The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1895-12-25

TIT: PRESIDENT ALL RIGHT

lit. FKES!DENl ALL REGH!
And Says the Monroe Doctrine
Must be Respected.
His Message to Congress Upon The
Venezuela Boundary
Trouble.
| The British prime minister, Lord
Salisbury, has declined to submit to
American arbitration the dispute be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela
concerning the boundary line between
the latter country and British Gui-
ana The United States holds that
we are interested in the matter mas
much as That if IIngland's claim to
increased territory is wrong her at
tempt to attain it is Il violation of
the principles embodied in the Mon
roc doctrine. On the receipt Of Lord
Salisbury's communication President
| Cleveland addressed the following
message to congress, which was en-
Enthusiastically received by all the
members, and tile Presidents express
sions receive the hearty support of
all parties. The message reads:
10 Congress: In my annual mes
sage addressed to congress on the 3d
inst. ! called attention to the pend
ing boundary controversy between
Great Britain and the republic Of
! Venezuela and rccitcd the substance
Of the representation made by this
government to her Britannia mai
cstv's government. suggesting reasons
why such disputes should be sub
mittcd to arbitration for settlement
and inquiriny whether it should be
so submitted. The answer OF the
British government, which was then
awaited, has been received and, to-
gcthcr with the dispatch to which it
is a reply, is hereto appended. Such
q reply is embodied in two commu-
nications addressed by the British
prime minister to Sir Julian Pauncc-
fOtc, British ambassador at this capi-
tai. 1t will be seen that one Of these
communications is devoted exclusive
~ to observations upon the Monroe
doctrine and claims that in the pre-
sent instance a new and strange cX-
tension and development of this doc
trinc is insisted on by the United
States: that tho reasons justifving
an appeal to the doctrine cnulciatcd
by President Monroe arc 'gcncrallv
inapplicablc to the state Of things in
which we live at the present day, and
especially i'appIlcaplc to the contro-
yerSy involving the boundary l;nc be-
tween Great Britain and'Ncnczuclu. !"
Without attempting extended ar
guncnts in reply to these positions,
it may he not anlss to suggest that
the doctrine upon which VIC stand is
strong and sound, because It's en-
folccmcnt is important to our colln-
try and safety as Il nation and cS-
scntial to the integrity Of our free
Institutions and tranquil maintcn-
ancc Of our distinctive form Of GOV
crnment 1t WAS intended to apply
to every stage Of our national life
and cannot become obsolete while our
republic cndurcs.
/ the balance Of power is justly Il
cause OF jealous anxiety among the
governments Of the old world and
subject for absolute non-intcrfcrcncc,
none the less is the observance Of the
Monroe doctrine Of vital concern to
our people and their government.
Assuming, therefore,, That we may
properly insist uponD the doctrine
without regard to ''thc state of
things in which VIC live or any
changed conditions here or elsewhere,
it is not apparent why its appIica
tion may not be invoked in the pre-
sent controycrsy.. If an European
power. by extension Of its Doundar-
les, takes possession Of territory Of
one or our ncigIlborin9 republics
against its will and in dcroyation Of
its rights, it is difficult to see Why.
to that extent, such European power
does not thereby attempt to extend
its system Of government to that
portion Of this continent which is
thus taken. This is the precise ac-
tiun which President Monroe declared
to Dc ''dan4crOus to our peace and
safety, and it can make no difference
whether the European system is cN-
tended BY an advance Of frontier or
otherwise.
1t is also suggested in the British
rcply that we should not seek to APP
ply the Monroe doctrine to the pend