The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-02-20
THE ocALA BANNER STILL SIT
TING IN DARKNESS


should have an entirely perverted
view Of the league of nations. and Is
also shocked to learn of its ignor-
Iance concerning the intent and pur
pose of the Monroe doctrine
AS to the meaning and intent OF
that doctrine this paper had the c.
merity to ask IF it were not to exer-
else police power over the western
hemisphere That Is to say. Il It
were not to become the protectorate
over the little republic to the south
of us?
Speaking figuratively, this paper
further essayed to ask: If it did not
mean that the United States under
took to assume the part of the big
brother and shield those struggling
republics from the aggressions and
Nominations of the stronger powers OF
the earth?
To become in reality its brothers
keeper"
The police power, the Herald tells
us, is the power of the state to pro-
tect the public against the abuse of
individual liberty. That is to say to
restrain the individual in the exer-
else his rights when such rights be-
come a danger to the community
That may be, and probably is, its
meaning In its restricted sense, but
lit is not its meaning in its broader
lsense-the sense in which the Ocala
Banner used 1t.
Blackstone defines it as meaning
the regulation of kingdom. In that
sense 1t was used by this paper.
The Herald says that no such power
lis claimed or thought of in state
ment of the Monroe doctrine. That 1t
does not in the slightest degree in
innate that the United States shall
have police power over the other re-
lpublics of this hemisphere.
In substance 1t lays that it means
only that the United States would con.
slider as an "unfriendly act any at
tempt on the part of an European ne
| ton to extend It's political system
lever any country of the two Ameri-
cas-.
After making preparations for forty
years to extend his dominion over the
earth, if the Monroe doctrine meant
only what the Herald says it means,
what regard does one suppose the
kaiser would have had for it?
What cared he for an ''unfriendly
lact?"
Restricted to that meaning, it would
be regarded as a mere nothingness.
| 1t would not begin to reach the dig
! nifty of scrap of paper
When promulgated the Monroe
doctrine" meant, and its meaning was
well understood then, as 1t is. now,
that If an 'unfriendly act" was per.
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| 1t would be resisted with force.
That is what it meant, and its mean
| ing is so well understood that it has
kept the little republics to the south
of us from being disturbed by any I'M
i friendly act by any foreign power
Speaking of the Monroe doctrine, >
the historian of Appleton's Cyclopedia
says:
1.-THE president declared that any
attempt on the part of the European
lpowers to extend their system to any
portion of this hemisphere would be
regarded by the United States as dan
gerous to our peace and safety, and
would accordingly be opposed"
If not opposed, what would it
amount to?
1t would make the United States
the laughing stock of the nations.
| How was it regarded by President
Cleveland in the Venezuelan affair?
When England was having dispute
with that little republic over the
boundary line of British Guiana the
United States, putting itself in the at.
titude of Venezuela's elder brother
took part in the controversy and de-
clared that it would resist by every
means in its power. as willful ag.
gression upon its rights and interests.
the appropriation by Great Britain of
any lands or the exercise of govern.
mental jurisdiction over any territory
which after investigation we have de.
termined belongs of right to venezue.
la"
Those were the ringing words OF
President Cleveland's message. and
they met with universal applause
throughout the nation, and England
Immediately changed front.
/ Your Uncle Samuel is the police
man on the watchtower, with the