The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-05
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
Discussing the message Of President
Wilson on Wednesday morning, The
Tribnne used the following sentence;

Wilson on Wednesday morning, The
Tribune used the following sentence;
Under the Monroe doctrine we arc
compelled TO safeguard the interests
OF foreigners In the Latn-Amcrican
republics because we deny 10 the
their demands by military interven-
ton or the seizure OF lands and
property.
This was an abbreviated and incom-
plete statement Of the argument which
The Tribune has fully cnunciated from
time to time in the last few weeks, and
which our morning contemporary, al
though il now objects to the foregoing
fragment on the ground that 1T diftuses
error, wisely rcfrained from combating
IL may be necessary, therefore, to re-
state The Tribune's position. Our con-
temporary cites Mr.. Richard Olney,
former secretary of state, TO the effect
that the Monroe doctrine does not re-
lieve any American state from its obli-
gations rs fixed by international law,
nor prevent any European power direct
" or indirectly from enforcing such
obligations or inflicting merited pun
ishmeut from the breach of them.
All this may be conceded and yet not
controyert the logical deduction which
The Tribune has made with referente to
the Monroe doctrine. We deny TO the
foreign nations the right permanently to
occupy territory in the Latin-American
republics and therefore, we take away
from the foreign nations the only ef'
fective means they have Of enforcing
their demands. IT is true that they
can establish the so-called peaceful
blockade, - seize custom houses or even
and troops and temporarily occupy ter
rtory. but the United States always has
ooked with disfavor on these methods,
especially the landing of troops and the
occupation OF territory even Tor short
time. Such being the case. the United
states assumes the obligation of pro-
tecting not only its own interests, but
necessarily the interests Of the foreign
nations in the Latin Americas.
To show that the United States as
sumes this obligation under the Monroe
doctrine. let us cite a foe of the doc
trine, one who declares that we must
enforce the demands of foreign nations
and who finds in this undesirable obi.
CATION a reason for abandoning the doc
trinc. In the Century Magazine for
December, w Morgan Shuster says:
The belief that the Monroe Doctrine
could DC invoked 20 protect them In
the last extremity has steadily en-
I coureged e%travaGancc and reckless
ttnsucial engagements on tho part OF
several Latin american nations The
appeal made last April by Guatemala
that the United States should stand
between her and her European credl-
tors is exactly Ia point
Could there. IA fact DC n greater
temptation 10 small nations 10 be
reckless In their dealings with Euro
penn Lenders than TO have the United
torial integrity AT all hazards In
! addition. the American people thereby
virtually undertake the tbanidess and
uoiscmC task OF collecting Europe's
depis. II Is well known that the
American Government viii go 10
lengths for European creditors TO
which ~ would refuse 20 go FOR lte
own citizens One result OF this is
that American bankers have always
ssen 10th to to lnance lc's, any Latin
unless there were a substantial par
,icipation therein by European CAPT
tai IN order that there might Rlrays
which TO beat the United States
Government; into more vigorous asser-
tiou OF the lenders or investors
rights. Could there be n moro humili-
sting position for Americans?
Mr.. Shustcr here recognizes that the
4 United States must stand guard over
the territorial integrity of tho Latin
Americas at all hazards, aud that i,
: must virtually undertake ''thc thank.
less and noisomc task Of collecting
EuTope : debts /, is conceivable. OF
course, ,ba, the foreign powers nigh,
invade tho republics 10 tho south Of us
: occupy territory until their demands
! we're complied with, aud then peace.
4 fully retire without violating the letter
Of the Monroe doctrine; but does our
own experience in the Philippines, in
Porto Rico or even in Cuba teach US
that the abandonment OF territory i:
easy after it once has been occupied;
That the United States goes much
farther than merely forD.cding ,hc