The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-04-10
Tempting the Monroe Doctrine.

Over the northeastern boundary of
Venezuela is British Guiana. Great
Britain undertakes to say that the true
boundary line between her possessions
in that locality and Venezuela would
cut off from the latter country strip
extending some one hundred fifty miles
along the coast, covering the mouths of
the Orinoco river and embracing ter
ritory about four times the size of Yer
mont. Venezuela denies England's
claim to this strip of her territory, and
will welcome extinction rather than sur
render to the British demands. The
United States is an interested observer
of this dispute. Jealous of any foreign
interference in the affairs of any peo-
pie living south of the Rio Grande, or
of any attempts at territorial expansion
there, Great Britain must needs make
her right and title to any part of Ven
ezdelan soil clear as the MONDAY sun,
or expect the interference of this nation
against the enforcement of her claim.
Note with what shrewdness England
makes selection of the territory on
which she plants her foot. In Ven
ezuela it is the strip of country COM
manding the delta of the OrinOco river.
This stream is nearly 1000 miles in
length, covering Venezuela with its
net. work of some 400 affluent rivers. 1t
is navigable nearly 800 miles from the
ocean. Tidewater extends $50 miles from
the rivers mouth, and at this point the
stream is four miles wide and nearly
400 feet deep. 1t is Venezuela's great
waterway. 1t is what the Mississippi
is to this nation, and the possession of
its mouths by foreign power means to
Venezuela what the possession of the
delta of the Father of Waters would
signify to the valleys through which it
and its tributary streams flow. 1t is
not surprising that the Venezuelans are
determined to fight to the direst ex-
tremity, even 80 powerful an enemy as
Great Britain, in defense of their right
to the disputed territory. Fight or SUBJ
NIT is the only alternative, as England
refuses to arbitrate the chief matter in
dispute. A suggestion from the United
States may some what change the aspect
of affairs.
Again England has been maintaining,
under the guise of protectorate over
the Mosquito Indians, foothold, or
the opportunity for getting foothold,
on Nicaraguan territory, and the point
of contact is at the westerly end of the
Nicaragua canal. She has quarrel with
the Nicaraguan government, because, in
some domestic disturbances fomepted
by animosities arising out of the protec-
torate, British consul and some Brit
ish residents were despitefully treated.
England has demanded an apology and
an indemnity of 5000 without refer
ence of the question to arbitration.
She has also demanded assent to the
creation of commission to assess the
property damages to English subjects
and has denied to Nicaragua the priv
ilege of choosing commissioner from
any of her sister American republics.
With one breath, England puts up the
bars against arbitration. She consults
her selfish interest. With the next
breath, in respect of another branch of
the question, she demands that Nicara-
qua shall arbitrate but no American
shall be allowed on the board of arbitra-
ton. Again she consistently consults
her own selfish interests. She takes no
chances. Unquestionably, Nicaragua
owes England expressions of regret
and should pay money indem Unity,
but the spirit in which the demand is
made is unbecoming great power in
its dealings with defenseless people.
In all this byplay there is suspicion of
a purpose TO maintain some sort of a
grip on the Nicaragua republic as a
vantage ground for effective interior
ence in the construction of the canal,
and the offensive insistence that no
citizen of any American republic shall
be one of the commissioners confirms
the suspicion. But the Monroe doc
trine and the new American ironclads
may make for justice both in Venezuela
and Nicaragua. The United States ID
in position to interpose for the pro
lection of American interests in the
south as we'll as the north continent.