Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-07-05
LIKELY TAKE WATER
Senator Davis interviewed As
to the Probable Course
of England
IN THE VENEZUELA MATTER
After the Usual Amount of
Diplomatic Buster She VIII
Likely Back Down.

ST. PAUL July 4-Senator c. K
Davis, Of t6e committee on foreign re-
lations, answered some questions
touching the recent change Of admins
Sration in Great Britain by which the
Marquis of Salisbury was elevated to
the position Of premier Of her majesty's
government Mr.. Davis thinks that
under the rule Of the new cabinet there
viii be little Or no change in the atti-
tude of Great Britain toward this and
other countries. The interview is az
follows:
What, in your opinion, viii be the
policy of Salisbury and his cabinet in
relation TO the concessions recently
made by Venezuela 70 an American
bompany?'
There will be no change made from
that OF any preceding British ministry.
This Venezuelan question has been in
agitation about so years, and every
successive cabinet in Great Britain,
with here and there an occasional mod
ification, which al entirely llusor-
and insincere, has constantly pressed
and
OF Great Britain TO Venezuelan terri
tory. They began by claiming an in
significant strip east of what all maps
then laid down as the western bound
airy Of British Guiana, and after claim
ing many lines she increased the area
with each claim, and now asserts SOW
ereignty over about 10000 square miles
south Of the Orinoco river, including
the territory at and up to the south
bank Of the Orinoco. This effectually
commands hat river, which 10 naviga-
bic for 400 miles for the largest war
vessels, as / understand, and nayigable
much further, OF course, for ordinary
commercial vessels. 1t is said Il con.
meet in certain seasons Of high waters
with tributaries of the Amazon, and
thus enables Great Britain TO flank and
take in reverse about one-third Of South
America"
do you anticipate any trouble be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States when the American company
takes possession of the strip in ~dispute?i
May Impose a Duty.
at may impose a duty upon the
American government entirely ire
spective Of the Monroe doctrine i
am of the opinion that under that doc.
trine the duty and safety Of the gov
ernment require IL to interpose. If you
look on the map you will see that the
geographical relation Of the coast of
Venezuela to the Gulf of Mexico, the
eastern entrance Of the Nicaraguan
canal, to Jamaica and such of the
Windward islands as belong to Great
Rritain is OF great Importance. Great
Britain derives title to her portion of
Guiana under Spain, who derived title
under, or rather settled her claims with
Holland, by treaty Of Munster in 1912
OF l64S, and for 200 years the line Of
her western boundary was as definitely
understood and settled as any such
question can be in any territory on
earth SO situated. Her course toward
Venezuela is one of simple aggression,
q process Familiarity and universally
used by the British government toward
weak states the world over.
Has No Alliances Now.
do you think the new administers
ton will assume a warlike policy
toward any nation, especially toward
the United States?'
mo, / do not. and with the United
States last of all. When it comes to
the ultimate point, and it will come to
the ultimate point after a great deal Of
assertion and diplomatic controversy,
l think, as to all nations, England's
interests lie in peace. Her great power
in former times has been in alliances.
She has none now. The triple agree
ment between Austria, Germany and
Italy she is not a party to, nor to the
understanding, perhaps secret agree.
ment, which is said to exist between
Russia and France"
do yen think the new cabinet will
favor the proposition to hold an inter
national monetary conference"
Think that England win be the
last power 70 consent to a monetary
conference. But ] think that such a
conference will be held in two years,