Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-12-19
MUST FIGHT OR YIELD,
CLEVELAND CHAMPIONS THE MO
ROE DOCTRINE IN EARNEST.
United states Must Know tho Claims
England in the Venezuela Controyers.
President Recommends n Com
mission to Investigate


washington. Dec. 17.-prcsident Clcv, |
land sent the following message to Coz |
crrss to-day: In my annual message au |
dressed to the Congress on the third H. |
slant I called attention TO Che prndin
boundary controversy between Great Brit |
ain and the republic of Venezuela, and re
cited the substance of a representation
made by this government to Her maieS
tvs governments. suggesting reasons VIII.
such dispute should be submitted to arb
tration for settlement and inquirin,
whether it would be so submitted Th,
answer of the British government, whicl
was then awaited. has since been received
SUCH reply is embodied in two com
municatious addressed by the Brtisi
prime minister to Sir Julian pauncofotc
Cue Of these communications is devote.
exclusively to observations upon the Mon
roe Doctrine, and claims that in the pros
cnt instance a new and strange extension
and development OF this doctrine is insist.
ed on by the United States. that the roa-
sons iustitying an appeal to the doctrine
,nunciatod BY President Monroe are gen
orally napDhcahe to the state OF things
in which We live at the present day ana
especially napplcahle 10 a controversy
involving the boundary line between Great
britain and Venezuela.
Without attempting extended arGu-
mont in reply to these positions, it may
not be amiss to suggest that the doctrine
upon which we stand is strong and sound
because its enforcement is important tC
our reaco and safety as a nation and is
essential to the integrity of our free iusti-
buttons and the tranquil maintenance of
our distinctive forms Of government.
II Il European power by an extension of
fits boundaries. takes possession of the
territory of one Of our ncighboring re-
puIlics against its will and in doroga-
lion of its rights it is difficult to see why.
30 that extent, such European power does
not thereby attempt to extend it's system
OF government to that portion of this
continent which is thus taken.
Practically, the principle for which we
contend has peculiar if not exclusive
relation to the United States 1t may not
have been admitted in 50 many words
t. the code of international law but since
i'm international councils every nation is
entitled to rights belonging to it, if tho
enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine is
something that we may Justly claim it
has its place in the code of international
law as certainly as and as securely as if it
were specifically mentioned, ana when the
United Statcs is a sutton before the high
tribunal that administers international
law. the question to be determined is
whether or not we present claims which
the Justice of that code if not of law can
find to be right ana valid
The Monroe Doctrine finds its rccoeni-
ton in these prnciuics OF international
law. which are based upon the theory
that every nation shall have its RIGHTS
protected ana lis iust claims enforced or
course this Government is eutireIy con6-
dent that under the sanction of mis- doc
1rine we have clean, ricbts ana undolbt.d
claims
In the belief tba+ fine doctrine for v.bich
W.. contord was clear and definite maj IL
WAS founded unon substantial consid,,a
lions and involved orr safot,. and welfare,
Thai if was fullv annIicahIa to ON rrnsa,,f