What justifies a biplane over a braced monoplane?
Back in the pioneer days both types competed fiercely. The braced monoplane has similar structural depth to the braced biplane but less than twice the total wing area, so many argued in its favour. On the other hand, the shallower angle of its bracing wires introduced greater compressive forces in the wing spars, so they had to be strengthened and that added weight.
The monoplane suffered its first drawback around 1911 when, first in France and soon after in Britain, examples started falling out of the sky and for a time they were banned from military service. The French problem turned out to be a mistaken design assumption leading to over-thin bracing wires, the British to be the Ministry-specified cowling fasteners coming adrift. They were soon flying again, but the damage to their reputation was done.
Nevertheless, a few types were still in service when war broke out, especially with Germany. The Etrich Taube and Fokker Eindecker helped to restore their reputation, especially when Fokker developed interrupter gear for the machine guns, unleashing the Fokker scourge. But this would prove the high point of the braced monoplane's career.
The advantages of the biplane you mention - high strength and short span - proved to give greater manoeuvrability, stiffness and damage tolerance when it mattered, and the monoplane quickly became obsolete.
The biplane remained dominant until engine powers rose sufficiently to take planes beyond 200 mph or so, where the greater weight of the unbraced or cantilever monoplane was a price worth paying for cleaner aerodynamics.