New-York tribune., 1905-03-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
Hosc Its Scope Vas Entended in the
Last Decade.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In view Of the great strides made in the
last decade In the theory and practice of the
Monroe Doctrine. will you permit attempt at
short and imperfect analysis from the standpoint
of historical sequence?
Previous to President Cleveland's Venezuelan
message in December, 1885, it may be fairly doubted
IL one man In ten in this country really knew, or.
IL he vaguely, thought he knew appreciated the
iact that the whole of the South American Cont
nent was included within the scope of the ever
increasing important pronouncement of President
Monroe. That the famous message revealed Eng
iano ana America to each other in a manner there
sotore unsuspected, bound by ties OF friendship
rounded on self-interest is matter of history.
thls friendship was later cemented by the attitude
OF England toward US during the Spanish War
Unknown at the time to either Great Britain or
ourselves, the result OF that to turn over
TO us exclusively the supervision of the entire
western Hemisphere. Canada being left in friendly
abeyance. Failure to appreciate this fact was the
cause or the misunderstanding incident to the
hrst draft of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The men
who negotiated that treaty represented each in
ms own country, the highest type of technical
and, up to a certain point. broad minded states
nanshp, both being sincerely anxious to promote
cordial relations between their respective countries
but neither they their governments had di-
Yined the full import of the changes in interna-
tlonal relations brought about by our Spanish War
Such insight is exclusively reserved for statesmen
OF the highest rank. and generation often passes
Among those who have held the Presidential office
Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln our own
brightest examples of political farsghtedness.
In the domain Of exalted administrative office
calling only just short of the Presidency. where
unequalled opportunities have been wisely and Wig
orously availed of far reaching results the
names Of Alexander Hamilton. William H. Seward
and Elihu Root. each in his own sphere of thought
and action, must remain pre-eminent in the
annals of American history
In great nation the people a large all
ways acutely subconscious of their own destiny,
but only in tbs crises of their fate do they make
themselves heard, against their chosen leaders,
The Importance of Senatorial check. afording
time for deliberation and practical submission to
the people of the essential features of any pro-
posed change IN International relationship was
never never better Illustrated than in the criticism to
was subjected Acclaimed at first by men of the
highest character as usherng in new era in
american peope that Il tended in eSaetv the op
posite direction. The result the creation of an
exclusively American canal, whereby we received
waterway as to US might seem best. and there
was also stricken out that clause in the original
the apRroVa! OF the other maritime powers OF the
AS a further result OF the treaty both England
ana america accepted as basic principle to guide
s0of al sh' danRer H4
an Ansosaxon Si alliance The impssndns ralatioa @
to be assumed by us toward santo Domingo is only
ym undoubtsdly lead US to additional and con:
unuous responsible supervision of the whole of
Tropical America. That each step IN this direction
will be met with opposition within our own bor-
ders is both natural and proper for all such move
ments should be undertaken only after thorough
public debate That the irresistible world currents
will nevertheless sweep on to our destiny would
seem evident. Disraeli understood England better
than Gladstone; Roosevelt understands America
better than Bryan.
No navy ever threatened the liberties of the peo-
pie that created 1t. but a navy has often brought
order cut OF chaos when with a base in the tenn
perate zone and objective point in the tropics
it has sought that end. The ever increasing i'm
portance of the tropics in their trade relations
the temperate zone compels the white man to ere
as are best suited to the requirements of an ad-
Yancing civilization. Our present attitude toward
the Philippine Islands and our impending rela-
tions toward Santo Domingo and the countries si
further to the south of us only coequal mani
festattons OF the spirit Of the age which we live
That in the approaching evolution and expansion of
the theory and practice OF the Monroe Doctrine the
American people must be consulted every i'm
portapt step would seem to go without saying
washington, Feb. 26, 1905. L p