The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-26
ENGLAND NOT A NORTH AMERICAN
POWER.

The Senate amendments 10 the Hay
Pauncefote treaty have brought dis
cussion of the Monroe doctrine from a new
point of view Practically the question is
whether the possession of Canada makes
Great Britain an American power TO the
extent of authorizing her to take a hand
in the management of American affairs.
The London Times says that when Sena-
tor Lodge announces that Americans ex-
forgets that England is a great North
american power and means to remain such
a power" Senator Lodge did not say any
thing derogatory of England's position on
this continent, and he made a distinction
between her and the rest of Europe. He
said:
With England. owing to the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty, We were obliged TO treat but
as we expect Europe to keep out OF this
hemisphere, it seemed to the Senate I'M
wise. however excellent and liberal the in
tention, 70 invite european nations TO share
IN an American treaty, and thus give them
the right 20 NEEDLE in American affairs at
any point
This is equivalent 10 saying that the
United States recognizes Englano's status
on this continent as far as Canada is con-
cerned, and has no desire to interfere with
it, but that no other European state VIII
be allowed to acquire new possessions here
In a political sense they are to keep out Of
this hemisphere.
The contention of the London Times that
England is already a great North Ameri-
can power is not sustained by facts or
logic. Canada is not a power I'm any sense
of the word, much less a great power 1t
is great only in area and extent of unoc-
cupied land. With an area larger than that
more than 200 years of colonial existence.
its population is much less than that of
New York Pennsylvania. Canada has
none of the attributes of a power-no army
or navy, no relations with other govern
ments and no international status of any
kind. Canada is simply a British colony.
the same as Cape Colony and Natal. and
the fact that it belongs to England does
not make it an American power any more
than the possession of the others makes it
an African power or the possession of India
makes it an Asiatic power The political
status of a nation. it's nationality. so to
speak, depends on where its government is
located and its laws made. To claim that
England is a great North American power
because she owns a great tract of land in
North America. is absurd.
There is only one great power on this
continent, and that, of course. is the
United States, which, as Secretary Olney
said in discussing the Venezuelan boundary
question, lis practically sovereign on this
continent, ana it's fiat is law upon the SUBJ
jects to which it Confines it's interposi-
tion.' There is nothing in the Monroe doc
trine that threatens or authorizes interfer-
ence by the United States with the Ameri-
can colonies of any European power al
ready established when the doctrine was
promulgated. On the contrary, it expressly
says: with the existing colonies or de-
pendencies of any European power we have
not interfered and shall not interfere"
England. therefore. may continue to hold
Canada without fear Of moestation by the
United States. but she must not claim on
that account to be a great North American
power, and therefore exempt from the
operation of the Monroe doctrine. That
won't do.