The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-29
THE TRUE MONROE DocTRIxE.

An effort is being made to give a
| stricter Interpretation to the Monroe
Doctrine than has been placed upon
! it up to this time. 1t is being claimed
that whatever has the appearance of
depressing any one of the republics to
the south of us should be regarded
by US as a violation of that doctrine.
This sudden agitation in respect to
the Monroe Doctrine grows out of the
Smelling of the Venezuelan fort, San
Carlos, by three OF the German war
ships engaged in the blockade of the
I Venezuelan coast. Fort San Carlos
guards the entrance to the lagoon
Maracaibo.
II is claimed by the Venezuelans
that the bombardment of the fort was
begun by the Germans without prov
ocatiou. on the other hand the Ger
mans assert that the Venezuelans were
the aggressors. having fired upon the
German ship Panther before there was
any demonstration of hostility by any
- their ships. The Smelling of the fort
: construed in some quarters to be an
ask 81 oppression. and therefore a vio-
latson OF the Monroe Doctrine
The general understanding of the
Monroe Doctrine is that European
Powers shall not be permitted to ac-
Quire additional territory in the West
ern Hemisphere. More than a year
ago the President, in a message to
Congress. interpreted the doctrine as
follows: THE Monroe Doctrine is a
declaration that there must be no ter
ritorfal ACKNOWLEDGMENT by any non
American power at the expense of any
American power on American soil"
There has been no violation of the
Monroe Doctrine if this Interpretation
of it is correct, and if it is not cor
rect exception would have been taken
to it at the time it was made public
in Congress. AS there was no objec-
ton raised to it at that time it is a
fair assumption that it was an ac-
ceptable Interpretation. And it is
probable that it is a generally accept
able Interpretation now. Another in
depreciation is insisted upon by
small minority simply because there
is a strong feeling against Germany.
due to the bullying attitude which
she has taken in dealing with Vene-
zuela, a small and weak Power.
Both Germany and England assured
this country at the time they proposed
to call Venezuela to account for her
refusal to settle her obligations to
them that they had no intention to
violate the Monroe Doctrine. In fact,
they obtained the construction our
government put upon the doctrine.
1t does not seem that they have done
anything contrary to that construc-
ton. They have not acquired any of
Venezuela's territory and have mani
tested no intention to acquire any.
If we were to give the Interpretation
to the doctrine that some of our news
papers and public men wish to give
it we should have our hands full in
maintaining it, Every South and Gen.
trail American state would claim that
it was being oppressed whenever a
European creditor attempted to col
leet debts due it. And then the point
would be made against us that If we
refused to permit the collection of
debts owed by these Central and South
American republics by force we ought
to become responsible for their debts.
and the point would be good one.
The Interpretation of the doctrine
which limits 1t to the requirement of
territory is sufficiently strict to cover
all of our interests There is no reason
why we should insist upon stricter
construction, and be on the edge of
trouble all the time with European
Powers because of the shortcomings to
the republics south of us. They give
US very little of their trade. and are
particularly friendly with US only when
they find 1t necessary to seek protec-
ton of MS