The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-05
RoosErBLr AVID THE GERMANS,

Ro0SEFBLT IND THE GERMANS.
The comments of certain German
newspapers on the speech of Vice Presi-
de mt Roosevelt, delivered at the Mime
sofa state fair. as conveyed through the
cable dispatches, are remarkable In more
than one respect. They certainly are not
friendly in tone, no matter what con-
struction is right to be placed on Mr..
Roosevelts words.
Read in the light of the comments thus
nade by the German press, Mr.. Roose-
veqts speech. in its references to the
Monroe doctrine, is invested with in
creased and renewed interest What is
there in that speech to arouse the fears
Stunning that the German press comments
are fairly representative of German
thought on the general subject involved?
We do not know just what portions
veyed by cable to the European, and
especially to the German newspapers. 1t
is probable, however, that the text OF
that speech, regarding the Monroe doc
trine, was sent by cable. The Monroe
doctrine is evidently something OF a
bugaboo to our foreign friends. Their
comments show generally that they are
not only not consistent, but are not al
ways even coherent.
The general proposition laid down in al
most all the comments of the German
papers quoted in these columns yester-
day is that Mr.. Roosevelt, and American
is accepted abroad as a leading lingo
are determined that there shall be no
| territorial aggression On the part of for
| eign nations on this continent; while, as
a matter of fact, there is not the slightest
| disposition shown on the part OF any
European power to claim territorial adj
dftfon on this continent. It, of course,
at once suggests Itself to inquire, If there
is no such disposition, what harm is done
| by American insistenee that there shall
be none?
1t is of no earthly moment what our
character or motives as people may be
in other directions. We may be a nation
of jingoes for that matter If Europe has
not territorial schemes on this continent.
| there ought to be no offense in the as
sertion that such schemes could net be
prosecuted without the hostility of this
people
A careful. reading Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
speech on the Monroe doctrine makes M
entirely plain that he has reference only
to territorial aggression Here is the
language:
We do not by this doctrine intend to
sanction any policy of aggression by one
American commonwealth at the expense
of any other, nor any policy of CONNER
clal discrimination against any foreign
| power whatsoever. Commercially, as far
as this doctrine is concerned, all we wish
is a fair field and no favor; but if we
are wise we shall strenuously insist that
under no pretext whatsoever shall there
be any territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on
American soil by any European power,
| and this. no matter what form the terri
tor1a1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT may take.
There is more of 1t, of course; but this
is the meat of the doctrine enunciated
by the vice president.
This is not the doctrine of the present
administration. It Is not q doctrine
which can logically be insisted on by this
people as long as we undertake to con-
| troll the political and territorial destin.es
Of races on the other hemisphere. If
we are to live up to the Monroe doctrine,
| we must leave other races alone outside
| this, hemisphere. We must confine our
| domination or directing national control
| to American peoples and American in
| terests.
The time will come, the Clio b e be-
! lieves, when the American people will in
present have upon the national interests
! of the natives Of the Philippine islam IS
| This cannot be done today or tomorrow;
and the optien may one cay be presented
| to us to forego our assumption of
| jurisdiction in either direction. But,
| whether the vice president speaks mere
| ly for himself or for the administration,
| his words are plain; and to European ma
| tions which have no territorial schemes
| to advance on this continent, they are
not entitled to 1.-THE Of the Importance
which our German friends attach to
them, and afford no Justification what
ever for the distinctly offensive and I'M
friendly spirit of the comment of Ger
man newspapers.
What the import or international sig
nifcance of the vice presidents refer
| ence to the fsthmian canal may be is
| quite another matter. Judged by their
own comments on the other features of
| Roosevelt's speech, the German news
papers show themselves unworthy of be-
/ ing taken seriously.
One by one the roses fall drop by drop
| the spring runs dry, one by one the
| strikers all, will go to work-and that's
/ no lie.
| PriUop md bo