The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-18
THE TRUE MONROE DOCTRINE.


THE TRUE MONROE DOCTRINE.
One good result OF the present Vene-
zuelan trouble will be to emphasize the
true import of the Monroe doctrine and our
relation to it. 1t was important that this
should be done Often as the doctrine had
been asserted in particular cases, ii still
lacked clear definition. Through spirit of
jngoism ie was gradually receiving a con-
struction, at least in the popular mind, that
committed the United States to a sort of
protectorate over all the Central and South
American states which would shield them
from coercion or interference by foreign
governments under any circumstances no
matter what they did The popular under
standing of the doctrine was tending to a
construction that would make the United
States responsible for all the acts of these
governments, for their financial as well as
their political delinquencies, because it
committed the United States 10 the duty of
protecting them against the consequences
of their acts. This idea prevailed to a con-
siderable extent In Europe, and recent dis
patches have shown that 1t prevails gen.
orally among South American States 1t is
| a wrong and dangerous construction of the
Monroe doctrine, and we did not repudiate
IL any too soon. Had II been accepted by
the government, there was danger that
II might be, ii would have brought upon US
one war after another. With emotional
or a lingo" President. accessible to popu-
lar clamor, there might easily have come
new definition of the Monroe doctrine that
We could not have maintained. even by
war, and that would have proved an end
less source OF trouble and danger.
| Thanks to President Roosevelt and the
application of the Monroe doctrine in the
| present case. We have escaped this danger.
| President Roosevelt gave the clearest and
best definition of the doctrine that has
ever been made. and one that has made it
much more acceptable to European powers.
| and much more tenable and defensible by
the United States than it ever was before.
| In his first annual message he said:
The Monroe doctrine is declaration that
there must be no territorial aggrandiZe-
ment by any non-American power at the
expense OF any American power on Amer
| lcan SOIL 1t Is In nowise intended as hos
| tile to any nation in the old world. Still
| less is 1t intended to give cover to any ag-
| gression by one new world power at the
expense OF any other. 1t Is simply step,
| and a long step, toward assuring the uni
Versal 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 Independence of the smaller states of
| Europe. Through the Monroe doctrine we
| hope to be able TO safeguard like independ-
| ence and secure like permanence for the
| lesser among the new world nations. This
doctrine has nothing to do with the COM
| mercial relations of any American power,
| save that in truth il always allows each of
them 10 form such as IL desires. In other
words. II Is really guaranty of the COM
mercial independence OF the Americas. We
| do not ask under this doctrine for any ex-
| elusive commercial dealings with any other
American state. We do not guarantee any
state against punishment If il misconducts
| itself, provided that punishment does not
take the form of the acquisition of terri
tory by any non-American power.
Not only was this the best definition ever
made of the Monroe doctrine, but it was
the first time that by any official expression
1t was shown to have nothing to do with
| the commercial relations of any American
| power and no shield for any of them
| against punishment for wrongdoing, pro
| vided that punishment does not take the
| form of the acquisition of territory by any
non-American power" This definition of
the doctrine bars out the mischievous and
dangerous idea that 1t commits the United
States to the protection of the Central and
South American states against outside in
reference of any kind, no matter what
they may do. We are fortunate in hav-
ing had distinct reputation of that con-
struction of the Monroe doctrine while
| there was yet time. and we are still further
fortunate in the present opportunity of
making a conspicuous application of it,
| Hereafter there will be no excuse for any
European power or any Central or South
American state misconstruing the doc
| trine or our relation to IL.