Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-26

AukSouQ IOAuooA W okOAU1 ~ Vk4o
boundary dispute. which has been
submitted by the President to Con-
gress for decisive action, brings the
Venezuela controversy to critical
stage. To further summarize Secre-
tary Olney's summary of the situa-
tion, the points involved are these:
The tit Q to large extent Of terri
tory is in dispute between England
and Venezuela, which Venezuela for
a quarter Of century has been en-
deavoring to submit to arbitration,
but England has refused, and now
refuses when urged by the United
States, to agree to any such settle
ment except upon renunciation OF
a large part of Venezuela's claims.
This is controversy, the secretary
says, in which the "honor and inter-
ests" of the United States are in
volved, "and the continuance ofwhich
it can not regard with indifference"
Here is the situation which presents
itself to this country, and the Presi-
dent grasps 1t with commendable
vigor and courage. For the country's
own information and Justification he
says the true divisional line between
Venezuela and British Guiana ought
to be ascertained 10y the United
States Government, and he asks an
appropriation by Congress to pay the
expenses OF commission to make
this inquiry. When the commission
reports. and its report is accepted by
Congress, he thinks it will be the
duty of the United States to resist,
by every means in its power, as a
willful aggression upon its rights and
interests, the appropriation by Great
Britain Of any lands or the exercise
of governmental Jurisdiction over
any territory which, after investi-
CATION, we have determined Of right
belonss to Venezuela. This has the
true American ring. 1t is an echo OF
his pl edecessors. John Adams and An
drew Jackson, in crises when the
honor and interests of the country
were endangered by foreign agrees
sion.
II the Monroe doctrine Is to remain
a vital principle of American diplo-
macy this is the time to assert it.
The Esseauibo river is generally rec
ogn lied to be the westerly boundary
OF that part of Guiana, which En-
gland acquired from Holland in 1914.
1t was the line which Holland and
Spain for century and a half had
been calling the westerly side of the
formers POSSESSIONS. Along to 1910
there appears to have been no dispute
on this point, but in tha6 year, prob
ably because OF information that the
country beyond was rich in silver,
England began to claim everything
west to the Orinoco. Then Sir RO-
bert Schomburg drew an arbitrary
line which included all the new
claims OF England. But eveu this
line did not extend far enough west
to suit British greed, aud new bound
aries, changed from time to time, but
always extending westward, and steal
ing more and more of Venezuela's
| territory, have been erected. En-
gland refuses to arbitrate the ques-
tion of title to territory east Of the
Schomburg line, boundary put up
without Yenezuela's consent, and
which she never recognized. This is
the sort of an assault by European
power on an independent nation on
this continent, which President Mon
roe declared would be dangerous to
our peace and safety" AS this assault
is persisted in despite the protest of
the President, Congress has right
to look upon it as manifestation Of
an unfrie ndly disposition toward the
United States" and should act in
accordance with this ct-Globe
Democrat.