New-York tribune., 1903-06-23

barrier against the reactfonar1- iasiyns of the
ms, -i Ailaance upon the new republics had
JusL recognized in the American continents at
the close of the French Revolutionary and Ma
poleohc period, its condition somewhat resem-
bies uhdt OF "a long-neCiected barrel around
winch have accumulated the debris of years
me hoops, he thing that made it a barrel
IiaNe i, cropped away; only the pressure of the
80 a OUTSIDE noics the slaves together. Re
move that and the barrel would tumble to pieces.
Indefinitely
do not say that the Illustration exactly fits
lhe case, or that the Monroe Doctrine would dis
appear u Europe ceased to oppose it. do say
that under show OF European opposition it
would he likely 10 last indefinitely: and that in
d lo!tS absence of such opposition il may hold
toSe' her less tenaciousy The things that made
me Monroe Doctrine have disappeared:-the
ooh-@i Jhat the infant republics should be
S''itiSled by their cruel stermother and her al
'irN' mat the Holy Alliance should check the
spread Of Republican institutions or overturn
the!n IN any place where they deserve to exist:
or that Europeans should attempt-now under
ihe shadow Of the United States Of the Twen-
leth Century.-to colonize alleged unoccupied
ianaS ln America Under such circumstances il
may ne easy after , while. for US to look over
@ oiIe Monroe boctiine again in the light of the
present situation of the American continents
and OF our present necessities. We viii certain
~ Iiot ABANDON 1t; but We may find, if nobody is
opposing US, that perhaps its extension quite so
lar beyond the original purpose of Mr. Monroe
ana Mr. Adams, as the fervor of our patriots
WhoiIy unnecessary Inconvenience 10 ourselves
For the sake of precision il NAV be well at TIE
beginning to restate a few facts q bout it not
always remembered. The Doctrine is not In
ternatlonal Law. It is not American Law. It
consists merely Of declarations of policy by
fresldents and Secretaries of State, and these
are not uniform. There is a Monroe Doctrine
suggested in part by Mr. Canning. extended
ana formulated by Mr. John Quincy Adams
and adopted by Mr.. Monroe. in his message TO
Congress of December -. 1928. There is a Polk
doctrine starting in disputes about our North
western frontier and in intrigue of the slave
power for the seizure and annexation of Yucca
tan, collaborated by Mr.. James Buchanan and
and ~ D.
April %. 1915
The Monroe Doctrine held that % the Ameri-
can continents by the free and independent con-
oltlon which they have assumed and maintained,
are henceforth not to be considered as subjects
Tor future colonization by any European power
and % that as the political system Of the
allied powers is essentially different
from that OF America with the exist
ing colonies dependencies of any European
power dn America) we have not interfered and
shall not interfere: but with the Governments
who have declared their independence and main
tanned II we could not view any inter-
position for the purpose of depressing them or
controlling in any other manner their destiny
by any European power. in any other light than
as the manifestation Of an unfriendly disposition
toward the United States The second of these
propositions was the one suggested and cordially
welcomed by Great Britain; the first met
by instant dissent Both, though resting wholly
on the Presidential declaration. without d stat
ute resolution of Congress to sustain them,
have become incorporated into the general Amer
lean faith. But neither of them declares against
any but Republican institutions for the future
in this henisphere;-in fact, about the same time
we were recognizing two Ernperors-Iturbide in
Mexico and Dom Pedro in Brazil. Neither of
them objects to transfer Of dominion 10 Euro
peaus by cession. purchase or the voluntary act
Of the inhabitants; and neither Of them gives
any pledge to any American State that we would
interfere IN its behalf against the use Of force
for the collection Of debts or the redress Of IN
juries or indeed against any European attack
THE POLK DOCTRINE.
The Polk Doctrine. starting from Mr.. Monroe's
statement about colonization, says ID 1t should
Re distinctly announced 10 the world as our
settled policy that no future European coIony
or d0HthI0n SHALL with our cons91l, ne plaHteu
established any part Of the North Arlerl-
can continent; and again. quoting MI Monroe
opposing the extension OF the european sgs-
TEN 10 this hemisphere. Mr.. Polk says % while
it is not NY purpose 10 recommend Inc
acquisition Of the dominion and sovereignty over
Yucat tan, yet We could not consent to a
transfer of this dominion and sovereignty TO
either Spain. Gr7at Britain CT any other Euro
pean power Thus processing or.y 10 rea nm
the Monroe Doctrine. the Polk Doctrine extehGs
It 10 forbid specifically the tablshment or ac-
QUESTION OF dominion anywhere in North Arneri-
fca. and inferentially anywhere in this heIni-
sphere by any European power Not merely are
they forbidden TO claim unsettled lands and colo
rize them or to interfere with the liberties of
the Spanish-American Republics had just
recognized; but they must never take common,
by cession, by purchase, bg voluntary appeal
Of inhabitants otherwise Under the Folk
Doctrine no American nation could part WIN
any Of its territory to Europeans TO secure
advantage
determine their own destiny 1T their own Will
Under that doctrine Germany could not buy
coaing station off the coast of Chill, nor on Ihe
confines of Patagonia:-not even IL the recog-
nized sovereigns agreed TO sell it and the in
habitants earnestly desired the transfer; nor
could Venezuela pay its European debts by
ceding-possibly even by leasing-the httIe
island of Marguerite off its coast.
1 suppose the logical basis Of our original as
sertion Of the Monroe Doctrine TO have been our
own National interests: and the only ground for
any recognition or liberation Of II by other ILa-
tions TO have been the national right, generally
claimed TO hold own interests paramount
within the natural and legitimate sphere OF our
influence. Such a claim is known In lnterna-
tional practice What they cannot SO clearly
understand is why Patagonia, close to the Ant
arctic circle and the Southern FTigld zone,
should be in our sphere Of influence. any more
than theirs: or. If il is why the Azores and
NTsrocco less than third as far away from
Us are not also within sphere Of influence
EUROPEAN POLK DOCTRINE.
It is always an advantage in any effort to see
all around a subject. 10 find the other man S
T7oin+ Of view Perhaps may get clearer
insight into the action Of the European Inlno OF
this subject if should try to work OUT some some
European Monroe Doctrine, and especlaAE soiIle
European Polk Doctrine
China or at any rate China and Russia com
bined. hold position in Asia far more com
T,7andine than that Of the United States IN the
three Americas In both cases the governments
are as absolutely committed to the despotlc as
ne orc 70 the Republican idea; and there ls no
obvious proof that the overw helning majority
of their neople DO not believe in their system aS
much as the corresponding majority OF our .l PEI
pie believe in ours suppose Chllia, C, oI - &c
an1 Russia together, had taken grounc tilaL Ihe
hris+ic continent being entirely occupied py
The avisrfrc governments which were fnosl4y IN
form nd principle like their own, was no ioilSsI
1aid for colonization or conquest by any
A AMERICAN poyver: and that ground al Ihe
,I-+T,raak of the Spanish-Amerlcan war fdu
warned Us off Manila and the PhlIlppIhts
-;-,iIer case might easily be presented py
Great Britain and other countries devoteo 20