The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-07
Salisbury's Note Not a Blunt
Refusal TO Arbitrate.
1T CONTAINS AN ARGUMENT
Stating Reasons Why England In
sists on the Sehomburgk Line.
BY Going Away to Shoot Ducks the
President Assists Salisbury. who
Wants TO Gain Tfme-The English
Fear the Tariff Retaliation That
Would Follow a War Agitation.

Washington City. Dec e-whiie IL is
true. as before stated in the Associated
Press dispatches. that the administration
is aware that Lord SaIsbury-'s reply ID
Secretary Olney's note Of July last. t0uCh-
ing the Venezuela boundary dispute Is
adverse TO the proposition 10 arbtrate the
title to the lands living westward OF the
Schomhurgk line. the fact that the reply
itself has not yet reached Washington
City precludes the idea Of any speedy ac-
ton by our government in this matter
When the reply is received by SIR Julian
Pauncefote he may occupy himself several
days, at least in it's careful consideration,
in order that he make sure that ne is
transmitting TO Secretary Olney the views
OF his government 50 far as IL is proper
for them to be communicated 10 the Uni
ted states. without Al the same time i'm
parting any portion of the note that may
be framed for his private guidance Then
the absence of the president from wash
ington City would operate further to delay
proceedings al the state department. for
Secretary Olney would not feel justified
in making a forward movement At this
stage Of the case which is nov commonly
regarded at least approaching clitical
point without advising fully with The Pre- s.
ident As the latter has promised ccn-
gress to communicate in a special meSsa age
the nature Of Lord Sallshury,s rcp'y. for
ther delay may be caused by the nrepdra-
is improbable that the next step can lie
taken before the latter part Of the pres
ent month, If so early.
From what IS gathered as to the nature
of Lord S9lisbury's note, ii is assumed
here that it is really calcula:ed Il n Ike
an issue. which. If allowed to fall into the
course Of treatment usual n diplomatic
controversies. might drift along for an IN
definite period of time. since. while there
IS no abatement of the assertion of Great
Britain's right to the larger portion Of the
territory east of the SchOmburgk lire,
arguments for the first time are submit
ted to Justify this assertion. Heretofore
all of the facts presented to our Eovcl n
ment concerning the rightful ownership
Of the disputed territory Lave come from
Venezuelan sources. The British govern
ment. il is true. has been afforded frequent
opportunities in recent years 70
present its case, but never here
tofore has gone SO far as 10 admit that
there could be any doubt OF It's S.tle, and
therefore has gone on the theory that there
was nothing to arb.trats. Dipl Jmatinally
considered, therefore, this ,ast move CT
SaEsbury's may be regarded as very
clever, for he can easily find rrececents
to justify his request that the British case
be considered on its merits. As tEis is
all new TO our government, a compliance
with the request would involve much pa
tent research and comparison OF 2utEt n
ties, maps and surveys This is calculated
to consume a good deal Of time and carry
the issue along 70 a period when. perhaps.
Great Britain. being freed from her n les-
ent embarrassing situation growing uut Of
the Turkish complications, viii be able 10
devote her entire energies 10 settlement
OF the Venezuelan question.
There was a pretty general discussion OF
Venezuelan affairs among the members OF
the house today The general opinion
h1 will conduct
Of foreign affairs in the house is that Lord
Sausbury's reply VII be a diplomatic eva
sion OF the main Issue; that 1t VIII be
couched IN the most friendly terms. and.
while expressing a willingness 10 arbnrate
as 10 a portion of this disputed territory,
will deny the right Of the United States
TO ask Great Britain to arhitrate as TO ter
ritory the ownership OF Which Great Bri-
tain claims as hers beyond dispute. In
other words. II Is believed that Great Brit
aims reply will tempor.ze with the subject
and simply open the way for further cor
rcspondence. LAS the correspondents,
said A prominent Republican member to-
day, will show that this has been Eng
lands position and policy for nifty years.
she VIII seem 10 yield something, but she
will stake off a line beyond which she VII
not go IN the matter of arbitration. That
was Lord Granville's policy; il was Sails
burv's Though Salisbury is imperious by
inclination he VIII he exceedingly eau
tious The considera ions involved in an
open breach with England or anything ap-
proaching such are gigantic Credits viii
he Immediately shaken. The question Of
the tariff is Of more Importance 10 Great
Britain than the ownership Of few goI
mines in Venezuela Above all things. de-
pend unon II that England WI not by any
act Of hers aggravate an anti English fee'-
ing IN this country or give cause, II me
most delicate arts of diplomacy can pre-
vent it. for a war agitation here Eng
land breads unfavorable tariff legislatiel.
She knows that the first result Of q bitter
anff-Fnglish feeling VII he retaliation up
on her throus1 radical revision Of the
tariff. a tariff induced by hostility 10
England growing ont of Enslsnd's en-
croachments in this hemisphere would
send 200o oeo EnClishmen 10 bod without
their suppers. Such material cons defd-
IONS T~rland never overlo0ks. The loss
~ ottr commerce stopoei the var Of lAl2.'