White Oaks eagle. (White Oaks, N.M.) 189?-190?, 1903-04-09

this republic to citizens of various powers,
notably England Germany and Italy.
After failure to reach an agreement these
powers began blockade of the Venezuelan
coast and a condition of quaziwar ensued.
The concern of our government was OF
course not to interfere needlessly in any
quarrel so far as it did not touch our in
terests or our honor, and not to take the
attitude of protecting from coercion any
power unless we were willing to espouse
the quarrel of that power but to keep an
attitude of watchful vigilance and see that
there was no infringement of the Monroe
doctrne--no requirement OF territorial
rights by European power at the expense
of weak sister republic whether this ac-
QUESTION might take the shape OF an out
right and avowed seizure of territory or OF
the exercise of control which would in
effect be equivalent to such seizure.
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 honorable good faith
which permits full acknowledgment on our
part At the same time the existence OF
hostilites in region SO near our own bor-
ders was fraught with such possibilities of
danger in the future that it was obviously
no less our duty to ourselves than our duty
to humanity to endeavor to put an end to
that Accordingly by an effort of our
good service in spirit of frank friendliness
20 all the parties concerned, spirit in
which they quickly and cordially respond
ed, we secure resumption of peace-the
contending parties agreeing that the mat
| ters which they could not settle among
themselves should be referred to The
Hague Tribunal for settlement.
The Monroe doctrine is not in
ternational law and though | think some
day it may become such, this is not neces-
sary as long as it remains cardinal feature
of our foreign policy and as long as we pos
sess both the will and the strength to make
it effective. This last point, my fellow
citizens is all important, and is one which
as people we can never afford to forget.
| believe in the Monroe doctrine with all
my heart and soul | am convinced that
the immense majority of our fellow-country-
men so believe in it; but | would infinitely
prefer to see us abandon it than to see Us
put it forward and bluster about it, and
yet fail to build up the efficient fighting
strenhth which in the last resort can alone
make it respected by any strong foreigr
power whose interest it may ever happel
to be to violate it..
TO uphold the Monroe Doctrine t.
make our supremacy felt and respected,
large and powerful navy is recommended
and the time to do this now, in time @
peace for, says the president. 1t is to
| late to prepare for war when war ha
n come; and if we only prepare sufficient
no war will ever come. We wish a power
Il full and efficient navy, not Tor purposes {
T., war, but the surest guaranty of peace
II we have such navy--if we keep on builc
t. ing it up-we may rest assured that thel
q is but the smallest chance that trouble wi
= ever come to this nation; and we may lik
wise rest assured that no foreign power wi
ever quarrel with us about the Monrc
e Doctrine.
l. The wind storm did considerable dan