Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-07-06
.s.Ssg1 Tygw

influence on the territory of dying China,
it is not difficult to realize the attractions
which the rich fields and the enormous
mineral wealth and the %boundless forests
of South America must have for the
rival powers of the Old World, or the
temptation which even the weak count
ries of Central America must offer for
European encroachment. Thus far the
people of the United States has been
able to prevent the nations of Europe
from acquiring new territory on the
American continent, not because of our
military power, alone, but also because
of the evident business of our cause.
When President Monroe, moved by the
proposed Intervention of the allied
powers of Europe to help Spain over
come the revolt of her American
colonies. stated that we ''should consider
any attempt on their part to extend their
system to this hemisphere as dangerous
to our peace and safety he also APP
pealed to the worlds sense of justice by
declaring that "the American continents,
by the free and Independent condition
which they have assumed and maintain,
are henceforth not to be considered as
subjects for future colonization by any
European powers showing that our
uOCiTlut WIS HOl tlluICldlCu llIOuRl
selfish motives alone, but through a
desire to assure freedom and security for
the weak nations on the entire American
continent.
Outside of their desire to secure dom
mating influence in the Philippines for
themselves some of the leading European
powers were glad to see the United
States gain possession of territory in the
Old World, for it manifestly weakened
! the force of the Monroe doctrine. That
declaration has potency only so long as
the nations of the Old World by common
consent recognize it, or IN other words,
we secure Its recognition largely through
moral suasion. When we ventured into
the Old World and acquired territory,
we logically weakened our right to have
a supreme voice as to the control of terri
tory in the New World, and made it neces-
sary to depend more than formerly up
on our military strength for the mainten'
ance of the Monroe doctrine.
If now the United States has put itself
in a position in China where it cannot
withdraw its forces from that territory
without appearing 10 surrender in favor
of rival powers of the Old Word every
advantage 1t has gained, and is induced
by this consideration to participate Will
the European nations to any degree il
the future control of that empire, VT
shall tacitly have surrendered our rlgh
to dictate to the other powers regarding
the American continents integrity. WI
cannot consistently as a nation say Il
the other powers of tfe first magnitude
that we will gladly act with them il
settling any international trouble in tn
Old World even to the control o.
territory. but we shall insist on GU
right to dominate in the new.
We believe, therefore, that we are OF
the verge of an important and far-reach
ing crisis in our international relations
and that upon the manner in which W,
treat the Chinese trouble will depend Il
no small degree the maintenance of thl
Monroe doctrine. Washington warned
this nation against entangliug foreign al
~liances, and we repeat what we hav,
said before i'm this connection, that W,
shall he wise in our generation if W
give heed to this Injunction. We mus
protect the lives of American resident
in China, but As OOn as this work is az
compli-hed Uncle sam should shake tn
Flowery Kingdom from his feet. an
allow the nations Of the Old world {
settle the future Of that crumbiin.
empire. merely insisting upon the OF
s~erVauce of the commercial right
, guaranteed Us by treaty.