The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-28
TODAY in HISTORY
Birthday OF Firth President.
THURSDAY. APRIL %, 1910

Today is the birthday OF the author OF
the famous Monroe Doctrine James
Monroe. the fifth president OF the United
States, There Is no measure with whlcn
the name OF Monroe Is so Intimately CON
nected Us the cnunciation OF the prin.G,l-
pic, America for Americans. INC
Iutc two para graphs of the president
message OF December 2. 1928. In the
first he declared that the governments
OF Russia and Great Britain had been
informed that the American contlnentS
henceforth were not TO be considered
subjects for future colonization by any
European powers. In the second nc aaid
that the United States would consider
| any attempt on the part OF the European
powers to extend their system TO any
portion of this hemisphere as dangerous
TO our peace and safety
Like three preceding presidents; James
Monroe was born In Virginia. The date
cestors were settlers in tho Old Dominion
state from Scotland. James passed his
boyhood In neighborhood famous for us
patriotic leryor HIs student l,1e ,r,,rt AT
ed by the Revolutionary war. He Joined
the, Patriot army In l7IG, at Washing
tons Headquarters. in New York, as a
| lieutenant OF the Third Virginia resl-
ment. under Colonel Mercer
Monroe was with the troops at iiar-
lem. White Plains and Trenton, where,
wounded In the shoulder, Later he took
part I'm the battles OF Germantown.
| Brandywinc and Monmouth. Having
formed the acquaintance Of Governor
jefferson. he was sent by him as military
| commissioner to collect information
about the Southern army, He thus at.
tanned the rank of lieutenant colonel, but but
TO his disappointment and chagrin his
services in the Gield were completely In
| terruptcd
The civil life of Monroe began in his
sembiy OF Virginia. He was next dele
gate to the congresses Of the Confedera :
ton, where, Notwithstanding his youth.
he was active and influential; Before
he was 90 years old he had held almost
| every important position excepting that
Of president of the United States. 10
which politician could aspire. Notable
among these were two terms abroad as
! private minister, and two places in the
cabinet Of his predecessor, James Madi-
| son.
With the traditions of those DAYS,
which regarded experience In public az
fairs as presidential qualification IL
was natural that Monroe should become
a candidate for the presidency. In 1915.
at almost exactly the same age that JEFF
| fersou and Madison attained the same
position. Monroe was elected president
Ilege against 81 given for Rufus King. the
candidate of the FederalistS. He con-
tlnued In office until 1925 His second
election was with almost complete
unanimity. only ono electoral vote being
recorded against him.
When Monroe retired TO private life he
lived part OF the time at Oak Hill. Va
and part of the time in New York City.
Monroe was one of the first 10 perceive
the importance OF free navigation on the
Mississippi. He negotiated with France
and Spain for the acquisition Of Louisi-
ana and Florida He gave vigorous i'm
pulse TO the second war with Eng
land in defense of our maritime rights
He enunciated the dctum against for
eign interference which has now the
force OF international law Judged by
the high stations he was called upon tc
lin. his career was brilliant
During the advance OF old age he was
occupied with his correspondence. and ir
writing book on the origin OF free gov
ernment. which was published long after
his death.