Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-04-04
SATURDAY EVENING. APRIL
ROOSEVELT ON MONROE DOC
TRtNE.

Inc American puDIC Has uSSh
awaiting with no little anxiety the
u%ttcrances of President Roosevelt on
the Monroe doctrine. The speech out
lining his views on that matter, deliv-
Erred in Chicago Thursday evening.
has dispelled the doubts OF those who
believed him to be luke warm on the
subject. His key note is that the
Monroe doctrine will never be violat-
ed as long as we are able and willing |
TO defend it.
The Justice of the doctrine, the |
president defended in the following |
words:
Ever since the time when we def |
niteiy extended our boundaries |
westward to the Pacific and south
ward to the gulf. since the time when
the old Spanish and Portuguese col
onies To the south of us asserted their
Independence. our nation has insisted
that because of its primary in strength
among the nations OF the western
hemisphere it has certain duties and
responsibilities which oblige 1t to take
n leading part thereon. We hold that
our interests in this hemisphere are
greater than those OF any European
power possibly can be, n that our
duty to ourselves and to the weaker
republics who are our neighbOrs re-
quires us to see that none of the
great military powers across the seas
shall incroach POI the territory OF
the American republics or acquire
control t~hereover."
Continuing he spoke OF h bearing
of the Isthmian canal on the question:
" This policy therefore, not only
forbids us to acquiesc in such terri
torial acquisition, but also causes us
to object TO the requirement Of a con
troll which would in it's effect be equal
10 territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. This
is why the United States has steadily
believed that the construction OF the
great Isthmian canal, the building OF
which is to stand as the greatest ma
terial feat of the twentieth century
greater than any similar feat in any
preceding century-should be done
by no foreign nation but by ourselves.
The canal must OF necessity go
through one of our smaller sister re-
publics. We have been s~crupulOusly
careful to abstain from p~erpetrating
any wrong upon any Of these repub-
lies in this matter. We do not wish
TO interfere in their rights in the
least: but. while carefully safeguard
ing them, To build the canal ourselves
under provisions which will enable us,
ii necessary. 10 police and protect it,
II TO guarantee It's neutrality, We
being the soul guarantor.
The president further said:
.'rnat doctrine has nothing to do
with the commercial relations OF any
American power. save that it in truth
allows each of them 10 form such as
il desires. = - We do not guaran-
tee any state against punishment il
it misconducts itself. provided that
punishment does not take the form of
the acquisition of territory by any
non-American power.
The Monroe doctrine is no
international law. and though I
think one day it may become such.
this is not necessary as gong as it
remains a cardinal feature Of our for
eign policy and as long as we possess
both the will and the strength to
make il effective. This last point, my
fellow citizens. IS all important, and Is
ono rf which nc n paonla we can never
afiard 10 forget. l believe in the Mon
rec doctrine with all my heart and
soul: | am convinced that the i'm
mense majority of our fellow u
trymea so believe in it; but / would
infinitely prefer to see III abandon it
buster about II. and fail to build up
the efficient fighting strength which
in the last resort can alone make us
respected by any strong foreign pow
or whose interest ii may ever happen
to be TO violate il.
Boosting and clustering are as OBJ
iect!onal among nations as among
individuals, and the public men of a
great nation owe it to their sense OF
national s~elf-respect to speak courte
ously Of foreign powers. just as q
brave and self-respecting man treats
all around ~courteously. But though
to boat is bad. and causelessly to In
suit another, worse; yet worse thar
all it is TO be guilty Of boasting, ever
without insult. and when called to tn
proof to be unable to make sucf
boasting good. There is a h0mely OLE
adage which runs: Speak softly ant
carry a big stick; o will go far" l
the American nation will speak softly
and yet build. n keep at a pitch o
the highest training. a thoroughly ef
ficient navy, the Monroe doctrine will
60 far. / ask you to think over this
II you do you will come to the cor
clusion tina 1t is mere plain common
sense, SO obviously sound that onl
the blind can fail TO see its truth AM
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