The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-18
TIE FIRST oPPoRTUNIrY.

Lord Salisbury has replied to Mr.. Blaine's
suggestion that the boundary dispute be-
tween England and Venezuela should be
submitted 10 arbitration. His Lordship
says he IS quite willing provided the terri
tory as 10 which he considers the British
title indsputable be excluded from the con-
= troyersy. In other words, he viii arbitrate
so long as the subject in dispute is not to be
considered. The British Government mas,
however, made progress. When Mr.. Bay
ard suggested arbitration of the Venezuelan
dispute, four years ago, the reply was that
there was nothing to arbtrate.
When the English, at the beginning OF the
century, took possession Of that part of
Guiana which is known as British Guiana,
by right Of CONQUEST the boundary line be-
tween their colony and their northera
neighbor was underlined. When Venezuela
succeeded Spain in control of that northern
district it was proposed to delimit the from
tier. On one ITetext or other Eng and
always put off acceding to This popular re-
quest. 1t was agreed, however, that neither
nation should occupy the territory in dis
pute-that it should be a neutral zone.
Ma tiers went on in this shape until about
ten or twelve years ago, when gold was dis
covered in the beds Of the streams of that
zone. Then The English colonists began to
creep nor,hward toward the Orinoco, and
when this breach of covenant was de-
Dounced by Venezuela the Governor of
British Guiana moved troops to the scene
of tbs controversy. Further exploration led
10 the discovery that the whole of the
Venezuelan province of Yaruari, lying be.
tween the Orinoco and British Guiana, was
more or less auriferous. This stimulated
ha EnuliSh m RI -
last year their mining camps were visible
from the decks OF vessels on the river.
Venezuela dispatched a gunboat to the
mouth of the 0rinOco. The British re-
sponded by dispatching vessel Of greater
rover to the same spot, and requiring the
Venezuelan craft 10 haul down her colors in
Venezuelan waters. 1t appeared to be the
purpose Of England to annex the Venezuelan
province Of Yaruari to British Guiana and
to seize the mouth Of the Orinoco-one of
the greatest river of South America.
1t was under these circumstances that the
South American State once more appealed
TO the Government al Washington, and that
Mr.. Blaine addressed to Lord Salisbury the
communication which has now been an
swered 1t would seem that this is so plain
a case that the President cannot hesitate
over his reply. An extension Of British do
minon over Venezuelan province and an
attempt to capture the mouth OF one OF the
great waterways Of South America are as
clear violations of the Monroe doctrine as
could be imagined. If they are not re-
sented, the less said hereafter about that
doctrine the better. But it has been under
stood by the public that one of the chief OBJ
jects of the Pan-American Conference last
year was not only 10 reaffirm that doctrine,
but to provide machinery to put it in force
IN case OF need. The understanding be-
tween the Spanlsh-American powers and the
United States did not amount to an alliance
offensive and defensive, but as against the
powers of Europe it may nearly come to the
same thing.
Here is the first opportunity which has
presented itself TO enforce the new policy.
1t is not only contrary TO the interest of the
United States that European power should
possess itself Of the mouth OF one of the
largest rivers in this hemisphere, bnt it is
contrary to our traditional policy that any
European power should be permitted to en-
large its dominion in the Americas at the
expense Of an American power. To submit
TO such thing, and to allow precedent to
be established, would be subversive of the
fundamental principles Of our foreign policy.
We cannot afford it. Wild excitement. is
aroused whenever a story is started that
England is about to lay hands on the Ha-
waiian Islands, and the country was pre-
pared to 60 to war the other day rather than
tolerate q German occupation of an island
as far off as Samoa. Here is a South Ameri-
can State. within six days sieaming from
New Orleans; Stale which is our ally and
which is entitled TO appeal 10 us for protec-
ton when the integrity of its territory is
menaced by European nation: State