The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-04-07
THE MONROE DOJIRINE
President Roosevelt Believes in 1t
Heart and Soul.
A STRONG NAVY TO ENFORCE IT

"""'N '.'''~' SNS it Tbdnoorcu man
Put Forward eoastlngly. Without
Fighting Strength 20 Make It Re
speoted 81 Nations.
Chicago. Narii - Six thousand peo-
pie I'm bali the seating capacity OF
which is but 5000 gave enthusiastic
greeting to PRO sidcnt Roosevelt when
ne stepped upon tine stage of the Audi.
torium The great building has held
many throns bat never one that was
more hearty and unstintcd in its ap-
pieuse for any man than the crowd
that filled 10 last night. Franl lin Mac
Neagh introduced the presto, ut. who
had some difficulty i'm commencing his
address for the reason that tie cheers
That had greeted his first appearance
IN the HAN burst forth with renewed
vigor. and 1T was several minutes be
fore he was able 10 proceed
The Presidents Speech.
President Roosevelt in part said:
] wish 10 speak TO you not merely
about the Monroe Doctrine, but about
our entire position i'm the Western
Hemisphere a position so peculiar
and predominant that ont of II has
grown the acceptance OF the Monroe
Doctrine as a cardinal feature of our
foreign policy: and in particular |
wish 10 point ont what has been done
during the lifetime OF the last con-
gress TO make good our position in ac-
cordance with this historic policy. We
hold that our interests in thi. hemi-
cr,h 81
European power possibly can be. and
that our duty to ourselves and to the
weaker republics who are our neigh
bors requires us TO see that none of the
great military powers from across the
seas shall encroach upon the territory
OF the American republics or acquire
control thcreoyer.
This policy. therefore. not only for
bids ms TO acQuiesce in such territorial
acquisition. hut also causes us 70 oh.
Joct to the requirement of a control
which would in it's effect be equal to
territorial aserandizement This is
why the United States has steadily
believed that the construction OF the
great isthmisn canal should be done
by no foreign nation but by ourselves
The canal must of necessity go through
the territory OF one of our smaller sis
ter republics. We do not wish 20 in
terfere with their rights in the least.
but 20 build the canal ourselves under
provisions which viii enable us. n
necessary. 20 police and protect il
and TO guarantee IT'S neutrality. we
being the sole guarantors.
The NNrexueIap TrouhI.
About the same time trouble arose
in connection with the republic of
Venezuela because OF certain wrongs
alleged TO have been committed. and
debts overdue by this republic TO citi.
zens OF various foreign powers. nota-
bly, England Germany and Italy. Az
ter failure 10 reach an agreement
these powers began a blockade OF the
Venezuelan coast and a condition of
Quasi-war cnsued. The concern OF our
government was OF course not 10 inter
fere needle sly IN any quarrel. but TO
see that there was no INFRINGEMENT OF
the Monroe Doctrine-no requirement
of territorial rights by a, European
power at the expense of n weak sister
epublic-whether this ACQUISITION
might take the shape Of an outright
and avowed seizure of territory or OF
the exercise of control which would in
effect be equivalent To such seizure
This attitude was expressed to the
German and British ambassadors. by
calling attention TO q passage In nv
message of 1901, as follows:
"The Monroe Doctrine is a declara-
ton that there must be no territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT by any non-American
power at the expense of any American
power on American soil. II is in no
wise Intended az hostile to any nation
in the Old World"
Both powers assured us in explicit
terms that there was not the slightest
intention on their part to violate the
principles OF the Monroe Doctrine. and
this assurance was kept with an hon
orable good faith which merits fun
acknowledgment on our part. At the
same time. the existence of hostilities
in region so near our own borders
was frausht with such possibilities of
danger in the future that il was OBJ
viously no less our duty to ourselves
than our duty to humanity to endeavor
10 put an end to that Accordingly. by
an offer OF our good services In a
spirit of frank frendliness to all the
parties concerned. spirit in which
they quickly and cordially responded.
we secured resumption of peace
the contending parties agreeing that
the matters which they could not set
tie among themselves should be re-
ferred to The Hague tribunal for saf
Element
Powerful Navy Needed.
The Monroe Doctrine is not interna-
tional law, and though I think one
day 1t may become such, this is not
necessary as long as it remains a car
dlnel feature Of our foreign policy and
as long as we possess botff the viii
and the strength to make 1t effective
This last point is all important. and
Is one which as people we cas-. never
afford to forget believe In the Mon.
roe Doctrine with all my heart and