The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-12-06
oCALA, FLORIDA, FRIDAY. DECEMBER G. 100

and this nation most earnestly desires
sincere and cordial friendship with all
others Over the entire world of recent
years wars between the CHAT civilized
powers have become less nd less fire.
Quent. Wars with barbarous or semibar-
barous peoples come in an entirely differ
ent category, being merely a most regret
table but necessary international police
duty which must be performed for the
sake of the welfare of mankind. Peace
can only be kept with certainty where
both sides wish to keep it, but more and
more the civilized peoples are realizing
the wicked folly of war and are attaining
that condition OF just and intelligent re-
gard for the rights of others which will In
the end, as we hope and believe make
worldwide peace possible. The peace con-
ference at The Hague gave definite ex-
preston to this hope and belief and mark
ed stride toward their attainment.
The Monroe Doctrine.
This same peace conference acquiesced
in our statement of the Monroe doctrine
as compatible with the purposes and aims
Of the conference.
The Monroe doctrine should be the car
dinal feature of the foreign policy of all
the nations OF the two Americas as II Is OF
the United States. Just seventy-eight
years have passed since President Mon
roe in his annual message announced that
the American continents are henceforth
not to be considered as subjects for future
colonization by any European power" In
other words, the Monroe doctrine is dec
laration that there must be no territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT by any non-American
power at the expense Of any American
power on American soil. 1t is in nowise
intended as hostile to any nation in the
old world. Still less is it intended to give
cover to any aggression by one new world
power at the expense of any other 1t is
simply a step, and a long step. toward as
surfing the universal peace of the world by
securing the possibility of permanent
peace on this hemisphere.
During the past century other influences
have established the permanence and in
dependence of the smaller states Of Eu-
rope. Through the Monroe doctrine We
hope to be able to safeguard like indie
pendence and secure like permanence for
the lesser among the new world nations.
This doctrine has nothing to do with the
commercial relations of any American
power save that IL in truth allows each Of
them to form such as 1t desires. In other
words, it 10 really a guarantee OF the COM
mercial independence Of the Americas.
We do not ask under this doctrine for any
exclusive commercial dealings with any
other American state. We do not guaran-
tee any state against punishment IL IL
itself provided that punish
ment does not take the form Of the acqui-
sition of territory by any non-American
power.
Our attitude in Cuba is a sufficient guar
antee of our own good faith. We have
not the slightest desire to secure any ter
ritory at the expense OF any OF our neigh
bors. We wish to work with them hand
in hand. so that all of us may be uplifted
together, and we rejoice over the good
fortune of any of them. we gladly hail
their material prosperity and political sta
bility and are concerned and alarmed if
any of them fall into Industrial or political
chaos. We do not wish TO see any old
world military power grow up on this
continent or to be compelled to become
power ourselves The peoples of
the Americas can prosper best if left to
work out their own salvation in their own
way.
The Navy.
The work of upbuildng the navy must
be steadily continued. No one point of
cur policy foreign or domestic. is more
important than this to the honor and ma
terial welfare and. above ALL TO the peace
Of our nation in the future. Whether we |
desire it or not We must henceforth recog- |
nize that We have international duties no |
less than international rights. Even ST |
our flag were hauled down in the Philip |
pines and Porto Rico. even il We decided |
not to build the isthmian canal. we should
need a thoroughly trained navy of ade- 1
luate size or else be prepared definitely |
md for all time to abandon the idea that |
our nation is among those whose sons go |
Town to the sea in ships. Unless our COM
nerce is always to be carried I'm foreign |
bottoms We must have war craft TO pro-
ect it.
InaSmuch, however, the American |
people have no thought Of abandoning the |
oath upon which they have entered, and
specially in view of the fact that the
building of the isthmian canal Is fast
becoming one of the matters which the
Whole people are united in demanding, ii
: imperative that our navy should be put
md kept In the highest state of efficiency
md should be made to answer to our
growing needs. So far from being in any
way provocation to war. an adequate
md highly trained navy is the best
guarantee against war. the cheapest and
most effective peace insurance. The cost
# building and maintaining such navy
eprescnts the very lightest premium for
nsuring peace which this nation can pos
IDLY pay.
Probably no other great nation in the
World is so anxious for peace as we are.
there is not single civilized power
which has anything whatever to fear
rom aggressiveness on our part. All We
want is peace, and toward this end We
Wish to be able to secure the same re-
pect for our rights from others which
We are eager and anxious to extend t.
heir rights in return. to insure fair treat
nent to US commercially and to guaran-
ee the safety of the American people.
Our people intend to abide by the Mon
oe doctrine and to insist upon il as the
ne sure means of securing the peace of
he western hemisphere. The navy offers
s the only means of making our insist
nee upon the Monroe doctrine anything
ut a subject of derision to whatever ma
ion chooses to disregard il. We desire
he peace which comes as Of right to the
lSt man armed: not the peace granted on
erms of ignominy to the craven and the