Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-14
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
How 1t Applies to the Case of the
Venezuela Dispute.

An interview with John A. Kasson.
eX-minister to Austria, and a student
of international politics, is published
in The Chicago Times-Herald. from
which the following respecting the
Monroe doctrine, and its application to
the case of Venezuela is taken:
How is the Monroe doctrine in
volved in the dispute?"
Now you touch the main qaestion.
have once answered it, by anticipa-
ton, in an article in The North Amer
lean Review of December, 1881. | can
only answer it now in few words. To
be quite sure let me quote a few au-
thorltatlve words from documents here
IN my library. Here is the way
quincy Adams, Mr.. Monroe's secretary
OF state, put it: We could not see
with indifference any attempts : s. =
to transfer any portion of ancient or
present possessions of Spain to any
other European power Mr. Rush.
! then our minister to England. offered
to Mr.. Canning, the English minister.
to unite with him in a declaration that
, we could not see any portion of them
! transferred to any other power with
Indifference Mr. Jefferson was ready
/ to go to war with the principle. and
! advised Mr. Monroe to oppose their
transfer to any power by conquest,
/ cession or acquisition in any other
/ way President Polk in his message
! QS4S) about Yucatan, which had vol
UNFAIRLY offered it's sovereignty to
! Great Britain, said: We could not
consent to a transfer of this dominion
and sovereignty either to Spain, Great
Britain or any other European power
Mr.. Madison had Endorsed war as
! the last step if necessary to support
! the Monroe declaration. 1t is we'll
known that Secretary Seward obtained
the imperial evacuation of Mexico
practically at the point of the bayonet.
There is the Monroe doctrine inter
preted by history. If England is try
ing to acquire by force or by cession
or acquisition IN any other way South
American country which Venezuela
lawfully held as successor to Spain,
then the cause for our intervention ex-
lists according to the principles dear to
the American people"
What about arbitration"
THAT would relieve us of our re-
sponsibility, and assure the world of
EnGland's equitable and legal inten-
tons"
would the United States fight for
Venezuelan"
hir,Iy
have the Americans, as a much
smaller nation than now, hesitated to
fight England for principle of right
and liberty or for the rights of com
merce? Was there any lack of cour-
age in our civil war? Would Ameri-
cans be reluctant to receive Canada in
exchange for English conquest on the
plains Of Venezuela? Would the
American conscience, remembering
how our ocean commerce was eXtin-
guished by English-ftted cruisers
thirty years ago, be offended if we
should restore the glories of Jones
and cambridge and Decatur on the
, high seas?"
; DO you think our government is
!
a ~rupture with Great Britain?"
'Of that I know nothing. Let Mr.
Olney work it out. l believe he has
the old-fashioned American pluck and
obstinacy for the right. He will have
) back Of his vigor the backing Of TO-
100000 of people, who would not be
sorry to weld north and south to-
gether if it must be so, by just for
eign war. They do not wish to see in
troduced into either south or north
America the practice often applied in
Africa and Asia of lawless conquests
of territory from the weak by the
strong"
"Are there any diplomatic means by
which Great Britain and Venezuela
can honorably escape the issue Of
7 WARP"
ct would seem so. If Venezuela has
in fact violated the law of nations in
her treatment of British subject she
ought to apologize and pay indemnity.
There is no dishonor in that On the
other hand, if the whole question de-
l ponds on the point of the territorial
l sovereignty, it can be settled by arbi-
t tration with equal honor to both.
. Venezuela can even agree in advance
, to apology and indemnity if the point
: shall be awarded in England's favor.
There is no difficulty for either on the
f point of honor if there be a real dis
: position to do justice in accordance
; with international law Repeated
, precedents between England and the
United States prove that. Besides this,
Venezuela can offer guarantees of ex-
listing rights and conditions Of prop
erty if that question stands in the way
of peaceable adjustment"