The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-13
MONROE DOCTRINE GROWTH.

doctrine are shown in the apparently in
ment applies it in the various cases in
which occasion is had for the applica
ton. Under the Taft administration
the United States actively intervened
in Nicaragua at the call of the Nicar-
aguan government, for the protection
The effect Of that Intervention was to
put down the revolt against the exist
ing government in that Republic,
Again, under the present administra-
tion, we have done a like service for
Santo Domingo. A revolution began
there, apparently sustained by the pop
ulace, but it was put down through the
announcement of our Minister to Santo
| Domingo that the United States would
not recognize the rebellious govern
mont, even If it succeeded in overturn-
ing the existing government; would not
give over to it any of the customs re-
ceipts, and would, IN fact, support the
existing government against any rebel
| lion. even if that rebellion succeeded
Accordingly, the rebellion subsidized, for
it was impossible to pursue a movement
| that was bound to be defeated even if
| it won.
These are two examples Of the appli
cation Of the Monroe doctrine by way
Of intervention, and both of these ex-
amples were beneficial to the peoples
of the countries in whose affairs we in
| terycned
On the other hand, we do nothing Of
| the kind in Mexico, but, on the con
trary, our moral influence is turned
against the existing government there
and in favor Of the -insurrectionary
bands, This inconsistency is one of the
battling points connected with the prac-
tical recognition and assertion of the
Monroe doctrine.
The Infantry Journal for July Au-
gust contains an article on .'The Mon
roe Doctrine" by Major J. W. Mean
drew, of the y. S. Army. The Major
considers the doctrine in view of its
Importance in our military policy. He
only Of the doctrine itself, of the vari-
Gus expositions of it, but also of the
applications that have been made of it
from time to time by our government.
He shows, as the fact is, that the Mon
roe doctrine is important precisely as
we have ability to enforce it in any
manner or in case Of any dispute in
which we may assert our policy This
assertion has not always been consist
ent, as he shows, but the doctrine itself
is so vague, its Importance is SO very
great, and the fact that it has not been
recognized as principle oS interna-
tional law, all make the subject rather
haZy, so that for anyone who seeks pre-
cision either in the terms of the doc
trine itself or the action, that the Unit
ed States may take in any given case
the doctrine is bafhingly indefinite.
Nor is it desirable to have the doctrine
precisely defined and limited. The Unit
ed States should be left free, as it is,
to apply that doctrine IN its own way
whenever occasion arises to appeal to
it.
Major McAndrew shows that if we
mean, in fact, to hold to the Monroe
doctrine as cardinal principle to be
practical in diplomatic and actual ap-
pIication, it is necessary for us to be
prepared at all times to meet the objec-
tions not only Of foreign powers with
regard to our application Of that doc
trine, but also to meet such objections
as the American Republics, which we
mean to protect against European ag
gression, may offer against our inter
ference, 1t may be said, and is said,
by some Of them that they as sover
eign nations have a perfect right to
deal with European governments II
they see fit, to grant harbors and coal
ing stations, and to make concessions
of military posts, if they go desire. But
the United States recognizes that such
concessions would be encroachments
upon our security, and dangerous to these
weak powers, and it forbids the clos
ing of any such contracts or the making
of any such concessions. 1T does this
primarily as defensive proposition for
itself, and secondly as a protection for
the weaker Republics of Central and
South America, who might be induced
to 90 so far in such concessions as TO
endanger their own integrity
1t is plain case, as shown by Major
McAndrew, and it is evident to every
one who considers the matter, that the
Monroe doctrine is serviceable to the
United States only in so far as the
United States is able to enforce it in
it's own way.
The United States is now a world
power, and must continue to be so, The
isolation which the Fathers Of the Re
public considered desirable is no longer
possible. We are in the whirl Of world
movements, and must take our part in
them, and assert ourselves as a mighty
factor IN all the real world movements.
L.