The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-10-26
TO GREAT BRITAIN
Secretary Olney's Note in the Venezu-
elan Question.
HE EAVORS ARBITRATION
An Attempt to Reach a Settlement
by Means of Force Would Be
UnfrIendly-The Mon
roe Doctrine.

New York. Oct. 25.-A special to the
Herald from Washington says: Addi-
tlonal particulars have jus, been as
certained concerning the contents OF
Secretary Olneys note 10 Great Brit
ain on the Venezuelan matter. IL Is a
communication Of about 5000 words
and contains a full review OF the ef-
forts which the United States has re-
peatedly made to secure settlement OF
the long-standing dispute between
Great Britain and Venezuela. 1t de-
scribes the history of the Monroe doc
trine TO the boundary dispute In
Guinea and then declares the principle
which is the vital part of the note. and
the great principle for which the Unit
ed States is now contendlng, namely
that no European power shall enlarge
its territorial dominion on the Ameri-
can continent bv means of force. From
this basis. Secretary Olney proceeds
to declare that arbitration Is obviously
the only just methods by which Great
Britain can hope to reach "A settlement
of her dispute with Venezuela. Such
arbitration. he saws. the United States
is. as formerly. willing to promote and
facilitate. But he Is as emphatic as
language permits In the declaration
that any attempt to reach a settle
ment of the contention by means of
force would be regarded as an act un-
friendly to the United States.
Secretary Olney is careful to point
out In this note that the United States
has no opinion 20 offer concerning the
merits OF Great Brita!n's dispute with
Venezuela. So far ms the United States
knows either party TO the contention
may be right. But he reviews the his
tory OF the territorial misunderstand-
ing between Venezuela on the one side
and Great Britain on the other in order
to show most concluslvely that doubts
do exist as to the rights of either dis
putant, that Great Britain has at vari-
Gus times herself admitted the exist
ence of this doubt. arising through a
series of complications. imperfect de-
scriptions and indefinite treaties. He
establishes as 1t appears. beyond con-
travention, that the dispute is of that
character where no absolute right or
clearness of title exists with either
party and that the quarrel is essen
TALLY one Of misunderstanding be-
tween nations which by innumerable
international precedents are properly
to be adjusted by means Of arbitration.
Having thus effectually estopped any
possible plea that the territory In
question is indisputably British soil
and therefore coming wkhin the rule
that no nation can submit to arbitra-
ton Its title to its own territory. Sec
retary Olney again declares that
through the Monroe doctrine the Unit
ed States has a right to a voice In the
settlement of this matter and that its
voice is raised to urge that the dispute
be settled by arbitration. The secre-
tary takes the ground that arbitration
may confirm Great Brltaln's jurisdic-
tion over all the disputed territory. IL
this should be the finding Of tribunal
the United States would henceforth
respect that decision. But he shows
that until Great Britaln's title shall
have been passed upon by such trl-
bunal the United States Is and will
continue to be party TO the question
Ten or eleven weeks have now elapsed
since this important communication
was placed In the hands OF the British
government and no other response has
been received than a formal acknowl-
edgmeni. The officials would very
much like TO have a reply before con-
gress convenes. but they are by no
means sanguine that their wishes will
be complied with. In any case the
probabilities are that the president will
officially make known the contents Of
Secretary olney's note in his annual