Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-15

IdIueQ Wnlle IN town.
Evening Address
In the evening an even more eager
audience Of adults from town and out !
of-town awaited his appearance. Amos
K. Butler, Esq, ON this occasion had
the honor Of introducing the speaker
amid vigorous applause. The audience
was delighted with Mr.. Taft as a lee
turer and regretted his having to leave
town directly after finishing his adj
dress.
The Monroe Doctrine
The ex-President's lecture was on
The Monroe Doctrine, Its Limitations
and Implications" s-.
1t Is said-and this 10 what fright.
ened peace advocates from the Monroe
Doctrine-that 1t rests on force. and
ultimately on the strength Of our armv
and navy" he declared. THAT is true.
II its enforcement is resisted. Its ulti-
mate sanction and vindication are In
our ability to maintain it; but our con.
stant UNFOLDING and assertion of the
ooctrlne have enabled us, with tho
connecting interests Of European pow
ers and the support of some and tia
acquescence Of others, to give effect
to that doctrine for now nearly q cen.
fury, and that without firing a s,n1l.
shot.
This has given the Doctrine a tradi-
tionai weight that assertion of a new
pohcy by the United States never
| coulo nave. Were we to abandon the
doctrine, 1T would be but a very short
time before we would be forced into
controversies that would be much more
| dangerous to the peace of this hernis
! phere than our continued assertion of
the doctrine properly understood and
| limited" ".~
Announcement to World ~
The Monroe Doctrine. announced a.
message by President Monroe tn
| Congress. was a declaration IN the
| world that any effort on the mart ~ -
european government to force it's DO
u'cai system upon a people of this
nem'spnere, or to Cypress it. would az
-ect the safety Of the United States
ana would be inimical to her interests.
ana further that the subjectine to
coionization by any European govern
ment OF any part Of the two American
continents. all Of which was held to be
within the lawful jurisdiction OF some
government, would be equally ob1ec.
tionable." 0''o
! Inc Monroe Doctrine rests primari-
~ on our interests. It is "a policv ~
the United States, and is not an ob-
hgation OF International Law binding
| upon any OF the countries affected :
Nor indeed does it create an oh.
soute obligation on the part Of the
oni'eo states to enforce It. It rests
primarily upon the danger to the in.
terest ana safety Of the United States.
| aho' therefore, the nearer to her boun-
oaries the attempted violation Of the
| Doctr1ne' the more directly her safety
| 10 anected and the more acute her IN.
| terest and naturally therefore. the
more extreme will be the measure. -,
which she would resort to enforc. ~
The extent Of our fntervent,or
to enforce the policy is a matter of o,,r
own judgment" - ~ w.
! Does Not Forbid War
| The Monroe Doctrine does MT ro-A,s
war, this being the second great Lint
tation Of it. according to Mr.. TAN ru.
ropean countries may make war ,,ro,,
any American government or nnr.,,.
such course in the vindication OF IA,
tional rights as would be a proper meth.
Cd under the rules Of international I.w
provided only that in the end the con.
quering power does not force its own
government upon the conquered peonle.
or compel permanent transfer to a. ~
their territory, or resort to afty othar
un1ustly oppressive measures against
| Them !
| When we come to Mexico. where anar.
chy now seems to reign, the question
Is most delicate one. Intervention by
force means the expenditure Of enor-
nous treasure on our part. the loSs az
valuable lives and the dragging out Of
tedious war against gueriIlas in n
trackless country. which will arouse no
high patriotic spirit ana which, after
We have finished 1t, and completed the
work OF tranquility, will leave US still
problem full Of difHculty and dan
ger All that those Of us who are not
IN the government can do 10 to support
the hands Of the President and the Sec
rotary OF State. and to present to the
European powers and the world a solid
front. In spite Of the discouraging con-
ditions In Mexico, however. the present
situation illustrates the benefcient in
nuence OF the Monroe Doctrine on the
attitude Of the European powers, which,
IN spite Of the injury to the property
and persons Of their nationals, look to
tthe United States as the guide whom
they are willing to follow in working
| out . solution. The condition Of Next
CO IL bad enough. to be sure. but ifAit
had involved us In European comSIfca-
lions. such as would have been likely
to arise had there been European inter