Arizona daily citizen., 1901-12-09
ROOSEVELT AND MONROE DOCTRINE

President Roosevelt in his long
and many sided message to Congress
makes a general declaration in favor
OF the enforcement of the Monroe doe
trne. but he fails TO enlighten us re
garding the construction he places on
that famous dictum. All Americans
are in favor of the Monroe doctrine as
statesmen for more than half CEN
tury construed and understood it. But
since this country has gone into tho
empire business. and busies itself
much with the affairs of other nations
there is no telling where the doctrine of
Monroe will begin or end.
President Castro OF Venezuela seems
to have concluded to turn the Monroe
doctrine to practical ends. There is
little ground for the belief that our
wards in Central and South America
are infatuated w.th the doctrine. but
as the statesmen at Washington ar,
bent upon enforcing IT, President Cas-
tro has given it an Interpretation
which may prove embarrassing He
has suspended the payment of interest
on railroad built by German capital.
trusting to the Monroe doctrine to pro-
tect Venezuela from the wrath of irate
Teutonic creditors. In the United
States the payment of debts Is regard
ed as a moral as we'll as legal obli-
CATION Uncle Sam meets his obliga-
tions with a promptness of which he
is justly proud. OF course, II there
were no Monroe doctrine Germany's
course would be clear A squadron of
wafships would be sent to Venezuela
waters and President Castro's govern
ment would soon make a satisfactory
settlement
That is the way the Uniteed States
collects the claims OF American credi-
tors from the Sultan of Turkey, the
Sultan of Morocco and other rulers OF
weak states which are not protected
by doctrine. If our Monroe doctrine
prohibits Germany from resortlng to
the usual measures to protect the in
terests of German subjects the United
States may become moray and inter
nationally responsible for the debts Of
South American countries, to which
pressure cannot be applied for the col
lection Of debts.
There is no European government
which would not be delighted to ac-
cept the United States as bondsman
for our I.atinAmerican neighbors. 1t
is questionable, however, whether
Americans with their practical sense.
would be willing to act as security
for the payment Of debts by the turbu-
lent and unstal lie republics of South
America. President Castro, of Vene-
zuela. seems to be a willy statesman
tie has given the Monroe doctrine
twist which will scarcely prove agree
able to our statesmen at Washington.
incidentally he has shown the world
new way to evade the payment oil
debts, Whatever construction Pres,
ident Roosevelt places on it, there is
not doubt that the men who framed
the Monroe doctrine never intended
that 1t should be used at a means of
repudiating honest obligations. 1t ha!
remained for the statesmen who have
invented Imperialism as a part of our
system to give the Monroe doctrine
the construction which enables the
Venezuela executive to rely on Amer
lean protection in the event that Ger
many attempts to guarantee her sub
jects against loss.
1t ls not a nice role for the United |
states to assume. and 1t Is to be hoped
that President Roosevelt and his ad- !
Visers will be able to find some way to
deprive the astute of President of |
Venezuela OF the right to rob Ger.
man creditors with the assent of the
United States. Under the construction /
OF the Monroe doctrine implied in
President Roosevelt's message, 1t is q I
most wonderful dictum. The United /
States acts as referee for insurrections
and revolutions in South America.
serves as bottle holder for both bel
ligerents. land troops to protect prop
erty. denies sovereign republic OF
Central America the right to use rail-
roads on Its own territory for military
operations and altogether disports 1t.
self In a manner to delight the makers
Df comic opera.
II is great thing for nation that
% blessed with strenuous statesmen tc
have Monroe doctrine 1t adds in
:aiculably to the variety and spice of
tfa