Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-04-04
UNCLE SAM IFS FIRM.
NO EUROPEAN ENCROAChMENT
ON THIS CONTINENT.
The United States Government will
See that Justice IL Done In Latin
America-Many Republics May Unite
to Oppose Europe.
Russia Our Ally.


washington correspondence:
Of the numerous foreign complications
in which the United States finds herself
embroiled those with Great Britain over
Nicaragua and Venezuela are by far the
most serious. Few think that at present
there is any danger of war between us
and Great Britain, but there are not want
ing statesmen or considerable knowledge
and .acumen who predict that in few
years war will come. The present atti-
tude of Great Britain in bullying the in
dependent republics of South and Central
America must be checked soon or else the
aD-grabbing European monarchy will be
making Asia or Africa out of this con-
tinent.
This government will go to war before
permitting Great Britain to occupy any
portion of Nicaragua, thereby curtailing
the autonomous powers of the republic.
If England is allowed now to encroach
upon any Independent Latin-American
nation, precedent will have been estab-
lished for future encroachments else
where and the force of the Monroe doc
trine, which has been the safeguard of
Latin-America for more than seventy
years. will be undermined.
In this connection il may be noted that
the rebel admiral, Da Cana, was sup
ported by the combined monarchies of
Europe in his attempt to overthrow the
Brazilian republic and it is with just pride
that we can point the fact that it was the
shot fired by Admiral Benham in Rio
Janeiro harbor that broke the back of the
rebellion and served notice on European
monarchies that they must keep their
hands off this continent. In gratitude for
that act the Fourth of July, our national
holiday, has been declared a national
holiday by Brazil and a monument to
President Monroe, the author of the doc
trine that bears his name, is now being
erected in the Brazilian capital.
Yet not all of Europe's monarchies are
hostile to our republican institutions and
to-day, just as during our civil war, we
have steadfast friend in the great Rus
sian empire. 1t is now known that cou-
pie of weeks ago France and Germany,
under the influence of England, were GO
ing to join in a debt-collecting expedition
to South America. Guatemala, Nicaragua
and Venezuela have defaulted in the pay
ment of interest on bonds to German,
French and English creditors. England
sought to form a combination of the cred
itors to compel the debtors to pay. The
plan was to make a demonstration of
force, and place agents of the creditors in
control of the revenues of the debtor
countries until such time as the obliga-
tions were satisfied. This was the policy
that England adopted in Egypt. The re-
suit is practical British absorption of that
ancient country, as the sovereignty of the
Sultan or Khedive is now scarcely a
formality. Our ambassador to Paris was
instructed to demonstrate with France
hnt r.nh ha.. l.
considered unfriendly to the United
States. France felt disposed to yield to
our remonstrance; but soon a stronger
pressure was brought to bear. Our am
bassador at the court of st. Petersburg
urged the government of the Car to use
its influence with France to abstain.
Russia, ever the friend and ally of the
United States, promptly informed France
that any action by that country unfriend-
ly to the United States would be deemed
an unfriendly act to Russia. As an alli-
aDce with Russia is the hope and ambi-
tion of French statesmen, the French gov
ernment promptly took the cue and served
notice on Great Britain that she would
not join in the debt-collecting expedition.
In the Venezuelan boundary dispute
with Great Britain and in which the
United States has deep interest, there
are no new developments, save a disposi-
ton of Great Britain under certain condi-
tions to submit the difficulty to arbitra-
fion. A continuation of American firm
ness i'm this matter will force Great
Britain to consent to arbitration without
any conditions-an act of justice which
England has been refusing for over half
a century.
These later instances of European in
In, afr ro;r
ready caused a powerful sentiment in Cen
tral and South America for Latin-Amer-
lean union, and many prominent states
men in Latin-America are anxious that
the United States enter the union and
thus make ii a continental league. Such
a union would more than anything else,
except a good thrashing, teach Great
Britain to confine her traditional policy
as bully, blood-spiller and land -grabber to
Asia or Africa.
Meantime another complication has
arisen in the east between France and the
United States, due to the action of France
in having tried an American citizen and
an ex-consul to Tamatave, Madagascar
by court martial and sentencing him to
twenty years imprisonment on the ground
that he was in correspondence with the
Hovas, the ruling class in Madagascar
with whom France is at war. No official
correspondence from Madagascar has yet
reached the State Department and no ac-
tion will be taken until the government il
in possession of all the facts in the case.
Should France be in the wrong, as now
seems likely, protest will be made in the
matter. At present n United States gun
boat is on her way to Madagascar.
In the Allianca affair no official reply
has yet been received from the Spanish
Government and ample time will be ac-
corded that country, owing to her unset
tied political conditions, before this gov
ernment will press for action. Should an
apology be delayed unnecessarily long,
however, a further demand for rcparation
will be made.
FARMERS WANT RAIN.