The Peril of the Republic of the United States of America - Percy T. Magan

produced by modern warfare. Within hundreds of
thousands of breasts there exists a desire for a
change in this state of affairs so horrible to
contemplate.
Until the year 1899 the United States has stood
before the world as the champion of small standing
armies, and squadrons of war-ships sufficient only
for the patrol of the coast. While clinging to this
doctrine, the United States has become one of the
greatest of the world-powers, without possessing a
fleet worth speaking of, and without calling upon
her few soldiers to step beyond the boundaries of
her own continent. Small armies and navies have
been made possible for this country on account of
that magnificent clause in the political creed of all
parties, known as the Monroe Doctrine. This was
announced by the president of the country full
seventy-five years ago, and the essence of it is:
“We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the
amicable relations existing between the United
States and those powers, to declare that we should
consider any attempt on their part to extend their
system to any portion of this hemisphere as
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