East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-07-26

are that President Taft's will De no
exception from this rule.
The Monroe doctrine is already spo-
ken of as a most suitable diplomatic
habiliment 10 enfold the internation-
al eyesore. into which the chaos of
Nicaragua IS fast developing. while
the United States restores order and
sets the struggling republic on its feet
again. Agitation has already begun,
too, in the Pan-American conference
on the part of the Latin-American
governments which owe much of their
development to its existence. to make
the doctrine. now merely a declara-
ton of the United States. a guiding
principle for the entire western
hemisphere Such political profes-
sion of faith would mark a new era
for the two Americas.
There is little doubt that the Mon
roe doctrine Of the present day con-
tains much that was not contemplate
ed By the president who first gave its
formal expression. Each administra-
ton, in a crisis, has tackled a new
meaning on it or stretched an old
meaning to greater length until it has
become a coat of many colors, but
none the less a stout garment and
showing no sign of wear.
President Monroe. IN his message
of December >, 1928. said: "The oc-
casion has been judged proper for as
serting as a principle in which the
rights and interests of the United
states are involved, that the Ameri-
can continents, by the free and inde-
pendent conditions which they have
assumed and maintain, are henceforth
not to be considered as subjects for
future colonization by any European
powers. We owe it. therefore, to
candor and TO the amicable relations
existing between the United states
and those powers. to declare that we
should consider any attempt on their
part to extend their system to any
portion of this hemisphere as danger
Gus to our peace and safety. With the
| existing colonies or dependencies of
any European power we have not IN
terfered and shall not interfere. But
with the governments who have de-
cIared their independence and main
! taind it, and whose independence we
have. on great consideration and on
! principles. knowledge. we could not
view any interposition for the purpose
| of depressing them, or in controlling
in any other manner their destiny by
! any Euopean power. or in any other
light than as the manifestation Of an
unfriendly disposition toward the
United States
Briefly the Monroe doctrine. so ut
tered, declared against the interposi-
ton Of European powers in the af-
fairs Of the American States. the par
ticular kind Of interposition being that
undertaken for the purpose of con-
! trolling their political affairs and of
extending to this hemisphere the sys-
| tenn in operation on the continent OF
! Europe
out Of the Monroe doctrine, Luis
/ NJ. Drago. Argentine minister of for
| eign affairs. evolved the now famous
! Drago doctrine. declaring that "the
public debt cannot occasion armed
| Intervention nor even the actual oc-
cupation Of the territory of American
nations by a European power This
naturally led to another question. II
the United States expressly declared
| against the occupation of American
territory by European power, who
| il going to take the matter in charge
when a country. much the same as
| Nicara qua now finds herself, persists
| in such a course that there is no pros
poets will ever be paid or its just in
! ternati9nal obligations fulfilled?
President Roosevelt, in answer to
/ this. tackled on another patch to the
! Monroe doctrine, giving expression to
| the function of "police power" TO be
exercised by the United States in such
+ contingencies
Chronic wrongdoing." he said in
! his message of December s, 1904, cor
! an impotence which results in a gen.
eral loosening of the ties Of civilized
! society may in America, as elsewhere,
ultimately require Intervention by
some civilized nation and in the west
! ern hemisphere the adherence Of the
United States to the Monroe doctrine
may force the United States however
reluctantly in flagrant cases Of such
wrongdoing or impotence, 10 the ex-
ercise Of an international police pow
er."
1t may be for President Taft in
! dealing with the Nicaraguan situation
TO formulate still another phase Of the
! Monroe doctrine which has not yet
come into view In the diplomatic ex-
periences Of the United States
Although President Monroe's name
is attached to the doctrine, the prin-
ciple underlying it goes further back,
even TO the beginning Of the United
states. Washington, in his farewell
address, declared that the policy Of
the United States was to avoid en-
tsngling alliances with European
powers. The republican form Of gov
ernment was, in contradistinction 70
the monarchical form prevailing in
| Europe, an ideal for which the col
onists had fought and to which they
were passionately attached. Any
thing threatening that ideal was to
he looked upOn as a foe