The Washington herald., 1909-01-18
Monroe Doctrine to Date.

| kas exercised such Intelligent ac
/ uvity and has accomplished so mucl
by It since his tenure OF Office II is 10 b
/ hoped he win give his attention 10 a Mttl'
strip CT Central American territory
Belize" that England took possession o
during the progress Of the war betwee,
the States. and daubed with the till,
British Honduras. and, If possible. tha
he viii have this territory freed from
English control
England has always repudIated thc
Monroe doctrine This dogma. too. hat
its origin in England; English necessIti=.
causing Mr.. Canning to conceive Il, ant
talk Mr.. Rusk, our Ambassador. into ar
/ advocacy OF il 10 President Monroe. WHO
readily espOused il, because with Eng
lands aid he could maintain it. which
/ he would have found exceedingly dir
cult 10 do without that aid
/ Of course England was selfish in TIT.
matter She wanted the contraband trade
In arms and ammunition which the Sc
/ eeeding South and Central American pos
sessions Of Spain made Of great value
and this. too, when England b. a solemn
treaty had pledged herself 20 aid spain
in retaining these possessions In order
to hide the infamy, the dupllcity. and
cunning there was in her course she con-
ceived the scheme OF using this country
IN carrying out her plans. Spain was
then the mistress OF the world. She
boasted that ''the sun never set upon the
Spanish possessions. England wanted
10 wrest this puissance from her and
herself dominate the destinies Of the
world. and in doing it she has not hest
tated ABOUT the methods.
The Holy Alliance, or The conspiracy
Of kings" Of which England and Spain
were the chief factors. guaranteed to
each OF the high contracting parties
mutual aid in maintaining their posses
sions. But the rich eoutraband trade OF
the seceeding South and Central Ameri-
can States in arms, ammunition, DC. &C,
and the weakening Of Spain in the equa-
ton Of Europe was too tempting 10 Eng
land. and Mr. Canning, the English pre-
nier. conceived the scheme OF inducing
this country 70 issue a manifesto TO the
world forbidding the acquisition Of ter
ritory. BY any European power. upon this
hemisphere: in other words what We know
as the Monroe doctrine
England could accomplish everything
she wanted In this way without betraying
her true designs and double dealings TO
those with whom she was in alliance. II
is the same England to-day. yesterday,
and forever.
It is a great pity to deprive Mr. Monroe
Of an honor which mas been such fac
tor in adding luster TO his name. and IN
establishing a dogma that has worked
SO wei In enabling the people-sIster re-
pUblics 70 the south OF US. maintaining
themselves and working out their desti-
MES in their own way. and which was so
essential this country should do and
which we should maintain against the
strong as well as the weak as q neces-
sary part OF our political ethics
But for England 70 be the first violator
OF dogma she had inspired us with and
70 taSe advantage Of the occasion 10 do
II when we were IN the midst Of a terri
Die domestic war and seize Belize and
declare 70 the world that il was a British
possession. IN doing It she violated the
Monroe doctrine and a treaty she had IN
some manner inveiglei Us into making.
The Infamous Clayton -Bulwer treaty
which was SO utterly IN the interest OF
England that Il has been a curiosity how
an American could have disgraees him
self by signing Il, but even this treatv for
hace England acquiring territory on this
hemisphere We know how this treaty
was held as a cudgel over Us when We
wanted 70 construct the Panama Canal.
Now, in the face OF such conditions
England holds British Honduras An
Engiishman employed q few native In
dians 70 chop wood IN a finely timbered
section 81 a small strip Of country be-
tween Mexico and Guatemala. back in
iS5S or 1850. There was but one English
man. the others were morpheF natives.
In 1852 when this nation was In the
throes OF civil war, England proclaimed
this territory British possessions -
France about the same time sent Maxi
MILAN into Mexico Immediately after
the war hint 70 France was enough 20
make her abandon MexlmiuIan 10 his
fate, and In short time Mexico was
free OF the French Whether ANYTHING
was ever said 20 England about her theft
OF Belize We do not know. but England
still holds Belize. and as long as she does
we have the Monroe doctrine only in
aame-a dream
France violated no treaty in going into
Mexico. and any one who knows English
methods would prefer France in Mexico
10 England IN Belize.
Now that the Panama Canal is a Ger
-ainty. Belize is an important stragetfc
point for the most dangerous nation in
he world 10 possess How can We boast
u dogma which forbade her the ac-
luisition OF this country. and which she
TO hold9
Inc original seizure, too. has grown as
erTitoTy acquired by this nation In India
south America Africa, and Canada have.
~ The old English methods Of encroscb-
nent Cannot Secretary Root oust Eng
anu 1foih Beiize! GEO. G. TANNER.