the monarchs of Russia, Austria and
Prussia with England had just COM
pleted the overthrow Of Napoleon and
the establishment of the Bourbon
monarchy in France. They now felt
common cause with Spain and cOntem-.
plated assisting her TO subjugate her
rebelliOus subjects in the new world.
The American people were naturally
symathetic with the patriots and re-
publican Americans of the South. The
feeling had also become we'll developed
that America should be for Ameri-
cans"
These sentiments found vigorous ex-
preston in President MOnrOe's message
of December 2, 1923, in which he said;
"We owe il therefore TO candOr and to
the amicable relations existing between
the United States and those powers to
declare that we should consider any at
tempt on their part to extend their sys'
TEN to any portion of this hemisphere
as dangerous to our peace and safety.
With the existing colonies or depend
encies Of any European power we have
not interfered and shall not interfere.
But with the governments who have
declared their independence and main
tanned it and whose independence we
have, on great consideration and on
just principles, acknowledged, We could
not view any interpositiOn for the pur-
pose of depressing them, or for con-
trolling in any other manner their des-
tiny by any European power in any
other light t an as the manifestation
of an unfriendly spirit toward the
United States England receded
from the alliance and sided with the
United States and the other powers
abandoned any further thought of as
slsting Spain.
The above quotation found a lodge
ment 10 the hearts of the American
people, warm and lasting. The senti-
ments here expressed, we're reiterated
from time to time and it became part
of the fixed purpose and policy of this
government. Of course it is no part
of what is called international law.
European nations are naturally very
much inclined to look at it askance, but
some of them do occasionally speak
we'll Of it when they think their inter
ests and friendly relations with western
governments may profit thereby.
During the civil war scheme was
entered into between the ruling Aus
trian house and Napoleon III who WAS
then on the throne of France, to con-
quer Mexico and place Macmillan on
the throne as Emperor. AS soon as
the war was over and we we're able, the
United States interposed, claiming 1t
to be a violation of the Monroe Doctrin.
On this account Macmillan received
no reinforcements and was captured
and shot by the Mexicans. At present
the Monroe Doctrine is not much con-
cerned in the Cuban trouble.
However the sentiment which inspires
the Monroe Doctrine is concerned in
intervention in the freedom of the
western world.
We have here described the Monroe
Doctrine as we'll as we can in short
space. 1t can not be defined in few
words. 1t is like trying to define
claw" A young law student asked
his preceptor what law is and the re-
ply was, "that is what l have been
studying twenty-five years to fine out"