Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-01
A HUNDRED YEARS OF USE.
FULNESS

Ee- 6O6NG0S
Whatever one may think of the
future of the Monroe Doctrine he
would ind It difficult to disprove the
evidence Of its hundred years of
usefulness, for it was on December
2. 1928, that it was announced in a
message by President Monroe, and 1t
has repeatedly been appealed to sue
cessfully by either Congress or by
the President.
af It will be recalled that the oc-
casion of this enunciation of our at
titude toward the relationship be-
tween foreign and affairs in Amer
lea, was the disposition of what was
known as the Holy Alliance to
strengthen their power in the new
world. 1t was at time when sew
eral South American countries had
fought for and obtained freedom
from the dominion Of Spain. The
latter appealed to France, Austria,
! Russia, and Prussia for aid in re-
AACA POWCis u6 IIuSSIdu
Tsar put forth a claim to the
Pacific coast of North America down
to lat. 81 degrees with exclusive
rights in Behring Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean.
Monroe, declared that the Amer
lean continents "by the free and in
dependent condition which they have
assumed and maintain, are hence
forth not to be considered as SUBJ
5ects for future colonization by any
European power. We owe II,
therefore, to candor and to the
amicable relations between the Unit.
ed States and those powers, to de-
clare that we should consider any
attempt on their part to extend their
system to any portion of this hemis-
phere as dangerous to our peace and
safety. With the existing colonies
or dependencies of any European
power we have not interfered and
shall not interfere"
These words are susceptible of
wide application and have been so
regarded throughout the century
since they were given utterance.
Secretary of State Olney in connec-
tion with President Cleveland's de-
mand on Great Britain, that she sub
NIT her boundary dispute with
Venezuela to arbitration, said of
the Doctrine: 1T does not establish
any general protectorate by the
United States over other American
states. 1t does not relieve any
american state Of it's obligations as
liked by international law, or pre-
vent any European Power directly
interested from enforcing such
obligations, or from inflicting
merited punishment for the breach of
them. The rule in question has
put single purpose and object. It
rs that no European Power or COM
bination of European Powers shall
forcibly deprive an American state of
the right Of self government and of
shaping for itself its own political
fortunes and destinies."
An Interpretation distasteful to the
South American countries was put
upon Olney's statement in the des-
patch that: To-day the United States
Is practically sovereign on this
continent, and its fiat is law upon
the subjects to which it confines it's
1nterposition." This was meant to
apply to North America but coun-
tries to the south of us saw I'M
pleasant possibilities and this sus-
picion was emphasized by the man
ner in which we recognized the in
dependence Of Panama in 1909 and
our practical protectorate over that
country. Roosevelt also spoke of us
as the international policeman of
the Western Hemisphere.
This attitude and suspicious at
tending 1t were somewhat Modified
by the words of Secretary of State
Root on his visit to Rio de Janeiro In
1906. Among these were the fol-
lowing: I'VE neither claim nor de-
sire any rights, or privileges, or
powers that We do not freely concede
to every American republic"
When it became apparent that a
Japanese syndicate intended to OBJ
tain control Of territory in Southern
California at Masdalena Bay we APP
piled the Monroe Doctrine to Ash
attic countries an well as to European.
The principle has been defined a.
an attitude Of mind. and Secretary
Hughes has reafiirmed our purpose ID
define 1t. II such definition con.
sistently follows definitions already
{ made. which are in effect to make
use Of whatever measures may b
necessary to secure our peace and
safety. 1t will be entitled to the re.
spsct OF our neighbors, some q,
whom profted greatly from It IN tn,
early part Of its existence. We have
s recognised that it entails ob,i.
4ahonss such % helping onto thei,
4eet peoples within its scope which
otherwise would have to be taken Ii
charge by foreign power, q consi.
$ion which we could not tolerate
Fhis has been illustrated In Cub,
knd In Santo Domingo. what Prssi
llent Wilson had to say about Msxic,
Ind the almost impractical patienc,
which has been shown both to thu
1eouutry and "a fyf,ha ana cha .ay,,,..