New-York tribune., 1905-03-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
: THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
It's Origin and Progress-Applica-
ton to Present Conditions.
To tie Editor Of The Tribune.


effective Democratic minority Of the United States
Senate to eliminate the Monroe Doctrine as factor
in relations with Santo Domingo. doomed to
failure whatever may have been the motive,
some curious reflections. AS this famous pronounce
ment is likely to and more to the front
in its present expanded form, the following con-
densed analysis OF its origin and progress may not
be inappropriate In view Of present conditions:
After the fall of Napoleon in 1915 and the accession
of Louis XVIII to the throne of France with the
aid of the Allied Powers violent reactionary wave
against the principles of the French Revolution
swept over Continental Europe This reaction took
the form OF political cooperation between Russia.
Austria and Prussia. incidentally representing re-
spectively Greek Orthodoxy. Roman Catholicism and
the Protestant form of Christianity. This combina-
ton was known the Holy Alliance, the object
being TO reestablish the principles OF absolutism.
which had been seriously discredited among the
governing class throughout Europe by the French
Revolution
Meantime. beginning with the year 1903 and ex-
tending throughout the following decade Mexico.
Central and Spanish America had revoted from
the intoerable yoke of Spain at that time sunk TO
the level of second third rate power, Re
garding the advent of independent republics in the
Western Hemisphere a dangerous continuation
OF the principles represented by the French Revou
tion it became generally known IN the diplomatic
world IN the early eos of the last century that the
Holy Alliance was contemplating the restoration
of Spanish authority her revolted colonies. 1t
was however, an aQQluOnal IacI tnal QurlnS lne
preceding long drawn out revolutionary period
England had successfully cultivated commercial
relations with South America, the revolt of the
colonies having enabled them to abrogate the short
sighted colonial policy OF Spain which had prac-
tically permitted only trade relations with the
mother country. On the other hand. independent
Of any question OF commerce our American policy,
founded upon the principles enunicated by Wash
ington in his famous Farewell Address, had been
cut loose from all political relations with Europe
IN aHrOi5 fba loo vuFaf0h
certainly have arisen had there been imported into
the Western Hemisphere the class of questions rep
resented by the -menacing international prob
lem of maintaining the European balance Of power.
Great Britain and the United States were thus
irresistiby drawn together, the former to protect
its commercial and the latter its political interests
The result was suggestion made by the astute,
farsighted George Canning. at that time Prime
Minister Of England. to President Monroe. through
the usual diplomatic channels, that Great Britain
and the United States should unite In erecting on
the Western Hemisphere for the benefit OF CONT
mental Europe. sgnboard reading. mo tres
passing on these premises It may, however, be
here incidentally remarked that the eminent Brit
ish statesmen of that period. though with only a
comparatively limited experience with tropical gov
ernment, were presumably under no illusions
touching the absolute incapacity of equatorial
peoples to create among themselves orderly and
stable self governing republics.
At the time of the PRONUNCIATION OF the Monroe
Doctrine the United States had a population OF
about eleven millions Of people, scattered along
or three thousand miles Of the Atlantic seacoast.
@ Tffhoqs naf1 t and M With & vs5y 5
additional thousands of miles represented by the
trail and South America. Had we not. therefore
M known that there was back OF US the British feet
the combined power of Russia. Austria Prussia
session OF Central and South America, with such
territorial compensations in the Western Hemi-
selves could be fairly nkened to the blowing of a
penny whistle in gale OF wind The result, there
fore. of the Monroe Doctrine as originally pro
pounded was 10 create dual supervision OF the
Britain ana the unifed States This sontrof nay
Of the eg5 In %bcb Tn b Taf terms
siderable discontent on our part, overshadowed this
AS the result Of President Clevelands Venezuela
message and our late Spanish war, this dual con-
alone that result being accomplished by the abro-
stitution therefor of the HayPauncefote Treaty as
finally ratified. Informed by over two centuries Of
building Lord Salisbury and the eminent Britis5
statesmen by whom he was surrounded evidently
States Senate. that the time had come for Great
ternational problems represented by Europe. India
and the Far East, leaving the supervision of the
people the friendliest relations alone were to be
4S ,a Gptiyhted b Hence the
question was settled. followed now by the prac-
If the above be correct statement of facts, what
Of the Democratic members OF the United States
Senate when we are called upon to carry out our
part OF the bargain?
The present condition Of santo Domingo. no less
than that OF Cuba In 1885, calls for active inter-
vention the part Of the United States. 1t is
only natural that we should shrink from the task
but the dictates OF humanity less than intel
ligent sef-interest applied TO present conditions
together with political farsightedness, combine in
compelling us to assume, in a manly and straight
forward fashion. the responsibilities incident to
good ofces have been asked to straghten out the
otherwise hopeless political social and economic
conditions NJ er11ef orfa
communities grotesQuely masquerading under the
name of a republic.
The awkward complications now. confronting US
in Venezuela are undoubtedly the logical sequence
Of the recent action of the Senate in postponing
the consideration of the Santo Domingo treaty and
not merely coincidence. 1t would therefore seem
unfortunate that the country could not have been
enlightened by the recent Senate debate in order
that might know not only the individuals who
resposible for the present condition OF af-
fairs but also the reasons given by them for oppos
ing the Santo Domingo treaty. Could the country
have been heard from there would seem to be little
reason to doubt that even the Democratic Senators
would have been obliged TO take some heed of
public opinion. s. I. P.
Washington. March %, 1905