Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-07-29
MONROE DOCTRINE
and WHAT ITMEANS
Just Now IL Is an Important Factor
in the Affairs Of American
Republics.

ly GeTmany-toward Nicaragua have.
brought the Monroe doctrine into the
worlds spot light again and the i'm
preston is strong that 1t will soon
be given a new application.
The Monroe doctrine is an elastic
diplomatic garment-not so elastic as
the popular imagination depicts IT,
but capable Of SO much streaching,
when occasion demands, that it will
fit multitude of situations however
different. There has not been an
administration since its inception in
which this guiding principle has not
been hauled out of its historic re-
cesses to do service in connection with
one difficulty or another, and indica-
tions are that President Taft's will
be no exception from this rule.
The Monroe doctrine is already
spoken of as a most suitable diplo-
matte habiliment to enfold the in
ternational 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 con-
ference on the part Of the Latin
American governments which owe
much of their development to its ex-
istence, to make the doctrine-now
merely a declaration of the United
States-a guiding principle for the
entire western hemisphere. Such a
political profession of faith would
mark a new era for the two Ameri-
cas-.
There is little doubt that the
Monroe doctrine of the present day
contains much that was not contem-
plated by the president who first gave
it formal expression. Each admin
istration, in a crisis has tackled a
new meaning ON it or streached an
old meaning to greater lengths until
it has become coat of many colors,
but none the less stout garment and
showing no sign of wear.
President Monroe, in his message
of December 2, 1928, said: THE
occasion has been judged proper for
asserting as principle in which the
rights and interests of the United
States are involved, that the Ameri-
can continents, by the free and indie
pendent conditions which they have
assumed and maintain, are hence
forth not to be considered as sub
sjects for future colonization by any
European powers. We owe it, there
fore. to candor, and to the amicable
relations existing between the United
States and those powers. to declare
that we should consider any at
tempt on their part to extend their
system to any portion of this hem
isphere as dangerous to our peace
and safety. With the existing col
onies or dependencies of any Euro
pean power we have not interfered
and shall not interfere. But with
the governments who have declared
their independence and maintained it,
and whose independence we have, on
great consideration and on princi-
pies, acknowledged, we could not
view any interposition for the pur-
pose of depressing them, or in con-
trolling in any other manner their
destiny, by any European power, or
in any other light than as the mani
testation of an unfriendly disposition
toward the United States.
Briefly the Monroe doctrine. as so
uttered, declared against the interpo-
sition Of European powers in the af-
fairs of the American states, the
particular kind of interposition being
that undertaken for the purpose Of
controlling their political afairs
and of extending to this hemisphere
the system in operation on the con-
tinent of Europe.
Out of the Monroe doctrine, Luis
NJ, Drago, Argentine minister OF for
eisn affairs. evolved the now famous
Drago doctrine. declaring that the
public debt cannot occasion armed
Intervention nor even the actual oc-
eupation of the territory Of Ameri-
can nations by a European power.
This naturally led to another ques-
ton. II the United States expressly
declared against the occupation OF
American territory by a European
power, who is going to take the mat
ter In charge when a country. much
The same as Nicaragua nov finds her
sell, persists in such a course that
here is no prospect that its debts
WI ever be paid or its just interna-
tiOnal obligations fulnlledF
President Roosevelt, in answer to
his. tackled another patch to the
AonrOe doctrine, giving expression