The San Francisco call., 1901-12-03
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

y EVERAL London newspapers express desire
that England accept the Monroe doctrine and
~ then Join the United States in asking its &C
ceptance by the other nations OF Europe. This is
conditioned upon defining that celebrated doc
trine and asking Britain to accept upon such deni
ton We see no necessity for asking anybody to ac-
cept the Monroe doctrine. 1t to be doing
quite well as declaration OF our hegemony OF this
hemisphere, and will be made neither stronger nor
weaker by European acceptance.
As for Great Britain, her interest in it is common
with ours With her we now share ownership of the
northern part of the hemisphere. While her do
minon does not cover as much territory available
10 man as ours it cannot be said to be OF less inn
portance to her. for it great segment OF her zone
around the world without which communication
between the antipodal parts of her empire would be
interrupted.
Besides that the Monroe doctrine originated in
British Ministry. When Lord Canning became aware
OF the Holy Alliance formed by secret treaty for the
purpose of aiding Spain in holding or regainng her
grip on her fast fading possessions in America, he
suggested to Monroe and Adams what is known
as the Monroe doctrine. His object to COM
plete the undoing OF Spain, as a world power and
rival. IN empire to Great Britain Upon reflection
one must see that this suggestion really of
the highest manifestations in the last century of Brit
Span avenged the insults of Philip H. and above all
secured the United States necessary ally in any
war between England and the Continent that might
threaten her loss OF Canada since under the plain
language OF Monroe a transfer another system of
that territory would be held an act unfriendy the
United States"
Considering its English origin its acceptance by
Great. Britain ought require much urging, and
tit do there will be neither urging acceptance
If the Spectator and other London newspapers will
indulge in little retrospecton they will observe that
their Government has already accepted that doctrine
which an English Cabinet formulated More than
that when Lord Salisbury accepted Mr.. Clevelands
clear vire construction of it by conceding ar
bitration OF the Venezuelan boundary the doctrine
was. acknowledged in its broadest feature
It is no favor to us for any nation to formally
acknowledge hegeniony of this hemisphere since
our leadership can endure only while we have the
power to assert it against the world in arms In our
strength need partnership, and in our weak
ness. II come, will have none, matter what
nations may previously have accepted Monreeism
Naturally hand in hand with Great Britain in
the matter. She all of the hemisphere she can
ever acquire and in the affairs of nations two neigh
bors are better than multitude With South
American federation becoming every year more re-
mote and that patriotic dream of Simon Bolivar gone
giinering, the dominating power here will be ours.
but England has the same interest that we have in
preventing the extension in this hemisphere of the
systems OF any Of her rivals
Inasnuef as the interests OF the two nations touch
palms at so many common points, let England pro-
ceed to emboss in her international policy the doc
tEne Monroe Canning, that next Fourth of Iul,,
we celebrate it among the other laudable events
of the year