The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-19
United and in Earnest.

United and I'm Earnest.
! The English prime minister and the En-
/ glish journals seem TO think that the Pres
idenrs Venezuela message is simply in
/ tended for effect in the coming presiden-
tial campaign. They Will discover. If they
have not already done so. that they are
mistaken. The people are united in sup
port Of the President. and they are very
much in earnest. AL political parties are
agreed that the time has come for this
country either to insist upon a proper
recognition of the Monroe doctrine or to
abandon THAI doctrine altogether.
No doubt the English journals will
maintain beHEerent attitude for the
present. and will devote a good deal of
their space TO showing how small the
army and navy o. the United States are
in comparison with those Of Great Britain.
and how defenseless our seacoast cities
are, bat nothing they can say will alter
the determination OF the American peo-
pie TO uphold the Monroe doctrine in con-
nection with the Venezuela boundary dis
putc. The people have confidence in their
strength and resources. and they know
if they are not now prepared for war it
would not be long before they would be,
if it became apparent that war was alb
solutely certain.
Congress reflects the sentiment of the
people, and the sentiment of congress is
that there shall be no backdown from the
position that has been taken. The House
yesterday. without a dissenting vote.
passed the bill appropriating 10000 for
the expenses of a commission to investi-
gate the right of Great Britain to the terri
tory which is in dispute between her and
Venezuela. \ bill was introduced into the
Senate to appropriate SlOO.OOtOOO to make
preparations for war. These measures
show the temper of congress. and ought
to satisfy England that the people Of this
country are not divided in sentiment on
the issue between the two countries.
The English prime minister insinuates
that we don't know what the Monroe doc
trine is 1t isn't a matter of much con-
sequence whether we do or not We think
we do. and we are going to uphold what
we believe is that doctrine.
We believe that Great Britain has taken
possession of "a very large part Of the
territory of Venezuela against Venezuela S
protest. We have said to Great Britain
that we would not interfere If her title
| TO the disputed territory is good, and we
have asked her TO submit the question
Of her ownership to impartial arbitration.
She has answered that she is capable OF
! attending TO her own affairs. and that
she win not submit the question of her
right to the territory in dispute to arbi-
tration Her refusal to arbitrate does
not, of course, justify the conclusion that
| she doubts her ability TO establish her til
tie to the disputed territory, but it does
| Justify a suspicion that she has grabbed
the territory in dispute. and is unable to
show any right to it.
| The English newspapers sneeringly re-
mark that our commission will hear only
one side of the matter in dispute, that
Great Britain will not present her side.
! Great Britain viii have the opportunity
TO present her side, and If she doesn't
improve it she will have but little reason
10 complain If our commission decides
| against her. Our commission will aim to
discover the truth not to find cause for
/ war
The unanimity with which congress and
the people support the President in this
Venezuela matter makes it certain that
there will be no backdown on the part OF
this country. Greatly as a war between
the two great English speaking peoples
is to be deplored, there will be war be-
tween them if it is found that Great Brit
ain has seized Venezuela territory. and she
insists upon retaining possession of that
territory.