Evening journal., 1903-04-03
PRESIDENT On I
MONROE DOCTRINE
Tells Chicago Thousands He
Believes in 1t Heart and
Soul
WANTS STRONG NAVY TO INFORCE IT

which is but 5000 gave enthusiastic
greeting to President Roosevelt when
be stepped upon the stage Of the Audi
torium. The great building has held
many throng, but never one that was
more hearty and unstinted in it's ap-
plause for any man than the crowd
that filed it last night Franklin Mac
Veagh introduced the president, who
had some difficulty in commencing bis
address for the reason that the cheers
that had greeted his first appearance
In the hall burst forth with renewed
vigor, and it was several minutes be-
fore he was able to proceed.
The Presidents Speech.
President Roosevelt in part said:
wish to speak to you, not merely
about the Monroe Doctrine, but about
our entire position In the Western
Hemisphere-a position so peculiar
and predominant that out Of it has
grown the acceptance Of the Monroe
Doctrine as a cardinal feature OF our
foreign policy; and in particular ]
wish to point out 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 this hemi-
sphere are greater than those OF any
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 OF acquire
control thereover.
This policy. therefore. not only for
bids us to acquiesce In such territorial
acquisition, but also causes us to OBJ
ject to the requirement Of a control
which would N its effect be equal to
territorial aggrandizement. This is
why the United States has steadily
believed that the construction of the
great isthmian 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
ser republics. We do not wish to in
terseFe With their rights in the least,
but TO build the canal ourselves under
provisions which wiz enable US, il
necessary. to police and protect it
and 20 guarantee its neutrality, wo
befng the sole guarantors.
The Venezuelan Trouble.
Abont tho same time trouble arose
lH connection with the republic of
Nenekuela 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. At
ter a failure to reach an agreement
these powers began a blockade Of the
Venezuelan coast and a condition Of
ouasi-war ensued. The concern Of our
government was of course not to inter
fere noedlessly 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 a weak sister
republic-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 c passage In my
message Of 1901, as follows:
"The Monroes Doctrine is a declara-
ton that there must, be no territorial
Acknowledgement by any non-American
. bower at the expense of any American
power on American SOIL Il is In no
wise intented as 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 full
acknowledgment on our part. At the
Same time, the existence of hostilities
in a region so near our own borders
was fraugh with such possibilities OF
danger in the future that it 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 o
spirit of frank friendliness Ito all the
parties concerted. a spirit in which
they quickly and cordially responded
we secured a resumption of peace
the contending parties agreeing thai
the matters which they could not set
tie among themselves should be re
ferred to The Hague tribunal for set
tlement.
Powerful Navy Needed.
The Monroe Doctrine is not interna
tionaI law, and though I think ont
day it may become such, this Is no
necessary as long as 1t remains a car
dinal feature of our foreign policy an'
as long as we possess both the will
and the strength to make it effective
This last ooint is all important ant
Is one which as a people we can neve
afford to forget. believe in the Mon
roe Doctrine with all my heart AM
soul; I am convinced that the immens
majority o. our fellow-countrymen s
believe in It; but would infinitely pre-