The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-12-25
WILL WE WAR WITH ENGLAND

Eugland's refusal to arbtrate the
boundary dispute, which has been
submitted by the President to Con
gress for decisive action, brings the
Venezuelan controversary to a criti.
cal stage. To further summarize
Secretary Oluey's summary of the
situation, the points involved are
these: The title to large extent OF
territory is in dispnte between Eng.
land and Venezuela, which Venezuela
for quarter of century has been
endeavoring 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 a renuneiation oi
large part of Venezuela's claims
This is controversy, the Secretary
says, in which "the honor and inter.
ests" of tho United States are in.
volVed, "and the continuance OF
which it cannot regard with indiffer.
ence."
Here is the situation which pre-.
sents itself to this country, and the
President grasps it with commenda.
BILE vigor aud courage. For the
country's own information and iusti
fcation be says the true divisional
line between Venezuela and British
Guiana ought to be ascertained by
the United States Government, and
be asks, and has already promptly
received an appropriation by Con.
gress to pay the expenses of com
mission to make TINS inquiry Wher
the commission reports, and its re.
port 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 ag,
gression upon its rights and interests
the appropriation by Great Britain o
any lauds or the exercise of govern
mental jurisdiction over any territory
which, after investigation, we have
determined of right belongs to Ven
ezuela." This has the true A mericar
ring. 1t is an echo of his predeces
sors, John Adams and Andrew Jack
son, in crises when the honor and in.
terests Of the country were endan
gered by foreign aggression 1t i,
what the American people expected
Of their President unter the circum
stances no more no less
If the Monroe doctrine is to re.
main vital principal of American
diplomacy this is the time to asser
it. The Essequibo river is general,
recognized to be the westerly boun
dary of that part of Guiana whcl
England acquired from Holland il
1914. 1t was the line which HOLLAND
and Spain for century and a hal
had been calling the westerly side o
the formers possessions. Along Il
lS4O there appears to have been u
dispute on this point, but in tina
year, probably because o. informa
tion that the country beyond wa
rich in silver, England began t
claim everything west of the OrinOco
Then Sir RoberI Schomburg drew al
arbitrary line which included all th
new claims of England. But eve
this line did not extend far enoug
west to suit British greed, and ne'
: boundaries, changed from time {
( time, but always extending westwar,
, and stealing more and more of Ven
ezuela's territory, have been erected
r England refuses to arbitrate th
question of title to territory east @
the Schomburg line, boundary pu
: up without Venezuela's consent, an
G which she never recognized. This
? the sort Of an assault by Europea
/ Power on an independant nation o.
D this continent which President Mon
roe declared would be dangerous {
J, our peace and safety" AS this al
s sault is persisted 10 despite the pre-
y test of the President, Congress has
+ right to look upon it as a manifests
tion of an uufriendly disposiIio
. toward the United States" an
e should act in accordance with tht
n fact.
K --
!. IT developes that Hayward's hang