The sun., 1903-05-16
A British View OF the Monroe
Doctrine.

Sir A. +. MILLER, distinguished grad
uate OF Trinity College, Dublin, and
member Of the English bar, who for some
five years WAS legal member of the Gov
ernor- r-(ienera's Council in India, has
undertaken in the last number of the
| North American ReHen to discuss the
Monroe Doctrine from British stand
| point. On the whole. he has more ac-
| curate conception Of the doctrine than
has been attained by most Of his country
men, but we must take exception to some
| Of his remarks, which are founded on a
misunderstanding of the position occu-
pied by our Executive.
Sir A. Z. MILLER distinctly recognizes
that no clear-headed American citizen
has ever regarded the Monroe Doctrine
as principle of international law. All
that President MONROE presumed to do
was to indicate the position which in his
Judgment the United States ought to
take with reference to the safeguard
ing Of Latin-American commonwealths
from European aggression. The United
States, like every other independent ma
tion, have a right to formulate their
policy with reference to any matter OF
international concern. Whether that
policy will meet with acquiescence or
with resistance on the part of other
| Powers is purely question Of fact. The
writer in the North American Reriep finds
an exact parallel to MoNRoE's 3 announce
ment in Great Britain's declaration with
| respect to the Nile Valley; and We add
that, since his article has been penned,
another parallel has been presented in
Lord LANsDowNE's admontory state
ment with regard to the Persian Gulf.
Any one Of the three declarations may be
repudiated in words, but it cannot be dis
regarded in act by any Power not pre-
pared to face the consequences. Sir
| A. f. MILLER is also right when he says
that, although sympathy with the upris-
ing Of the Spanish colonies for self-gov-
ernment may have played a secondary
part in preparing the American public
mind for assent to the Monroe Doctrine,
the primary and controlling motive was
the instinct of fself-preservation. Ameri-
can citizens foresaw that it would be in
consistent with their national interests
to allow the Western Hemisphere TO be-
come the battle-ground of European am
biton-so Inconsistent that even war
with all its possibilities was deemed pref
cradle. In word, the Monroe Doc
trine was dictated by common sense, not
sentiment.
So far we have no criticism to make
upon the article in the North American
Repieu. On the other hand, we can see
no ground for Sir A. F. MILLER's descrp-
tion of President CLEvELAND's Venez-
uela message as amazing" and of
Mr., OLNEy's despatch on the same sub
ject as hectoring," and Of both docu-
ments taken together as vaporings :"
He misapprehends what actually took
place in the Venezuela boundary dispute.
Ho imagines President CLEVELAND to
have occupied the position that it is the
part Of the United States, when disputes
have arisen between European and an
American Power. to assume the roe Of
arbitrator, to investigate and give judg-
ment unlimited upon the merits of the
quarrel. and to require the contendipg
parties 10 acquiesce in the decision We
are told that such an assumption. il
seriously put into practice, would in
evtably end in war. However that may
be, no such assumption was made by
Mr.. CLEVELAND. He did not demand
that both parties to the boundary con-
troversy should accept him as arbitrator
All he said vas that Great Britain ought
not to refuse to refer the adjudication
OF the boundary between Great Britain
and Venezuela - arbitration; inasmuch
as, il she persisted in extending by force
the frontiers CT her colony at the expense
Of a weak American republic, she would
be acting as claimant, Judge and Sheriff
in her own case. He held, what was
obviously true. that, through an arb;-
trary modification Of colonial boundaries
n European parent State might seriously
mutilate the territory Of an American
commonwealth. and thus materially
affect Tvs destiny. We could not permit
such arbitrary dismemberment, unless
We we're prepared to repudiate the Mon
rcr Doctrine in the letter as we'll es in
the spirit, Not for moment, however,
did Mr. CLEVELAND assert that Great