The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-19
Roosevelt and the Monroe Doc

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trine.
In December 1907, when certain II: Euro 70
pcan powers were having trouble with
venezuela over the. collection Of claims
against that republic, the Richmond
Times said 1.-THE question, in fine, Is this;
II we are going to maintain the Monroe
Doctrine II we sure going to- protect
South American territory against foreign
invasion, We must necessarily hold our
selves responsible to a degree for the con-
f duct OF the South Americans. Certainly.
we cannot in justice protect. them; IN their
efforts to cvade the payment Of honest
dcA5ts. Tie United States as A. nation
makes itself responsible to foreign oW-
ors for,athcs conduct Of V the, Individual
States of the Union, as, for example,
when Italian subjects were killed in the
| State, OF & louisiana. In that. case sthe
United States government was called 20
account and paid the damages. = we
undertake to exercise q prote tora tc. over
the States OF South America, how can
we icSCtpC luG 2SttlIlS
Recently a protocol was concluded be-
tween the Dominican Republic and tho
United States, under which our govern
ment agreed to collect the revenues Of the
Dominican Republic and employ It's sur
plus in liquidating debts which the re-
public owes to foreigners. III transmitting
this protocol to the Senate, President
Roosevelt sent an accompanying message,
In which no said II.
.It has for some time been obvious that
those who profit by tho Monroe Doctrine
must accept certain responsibilities alon
with Tho rights whichiit confers and tina t
the same statement applies to those who
uphold tho doctrine. 1t cannot be too
often and too empha ticRlly asserted that
the United States has not the slightest
desire for territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at
the expense OF any or It's southern ncigh-
bors, and will not treat the Monroe Doc
trinc, as an excuse for sucl, aggrandlze-
ment on itst part. we do not propose to
take any part Of Santo Domingo, or OK
ercIse any other control over the island,
saye what Is necessary TO Its financial
rehabilitation in connection with the col
lection Of revenue, part ofiwhich Will be
turned over to tho government to meet
the necessary expense OF running t, and
part OF which will be distributed pro
rata among the creditors of the republic
upon q basis OF absolute equity The jus
tincation for the United States taking
this burden and mourning this response
bllty is to DO found in tho fact that 1t
Is incompatible with international equity
for the United States to refuse to allow
other powers to take the only means at
their disposal OF satisfying tho claims
OF their creditors. and yet to refuse itself
to take any such steps
It does not need to be pointed out that
the view thus expressed by the President
is In entire accord with the view ex-
pressed by this. paper moro than two
years ago. which is but another proof
of the fact that the President Is becom-
ing better Democrat every day that he
lives. The Monroe Doctrine llus become
an establshedSpolleS sof this goo,yognment,
and 1t must He$mantaincd. l3ut ytgscar-
iles with It, ~ responsibility and q moral
cbiga ton which we cannot escape.
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