The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-01-03
The Monroe Doctrine.
What 1t Is and How 1t Applies to Europea n
Countries.

How many have asked since the
| Venezuelan imbroglio with Germany
and England How does the Monroe
doctrine apply?" or What is the Mon
roe doctrine?" and will it involve
the United States or call for inter
ference?" The following from the Of
fetal records of Washington will an
swer and explain:
In the early days of this century
the title to the Northwestern territory
of North America was claimed by
Great Britain, Russia and the United
States.
Mr.. Adams. in a communication to
Mr.. Rush dated July ,, 1923, in rela-
ton to this controversy, stated as fol-
lows:
These independent nations Chat is,
the United States and Mexico) will
| possess the rights incident to their
conditions, and their territories will,
of course, be subject to the exclusive
right of navigation in their vicinity,
or of access to them by any foreign
nation. A necessary consequence of
this state of things will be that the
American continents will no longer be
subject to colonization. Occupied by
civilized nations they will be ac-
| cessible to Europeans and each other
on that footing alone, and the Pacific
, ocean in every part of it, will re
main open to the navigation of all
nations in like manner with the At
lantic."
Mr.. Adams remarked a few days
later to Baron Tuyl. in an interview
relative to this territorial dispute, that
I'VE should contest the right of Rus
STA to any territorial establishment on
this continent, and that we should as
sumo distinctly the principle that the
American continents are no longer
subjects for any new European colo
NAL establishments
This was the first hint of the now
so well known and far-famed Monroe
doctrine.
In a speech made by ex-President
Jefferson the following sentiments were
uttered
THE question presented by the let
tiers sent to me is the most momentous
which has ever been offered to my
contemplation since that of independ-
ence. That made us a nation: this
sets our compass and points the course
which we are to steer through the
ocean of time open on US. Our first
and fundamental action should be
never to entangle ourselves in the
broils of Europe. Our second never to
suffer Europe to intermeddle with els
Atlantic affairs"
President Monroe's message on Dec.
2, 1923, in which was embodied at great
length the now famous doctrine, bears
the following passage:
A he Of
perial government made through the
minister of the emperor residing here,
a full power and instructions have
been transmitted to the minister of
the United States at. st. Petersburg,
to arrange by amicable negotiations
the respective rights and interests of
the two nations on the northwest coast
of this continent. A similar proposal
had been made by his imperial majes-
ty to the government of Great Britain,
which has likewise been acceded to.
The government of the United States
has been DESTROYS by this friendly pro-
ceeding of manifesting the great value
which they have invariably attached
to the friendship of the emperor, and
their solicitude to cultivate the best
understanding with His government
TN the discussions to which this
interest has given rise, and in the
arrangements by which they may ter
inmate, the occasion has been judged
proper for asserting as a principle,
in which the rights and interests of
the United States are involved, that
the American continents, by the free
and independent conditions which they
have assumed and maintained, are
henoeforth not to be considered as sub
jects for future colonization by any
European power" ~
Again he says: --9e S
1T was stated at the commencement
of the last session that great effort
was then making in Spain and Portu-
gal to improve the condition of the
people of those countries, and that it
appeared to be conducted with extra
ordinary moderation. OF events in that
quarter of the globe with which we
have so much intercourse, and from
which we derive our origin, we have
always been anxious and Interested
spectators.
1.-THE citizens of the United States
cherish sentiments the most friendly in
favor OF that liberty and happiness
of their fellow men on that side of
the Atlantic. In the wars of the Eu-
ropean powers, in matters relating to
part, nor does it comport with our pol
icy to do so.
1T is only when our rights are in
vaded or seriously menaced that we
resent injuries or-nnake preparation for
our defense. With the movements in
this hemisphere we are of necessity
more Immediately connected, and by
causes which must be obvious to all
enlightened and impartial observers.
The political system of the allied
powers is essentially different in this
respect from that of America. The
difference proceeds from that which
exists in their respective governments
and to the defense of our own, which
has been achieved by the loss of so
much blood and treasure, and matured
by the wisdom of their most enlight-
ened citizens, and under which we
have enjoyed unexampled Felicity.
I'VE owe it, therefore to candor,
and to the amicable relations existing
between the United States and those
powers, to declare that we should con-
slider any attempt on their part to ex-
tend their system to any portion of
Waterford bridge. was drowned in