BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-01-10
President Roosevelt and The Mon
roe Doctrine.

The relations between Germany and
Venezuela have reached stage at which
armed force is about to be applied, and it is
expected that within a short time German
warships will seize the Venezuelan port of
La Guayra or Maracsibo in default of pay.
ment of debts due to subjects of Emperor
William. Some ve.y explicit assurance
by Germany, however, as well as clear
and decided formulation of American policy
by the President, were made before any
intimation OF German intention was
gwen. Washington dispatches assert
that the President personally explained to
the German ambassador that this govern.
ment would not allow an attempt by any
European nation to acquire territory on this
continent, but that the collection of debts
due to individuals was matter which two
sovereign powers could settle between them.
selves subject to the MonESSff, dSYcrins This
of the American attitude 52a& has yet been
given. 1t defines it in casewhich oozc. :.
bines more circumstances germsin TO the
matter Of President Monroe's famous mes.
sage than any other case which has yet
called for the consideration OF our govern.
ment. 1t is an act OF statesmanship and
will from more binding and pertinent pre-
cedent than any sohich has yet been afford.
ed.
1t has been claimed in behalf OF Great
Britain that she had 8 part both in formulat-
ing the Monroe doctrine and in encouraging
the spirit which prompted it. Notwithstand.
ing The challenge to England by President
Oleve.al in his Venezuelan message, there
were British publicists and statesmen, not
to mention the preponderancs oflay opinion,
who s0ers prompt to disclaim any desire on
Great Britsin's part to interfere with q
principle Chich she had assisted in establish
ing, and which she, as an American power,
was interested in seeing maintained. No
other foreign nation had any interest on this
continent which called for the exercise of
great force in it's defense, and NO other was
so logically compelled to acknowledge the
Monroe doctrine. Rebuke and warning to
Great Britain were, therefore, somewhat
defective manifestation Of shat that doctrine
meant fer Europe. That defect has now |
been remedied.
1t goes without saying that warning is !
most necessary to the man who is most /
strongly interested in defyin9 or disregard !
ing IL, and in this sense the statement BY |
the President to the German ambassador is |
an exact illustration Of the Monroe doctrine
In effective practice. Only the continental /
nations are forced to look to South America
az colopizipg ground. They cannot but
covet its vast natural resources and In their
exploitation see the possibilities Of eztendsd
empire. The sharp antagonism Of the
United States to any sucn aspirations has
iu3t hGen of{ie;allx exDIsinad m a NAV that
cannot be- mistaken, and which not only
reeuts any presumption OF acquired territory,
bat limits any Earopeaa infsrisrsnss
shassvsr with Central and South American
'i<tss 70 dscorsas and supervised dsmoa-
',Rstion of Urea For 70 10 not 10 be suppos-
y t1ai 6efms1y vii 80 very Car bsyondI
- se,xuxe of Poris aud thsiF cnzioms hoasss-
u q ros eo1lsupl4Eed 70 mzruA GsrmaaI
nAr'nss isl4ad and cauy w4r - Carae14
: migat have besn Il lhs Frssiisnf had not