The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-01-07

enunclateu WITH claflCy anu pre-
cision which end all doubts and du-
plicities. The separation of Amer
lea from Europe has been completed
irrevocably. If the re-conquest of
the colonies on the continent or
their voluntary return to the old
rule had not already become i'm
possible, this opposition of the
North American people, which has
so long been developed and which
has only now been openly declared
would alone be sufficient to Danish
all thoughts of it."
Many times in the past the Euro
pean monarchs would have been
eager to acquire territory from the
defenseless Latin Americans. At
the time this Doctrine was origin
ated the Holy Alliance in Europe
was seeking the overthrow in Spain
of it's republican government, and
consequently looked with keenest
jealousy upon the new republics in
South and Central America. whose
independence this government rec
ognized. Russia was at the same
time reaching out it's paw for Alas
ka. This policy of exclusion, how
ever, was upheld by England's
attitude toward the Holy Alliance
and operated to enable the American
republics to fortifiy themselves
against their common enemies as
well as to perfect the machinery of
government and to build up trade
and commerce. This was rendered
difficult because of racial differences,
of autocratic colonial government,
and of geographical conditions
which made transportation and
social intercourse extremely haz-
ardous. 1t is indeed problematical
whether the American republics
could have maintained their inde-
pendence during the first three
quarters of century OF their career,
had it not been for the Monroe
Doctrine.
During the course of our civil
war. Napoleon III attempted to set
up European monarch in Mexico.
At the close of the war Mr.. Seward
demanded of the French govern
ment the necessity of Withdrawing
their troops from the suppass of
MaximiliaIl; and although no words
of the Monroe Doctrine were en-
ployed in the correspondence, yet
this action was in accordance with
the best traditions thereof.
When Chile was at war with
Spain in 1866, Secretary Seward
wrote to our minister in Chile: The
policy of the United States in regard
to the several Spanish American
states is. or ought to be, we'll known
now, after the exposition it has re-
ceived during the last five years.
We avoid. in all cases, giving en-
couragement to expectations, which.
in the varying course of events, we
might find ourselves unable to full
fill, and we desire to be known as
doing more than we promise, rather
than Of falling short of our engage
ments."
I'VE therefore concede to every
nation the right to make peace or
war for such causes, other than
political or ambitious, as it thinks
right and WISE"
1t was not until long after the
Civil War that we assumed really
aggressive attitude in our foreign
policy. Thus, while it was general
ly understood that we would not
countenance any European aggres
siveness or land hunger so far as
the states of the western hemls-
phere were concerned, nor any po-
litical interference in the affairs of
North and South America. it became
necessary and expedient in 1895,
during President Cleveland's ad-
ministration, that the Secretary of
State should reslate the Monroe
Doctrine, which brought us to the
verge of European war by back
ing it up with an absolutely uncom-
promising attitude. In this instance
Venezuela had had a long-standing
boundary dispute with British
Guiana. The Venzuelans appealed
to the United States, and Secretary
Olney, invoking the Monroe Doc
trine, brought matters to a crisis.
The world was astonished by our
defiant attitude toward Great Brit
ain, the latter country behaved in
good form; was forced to arbitrate
the question and acknowledged the
fairness Of policy, which she was
the first to give welcome at the time
it was originated.