The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-07
STATUS OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE

STATUS OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE
The average American is wont to re-
gard the Monroe doctrine as an invioI-
able tenet of international law to which
the civilized nations of the earth have
subscribed. Nothing could be further
from the fact.
The Monroe doctrine has been recog-
nized 10y two nations, only, one through
diplomatic negotiations the other by
reason of a show of force
International law arises from the
usages of nations, expressed and amp,i
fed through treaties and conventions.
One nation alore can not add to or take
from this code of national ethics, except
Icy consent or by a show of superior
force
England maintained as a principle of
International law. the theory that a
man once a British subject was always
d British subject. She was welcome to
this doctrine so long as she could main
tain it by force of arms. but it was such
an infringement on the common rights
of man that war was the result and the
doctrine was abandoned.
The Monroe doctrine had its origin in
a desire to control the trade of the
South American republics. In the early
part of the century when the epidemic
of insurrection broke out in South Amer
lea against the authority of Spain, Henry
Cay, eager to secure the friendship and
the trade of the new nations, urged upon
the government the policy of recognizing
their independence. This humane and
patriotic policy at length prevailed and
I'm 1922 congress passed an act recognize
ing the new states as sovereign nations.
The next year, the Holy Alliance
proposed to intervene in the contest of
the American states with Spain and ex-
ercise protectorate over the new Lat
states. This proposition brought from
the president of the United States the
celebrated message to congress embody-
ing the Monroe doctrine. He said: eve
owe it to candor and to the amicable
relations existing between the United
States and the European powers to de-
clare that we should consider any at
tempt on their part to extend their sys-
tenn to any portion of this hemisphere as
dangerous to our peace and safety
The king of England having refused to
enter the Holy Alliance" which was
composed of Russia, Austria and Prus-
STA, and having no schemes for further
colonization on the Western hemisphere
tacitly supported this new doctrine OF
the republic
Twenty-Five years later, by the terms
of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. England
formally subscribed to the doctrine as
to the portion of the Western continent
known as Central America, thus estopptne
her from disregarding the doctrine in
toto in the future
So when Cleveland extended the doc
tTine to cover the boundary dispute be-
tween England and Venezuela the Brit
ish government had gone too far to -
trace its policy
The doctrine took its origin from Ge-
sire to check the march of absoIutisn
as represented by the Holy Alliance ana
in the more selfish desire to control the
future trade of the struggling states.
So long as9 the nation stood like ar
angel with the flaming sword at the gate
Of this Garden of Eden, there was nc
attempt TO question the doctrine But
when the nation was torn by civil strife
when the energies of the country were
taxed to the utmost to maintain nationa
integrity, Napoleon III took advantage
of the situation to conquer Mexico ant
place European monarch on the throne
In vain did the government of the Unit
ed States protest-in vain did Secretary
Seward assert that the Monroe doctrin,
was international law. Emperor Maxi
milan sat his throne and Europe smiled
at our impotency.
But when the war was over-whe1
Grants veterans were returning from
their battles, Napoleon was informed tina
N ~ 4iiSoii Si'ieiit, SEdVely In
convenient for the French troops to re
main longer in Mexico
At the same time a significant move
ment was made toward the Mexican
frontier-and Napoleon deemed it pruden
to recall the French army thus acknowl
edging the force Of the Monroe doctrine
AS long as the United States held t.
the policy of non-interference with I'll.
Politics of the Eastern hemisphere /
could with consistency maintain by fore,
OF arms, if necessary, the position O.
guardian OF American interests. Tit
Intervention in behalf Of Cuba was in di
rect line with this policy, and had tn,
Intervention ended there, the war witt
Spain would have strengthened the Mon
roe doctrine with all the civilized powers
But when the administration, urged on
we think, by mistaken greed for terri
tory, inserted into the treaty of Paris
a clause transferring the Philippine isl
ands to the United States. it robbed
the Monroe doctrine Of every sembianee
OF justice and consistency. Although the
Monroe doctrine as expressed, said moth
ing about the conduct OF tie United