The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21
OPEN THE ORINOCO.
Great Britain Has Closed the
Mighty Rivers Mouth.
RECIPROCITY SCHEME MENAcED.
The United States Must Interfere to save
south ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -
Farming Country.

WAEHfNGT0y CITY, june -l'peeiNs
Correspondence. IAN unpublished ietter
recentiv addressed to Secretary Blaine by
the prime minister of Venezuela declares
that unless the encroachments OF Great
Britain in that quarter are checked oy
United States interference, the great
scheme of reciprocity will fall TO the
ground. and '.the efforts being made by
the nations of America TO draw into closer
family bonds. to unity their interests and
IN secure one and the same destiny Tor
their future. will be rendered frnitless.
The most formidable naval power In the
world has seized control of the mouth OF
the Orinoco-one of South America three
great rivers-and has thus placed hersef
In position to menace that entire CONT
neat"
.sMatters are daily becoming more seri-
Gus and have now reached an extremely
critical and alarming stage" writes the
prime minister 1T is only necessary to
cast a glance at the map of South America
in order to perceive the vast Importance
of this aggressive step of Great Britain's.
When a European power has once OBJ
tanned a foothold at the port of Barima-
the place seized at one of the 0rinoco's
mouths--she absolutely controls the
Orinoco and its numerous affiuents.
Through this artery she can even pene-
trate to the Rio de la Plata. Thus this
Is danger that threatens not only
Venezuela. but also Colombia, Peru,
Bolivia, Brazil. the Argentine Re
public and Uruguay. All the hopes
formed of commercial union in
the new world may be rendered unavailing
by the presence of such naval power as
England. This situation once established
a. permanency, her vessels would enter
the river, and would convey to the great
centers of population her products, ideas.
and exclusive interests. This explains the
haste With which she has acted in taking
possession of Venezuela's territory on the
0rinoco. She wishes to be ableto control
that great huvial artery when the project
for the uniication of America has been
accomplished. I"
The Venezuelan premier goes on to say
how his country has no protector to look
to other than the United States.
'sThe nations of Europe" he continued,
'irritated at tho attitude taken by the
South American republics in trying to
draw closer their commercial relations
with the United States. will not give any
support or even sympathy to Venezuela"
The position of the European nations, in
fact, is like that of SO many shopkeepers,
whose best customer has declared her in
tention TO deal elsewhere. None of them
will help this housekeeper if she gets into
trouble, because they are all sore respect
ing her. In her difficulty she naturally
looks to Uncle Sam, who has received her
promise of trade, proposes to supply
her with everything she wants, and
secures all the profit of her custom, the
transfer of which has broken her friend
ships elsewhere. 1t is not unnatural that
she should expect him to protect her in re-
turn against attack by any of his rivals.
This is the difficulty in which the old man
finds himself. He doesn't want to fight,
and yet he is in honor bound to defend
Venezuela against the outrageous agrees
sion she has been subjected to. lfthis were
all, he might perhaps shuttle out of the
dilemma, but his trade prospects are seri-
ously concerned, and besides he cannot
afford to let England grab South America.
She has had a foothooid there ever since
the treaty that gave her what is now called
British Guiana, and her purpose is to en-
large her dominion. Venezuela being her
next neighbor. she has pushed into that
country on pretense of boundary disputes,
until she now claims as her own about
one-third of its entire territory, including
an area equal TO about four times that of
British Guiana itself.
There is hardly particle of Justice con-
cerned in her pretensions. For many
years past, under the secretaryships of
Evarts, Frelinguysen and Bayard, the
United States, appealed to by Venezuela
in terms almost piteous, has tried to per-
suade Great Britain to submit the deter
mination of the Venezuelan boundary line
TO this country as arbitrator. Refusal was
made at the beginning. upon the seeming
ly disingenuous pretext that England had
already received and declined an offer of
like character from another nation. Since
then she has gone on with her encroach-
ments, seizing control of the mouth OF the
Orinoco and extending the alleged limit
of her territory to within q short distance
OF the Venezuelan capital, Ciudad Bolivar
Only the other day Venezuelan envoy
TO Great Britain. DR. Pulido, made final
appeal TO Lord Salisbury He carried
letters from the department Of state at
Washington City, signed by Secretary
Blaine, and asking, in terms which
amounted almost to demand, that the
question should be settled by the means
now used and recognized among civilized
nations for the decision of such questions
according to reason and justice. Urged by
the undeniable fact that sister American
republic was menaced by a European
power, Mr.. Blaine expressed in behalf of
the United States the wish that the proper
thing should be done. And vet Lord
Salisbury dismissed the envoy with an Ill
timatum to the effect that arbitration
would not be consented TO until Great
Britain's right to the entire territory in
dispute had been preliminarily conceded.
Such was the respect accorded 10 Uncle
Sans appeal. So far as he is concerned,
apparently il is question of What are
You going to do about itP"
lnasmpch as Mr.. Blaine is not gifted
with submissive inclination, and is, fur
thermore, most determinedly set upon
making his scheme for the commercial
union of America a success. he is not
nkely TO permit the matter 10 rest. Be-
SIDES, II this sort of thing is permitted to
30 on, the Monroe doctoine may as well
De considered a failure. Once let England
assume the status of geographical control
s,ie Is trying to secure in the southern con-
,sneht, and farewell 10 the old ideas of
hihefiea for the Americans. Ii ever an
aggressive policy" was needed, the time
W .Aefeise Il would seem to be now.
ris South America is all but run by
anu Financially, Great Britain
a. i.oAas ~ young republics in the hollow of
I.s manu- Who owns the Argentine, for
ga 'p'e-Fiehess and most progressive of
k s,ons beneath the equator on this
nehlsphereF The Earrings. In acquiring
its possession they nearly went banSrnnt
put they own 1t just the same. Its gov.
eminent IS run with loans of their money:
,hey coh,roi the railways and steamship
nnes, ana the dollars they have dissent
mated represent creation everywhere in
mat wonderful region of human activity
IL IS an interesting fact To contemnIate
that United States treasury check dos
not today stand for money IN -. -.