BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-04
4 French View d The
Monroe Doctrine

From perusal Of the foreign news i'll
seems that the new Presldent Is widely re. /
garded In England and on the continent as
not only determined MOnrOoist but an az.
| gressive one, o., at least, 90 one who would /
not be behind hand in emphasizing the doc l
| trine should anything happen that could be |
| twisted into even the smallest kind Of pro
vocation. Europe, which has never heard
of the treaty Of 1916 with New Granada
and imagines that any action taken by the
UAited States In South America must be
based on the Monroe doctrine is watching
closely and not without certain irritation
the course Of American policy in the Colon.
bia- Venezuela dipute. Should it become
necessary for Washington to intervene by
force to safeguard Oolombia's sovereignty
over the isthmus and keep the trade routes
open, the action will confirm Europe's worst
suspicious Of the new President. This, no
doubt, is foolish enough and argues an extra
ordinary Ignorance Of the United States as
well as Of President Roosevelt. But then
it can never be stated too often or too
strongly that Europe as whole is woefully
Il ignorant Of America, almost as ignorant as
she is prejudiced and suspicious.
l d.. not know that any American could
before the world we'll considered resume Of
, devotion to the Monroe doctrine.
A Frenchman who was also q cosmopol-
itan, and therefore worth listening to, did
me the favor of putting into writing bis est.
innate of European opinion on the subject.
1t is one that my own observations lead me
very cordially to indorse. "Every one in
Europe,n he said, "knows that Americans
are blind advocates Of Monroeism. They
are all resolved that no European govern
{ ment shall be permitted to colonizs South
Americs; that the present foreign holdings
on that continent shall never be increased
or transferred to any power except the United
States. Some 60 further than this, but
what have stated fairly represents to my
, mind the bulk Of American opinion. have
/ been in the United States ana learned there
that every American of whatever party and
of whatever calling or position in life is det.
ermined to have the Monroe doctrine resp.
/ ected. But when came to inquire why
, there should be this universal discrimination
what was its basis in reason, what root II
had in national interests, was met for the
most part With an embarrassed silence.
!. Everybody assured me he was supporter Of
, the Monroe doctrine, but nobody seemed to
know why. could never extract q clear
statement of what it was Americans hoped
> to gain by it or from what danger they
: thought they were protecting South Ameri.
4 ca and Themselves by insisting on it. And
the conclusion came to was that reason has
very little to do with the matter. The
! Monroe doctrine is prepossession. No one
f / in America disputes or queetions it; no one
troubles to inquire into its effects or argue
about its expediency; no one tests its WORK
. ings in the light of reason. 1t has came
3 down to the present generation Of American
with all the binding sanctity of tradition,
In . country where traditions are few and
therefore, devoutly held. That ID the pee
Iuliar feature Of Pan.Americanism.
"And what lies at the bottom Of i'll
Fundamentally, / believe, it is that sCretchet
old king George I'LL Americans are nevel
quite convinced that George III, is really
dead. 1t is their Inherited suspicion o.
monarchy, their taking it for granted thai
monarchy means to day what it meant q
hundred and twenty years ago, and thai
modern Europe is still the Europe Of the
Holy Alliance, that makes them 90 zealouslJ
bent on preserving South America to re-
ipublicanism. They cannot get rid Of the ides
: that German colony in Brasil, or French
in Guinea, or an Italian in Argentine
E would be . menace to the principles as vel
!, as the security Of the American common
wealth; and they have not the least doubt
but that in keeping the road clear to the
: Spanish kalfbreed version Of government
they are rendering civilization an immense
service. To the real effects on South Amer