Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-08-12
NOTABLE WORDS OF NATIONS
PRESIDENT TO THE THOUSANDS
ASSEMBLED AT CHAUTAUQUA
More High Ideals Expoundsd More Of the Gospel Of Good Living
Preached More Expression Of Precspts Which Well Fol.
lowed Would Raise the Standard Of
National Lie.

ChautauQua, n. Y, Aug. 12.-The
address delivered yesterday afternoon
by President Roosevelt before the
great assembly at Chautauqua Is pro-
nounced one OF his finest efforts. He
spoke as follows:
Today l wish to speak to you on
one feature Of our national foreign
policy and one feature of our national
domestic policy.
The Monroe Doctrine Is not part
of international law. But II Is the fun.
damental feature of our entire foreign
policy so far as the western hemis-
phere is concerned, and 1t has more
and more been meeting with recogni-
ton abroad. The reason why 1t Is
meeting with this recognition Is be-
cause we have no: allowed 1t to be-
come fossilized, but have adapted out
construction of 1t to meet the growing,
changing needs of this hemisphere.
Fossilization, of course means death,
whether to an individual. a govern
ment, or doctrine.
II Is out of the question TO claim q
right and yet shirk the responsibility
for exercising that right. When we
announce a policy such as the Monroe
Doctrine we thereby commit ourselves
to accepting the consequences OF the
rolcy. and these consequences from
time to time alter.
Let us lCok for moment at what
the Monroe Doctrine really is. II for
bids the territorial encroachment OF
non American powers on American
SOIL It's purpose is partly to secure
this nation against seeing great mil
litary powers obtain new footholds in
the western hemisphere, and partly
Ito secure to our fellow-republics south
of us the chance to develop along their
own lines without being oppressed OF
conquered by non-American powers
las we have grown more and more
powerful our advocacy of this doctrine
has been received with more and more
respect: but what has tended most tC
igive the doctrine standing among the
nations is our growing Willingness Il
Ishow that-ws- net only mean what w
say and are prepared to back 1t up
but that we mean to recognize oul
obligations to foreign peoples no les
than to insist upon our own rights.
We can not permanently adhere u
1.-THE Monroe Doctrine unless we sue
ceed in making it evident in the frs
place that we do not intend to treat i
lin any shape or way as an excuse TO
: ACKNOWLEDGMENT on our part at the eS
pense of the republics to the south G
ius; second that we do not intend t
permit it to be used by any of thes
republics as shield to protect tha
republic from the consequences of 1t
own misdeeds against foreign nations
third, that inasmuch as by this dot
! trine we prevent other nations fror
!, interfering on this side of the wate
: we shall ourselves in good faith tr
to help those of our sister republic
:. which need such help, upward towar
peace and order.
= As regards the first point we mus
- recognize the fact that in some Sout
II American countries there has bee
:, much suspicion lest we should inte
= pret the Monroe Doctrine in SON
way inimical to their interests. No
let it be understood once for all tn;
no just and orderly government q
this continent has anything to fei
% from us. There are certain of the r
= publics south of us which have alrea(
9 reached such point Of stability ,orde
and prosperity that they are thel
s. selves, although as yet hardly co
=, sciously, among the guarantors OF tn
u doctrine. No stable and grown
e American republic wishes to see son
sc great non-American military pow
- acquire territory in its neighborhoO
8 II Is the interest of all of us on til
continent that no such event shou
u occur, and in addition to our own !
al public there are now already rept
lies in the regions south Of us viii
have reached point of prosperity a
as power that enables them to be ct
ay siderable factors in maintaining Il
elf doctrine which is so much to the ;
ty. vantage Of all of us. It must be ,