The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-27
THE VENEZUELAN QUESTION
To the Editor of The Herald:

To the Editor of The Herald:
This subject has monopolzed the at
tention of the world for the past week
Even the ''unspeakable Turk" and the
Armenian atrocities" have paled before
1t. 1t has observed the exclusive atten-
ton of the president and his cabinet and
both Houses of Congress. European pa
pers have devoted much time and space
| to its consideration. Where and what is
it? Venezuela lies on the extreme north
OF the South American continent, about
1-5OO miles from the southern portion of
| Florida, in a straight line through the
! Caribbean sea. To the east OF Venezuela,
and also on the northern and eastern
coast OF South America, lies British
! Guiana The question at issue, and which
mas produced such widespread attention
IS dispute of long standing between
Venezuela and British Guiana as 10 the
! boundary line between the two possess
slonS. The attempted settlement of this
old question has produced all the warlike
news we have been reading for the past
rev days. This serious affair comes sud-
denly upon us. We learn from the presi-
dents message to Congress of December,
18th, and the accompanying diplomatic
correspondence that attempts to settle
this disputed boundary line have been
going on between Venezuela and Great
Britain for many years, and that about
Venezuela was handed his passports and
| all diplomatic relations We're thus broken
Off. Last July 10th, Secretary Olney
addressed a lengthy note to the British
government through our Representative
Mr.. Bayard, reciting at length a history
OF the dispute, the interest that America
claims in its settlement and Incorporate
ing within it an extensive review OF the
applicability of the Monroe doctrine 10
this and all other questions affecting the
interests of. any American state or re-
public whether, any European claims
present themselves. And after reciting
his views at great length and asserting
Americas rights, he instructs Mr.. Bay
ard to read the communication to Lord
Salisbury, and to ask for Il definite de-
clSlon regarding arbitration. He uses
these words: 1.-The president hopes that
the conclusion will be on the side of ar
bitration, but if he is disappointed, re-
suit not to be anticipated, and in lis
judgment calculated to greatly embar-
ras the future relations between this
country and Great Britain, he wished to
be acquainted with the fact in time to
lay the whole subject before Congress in
his next annual message"
The Other Side.
Lord Salisbury answers, Nov. 25
through the British representative. Sir
Julian Pauncefote, and takes an entirely
different view of things. He calls atten-
ton to the fact that this IS the first time
the Monroe doctrine has ever been adj
vanced in any written communication di-
rected to the government of another ma
ton. Denies that this doctrine was ever
intended to apply to cases of this kind
and says that the dispute between Vene-
zuela and Great Britain as to the boun-
dairy line is "a controversy with which
the United States have no apparent prac-
teal concern" Denies that the Monroe
doctrine is international law Claims that
the only powers to settle the dispute
are the two parties interested. The claim
nf ir6 not i1h tod
by the controversy to impose this par
ticular procedure (arDitration) on either
OF the two others cannot be reasonably
justified In second note of same date.
Lord Salisbury takes up the controversy
more directly, and shows Mr.. Secretary
Olney'S error in reviewing the case. Lord
Salisbury challenges the accuracy of Mr..
Olney's statement of the date of the orr
gin of it and proceeds to show how The
British acquired Guiana from the Dutch,
and the friendly relations that existed
for long time afterwards between the
United States of Colombia first and af-
forwards Venezuela. Lord Salisbury
claims the controversy began tWenty-six
years after Mr.. Olney states it, and he
seems to be corroborated by biographies !
published in our own country Lord Sal
isbury refuses to arbitrate territory
within the Schomberg line Surveyed |
about 1880 and as to which he claims
there is no question of right. Outside of |
that 1T appears Great Britain does not |
object to arbitration, but the proposals |
of America as a whole are rejected for |
the reasons stated. Lord Salisbury's |
communication was awaiting President |
Cleveland on his return from mis- duck |
hunt. Immediately thereafter, he sends |
his message to Congress before men
toned. In it he states that the grounds |
upon which the British government de- /
cline to arbitrate this question, appear
to him to be far from satisfactory. TT is |
deeply disappointing he says that such an I
appeal actuated by the most friendly feel