The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-03

shin. he warned his countrymen against meddling
in European affairs. This washington Doc
trine" was almost the sole diplomatic principle
of the nation between 1915 and 1928.
In that year, President Jemes Monroe pro-
claimed the sequel to this doctrine by enunciatng
the positive side Of it. The Holy Alliance IN Eu-
rope had been formed to counterfeit the tendency
toward democracy in both hemispheres One of
it's specific aims was to re-conquer Central and
South American nations for Spanish rule. See
ing the gravity of such crisis rs this alliance
precipitated, the president IN his message an
nounced that famous doctrine which bears has
name.
'The American continents, by the free and
Independent conditions which they have assumed
and maintained, are henceforth net to be consid-
cred as subjects for future colonization by any
European power.
l. During the northwestern boundary dispute
with Great Britain ia 1845. President Polk reaf
firmed and slightly extended the doctrine. TT
should be distinctly announced to tho world" he
said, ~as our settled policy, that no future Eu-
ropean colony dominion shall with
sent, be planted established in any part Of the
North American continent
In another dispute with Great Britain Con-
corning the Venezuelan boundary, President
Cleveland in 1895 again reaffirmed the Monroe
doctrine, and after him Roosevelt used it often
in his diplomatic dealings with characteristic Wig
or. "The western hemisphere he said on one
OCCASION 'is not to be treated as Africa or mid
Asia is treated, as subject for conquest by any
old world power"
But while there has never been very much op-
position to the Monroe doctrine In the United
States, and while the Latin-American republics
to the south of accepted it with practical unan
unity until recently the attitude toward this his
toric principle among these nations is rapidly
changing. Two or three of our presidents have
not applied the doctrine to the Central and South
American republics with much diplomacy finan-
cial adventures have used it as a Cloak for their
brutality number Of times and more than once
for purposes of conquest.
1t was in the name of the Monroe doctrine
that President Polk annexed Texas in 1845. It
was under the same auspices that President
Grant demanded the seizure of San Domingo in
1870, and it was this same principle which was
supposed to be the basis on which Roosevelt acted
to seize Panama.
This use of the Monroe doctrine has given it
in the eyes of Latn-Amercan republics "heads
l win, and tails you lose' aspect. They are COM
ing to look upon it as bluff part to keep
Europe out of this hemisphere in order that we
ourselves may have plenty of room to expand.
1t this Interpretation which caused DR..
Perez Canton, of Chile, to write, "The Monroe
doctrine implies a moral subordnation to the
United States which is repulsive to the national
feelings of the young republics.
The Venezuelan Dia a very influential news
paper Of South America, has recently expressed
itself with equal incisiveness. "Why does the
United States arrogate the power of exercising
And Brazilian diplomat exclaimed, after hearing
much talk about the Monroe doctrine, 1--WE are
quite able to for ourselves"
These utterances from South America are
very mild when compared with similar utterances
from Central America. These little republics are
absolutely convinced that the Monroe doctrine is
merely wall of concealment behind which we
hope to be able to take their territory from them
Understanding the gravity Of interna-
tonal outlook toward Latin-America, President
Wilson, at Mobile, Ala. last October, took occa-
sion to make extension of the doctrine. He
affirmed that he would apply it to ourselves as
we'll to Europe and guarantee the sister repub-
lies against our encroachment their territory.
At the same time, he expressed the hope of
the possibility of the Pan-American union which
would recognize that all nations in this hemi-
sphere have everything in common and stand to
gain by standing together.
But the new Monroe doctrine thus formed has
remained mere utterance, abstract princi-
pie. It can have little vitality Of influence until