The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-25
This paper is Democratic tn principles
end Is independeat ~ its pis,os on ~ toca'
Questions.
The Nicaraguan Dispute.

tainly a very puzzling one. and from the
peculiar structure OF our government the
position of the administrator is Pc
culiarly embarrassing.
England, without exactly declaring
war. insists on collecting a so-called in
demnfty frSm a small American State
at the mouth of the cannon This. is a
method commonly used by great powers
towards barbarous governments, such as
that of the Barbary States, Zuiuland,
or the Figi Islands. 1t certainly will oc-
cur to everyone as doubtful whether
such a method is applicable to an Amer
lean Republic. 1t is true England gives
our government verbal assurances that
she has no design to permanently ac-
quire territory. If she lands troops it is
merely for the purpose of temporary
occupation until the Indemnity" is
paid. England's assurances on such
a matter, however, are to be taken with
some doubt in view of the history OF
her Temporary occupations" in other
localities.
And yet, however outrageous the atti-
tude of England towards Nicaragua, it is
absolutely of no direct concern to the
United States. Our citizens are not
threatened; our honor is not Involved;
our commercial interests are not at
stake; we have no treaty with Nicaragua
which binds US to stand by her. nor is
England violating any treaty in taking
the course she does. The issue is prima
facie purely between the two sovereign
powers OF Great Britain and Nicaragua.
and there is primarily no reason why
they should not be left 20 fight it out.
If we should intervene in any but the
most peaceful way, we would be at once
adopting the Monroe Doctrine. deflnitive-
ly. as a feature Of our national policy in
respect to foreign nations, and we would
in effect be calling upon the powers of
Europe to concede it as a new statute
in the International code. Warlike inter
vention in the present case would, in
.s9seSs, be assuming an attitude of an
tagonism not to England alone but to all
the nations of the earth outside of Amer
lea.
Perhaps it is right we should take up
hat position, and perhaps this is the
right time to do it. But If We thus con-
stitute ourselves the guardian of all the
peoples on this continent, we ought to
have a clear notion of the responsibilities
we are assuming. If we undertake to
prevent European powers from waging
of wrongs, we assuredly take the onus
upon our own shoulders of any wrongs
they may commit. England, France and
Germany will assuredly expect satisfac-
ton from some one for outrages upon
their subjects in Nicaragua, Columbia,
Argentina or elsewhere on this continent,
cure hat satisfaction directly by such
means as they choose to employ, it is
plain that they will look TO US when
the occasion arises and we must either
pay or make our allies pay, or else go
to war ~overeft. 1t is useless to say that
the claim of England against Nicaragua
5udicially aseertained. This is merely to
a~rrogate to ourselves the right OF COM
pulsory arbitration in all disputes be-
tween American and foreign States. 1t,
in effect. gives rise to exactly the same
situations we have suggested, with mere
ly a slightly different method of devel-
opment.
So much for the general question, now
a word or two as. to the attitude OF the
President and his administration. There
IS every evidence that all the arts Of
diplomacy have been and are being
used to move England from her high
handed position. To judge from all the
advices in the papers his morning there
is only one thing more that can be
done, that is order warships to Cor;nto
and notify Earl Kimberley that any
demonstration of force against Nicaragua
will at once draw the fire of our feet.
Should the President take this course?
Has he the Constitutional power to
dc it?.sa
Section VIII. Of Article T. of the Con-
stitution SAYS
The Congress shall have power
Ito declare war, grant letters of
marque and reprisal. etc., etc.
OF course. the Presidents charged in
/ general way with the defence of the
Nation and its honor, but we hardly hin
anyone will recognize in the Monroe Doc
trine a feature of the National system SO
clearly marked as to Justify the Presi-
dent in making war upon a foreign
power merely for the purpose Of uphold
ing It. And; indeed, the immediate APP
pIications OF the Monroe Doctrine to the
case of Nicaragua Is not very obvious.
seeing that England disavows all inten-
ton Of capturing territory and merely
insists on compensation for alleged griev-
ances.
IT is further worth considering whether
we are in any position to max an effec-
i've Intervention, In case we made up our