Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-10-10
NOT AN ULTIMATUM.
Secretary Olney's Message to En-
gland Simply Notification
DennIng the Position OF tho United states
with Relation to the Venezuelan
Questionable Monroe Doc
trine Set Forth.

WASHINGTON, Oct 5.-Some eastern
papers announce with ostentation that
an ultimatum has been sent to En-
gland that the United States would
not tolerate aggression beyond the
line toward Venezuela.
This is not true. No ultimatum has
been served.
What has been done was to serve no.
tice of how the United States regarded
the boundary dispute between En-
gland and Venezuela; that is that the
United States did not recognize that
England had any right to push across
the Schomburg line. and that if it did
push possession further the United
States would regard it as an invasion
of the Monroe doctrine, and, as such.
an act unfriendly to the United States
A message containing this was sent to
Ambassador Bayard about month
ago, with instructions to lay it before
her majesty's government
While Cen Gresham was secretary
of state and Mr.. Olney was still attor-
ney general, they frequently conferred
together and discussed the Venezuelan
boundary question. Both men were
slow, deliberate and accurate. They
looked at all questions with judicial
eyes. Gresham pondered as if prepar-
ing an opinion to be rendered from
the bench. Olney weighed all issues
as he would all points in law when
preparing an opinion for his clients.
Olney got immensely interested in the
Venezuelan dispute and prepared an
elaborate brief. reviewing the whole
question, and at the same time setting
forth what he believed ought to be
the attitude maintained by the United
States. He reached the conclusion
In this brief that Great Britain had
not a shadow of claim to any of her
occupations of territory be-
yond the Schomburg line, and he in
sisted that for the United States to
concede as rightful Great Britain's de-
mands upon Venezuela would be to
abandon every vestige of the policy
embodied in the Monroe doctrine.
After Gen. Gresham's death. and the
appointment of Mr.. Olney to the secre-
taryship of state, Mr.. Olney at cabi-
net meeting read the brief that he
prepared for Gresham. 1t was earnest
ly discussed at several meetings of the
cabinet and finally adopted as the
policy of the administration. not only
as regards the Venezuelan boundary
dispute, but regarding the greater and
broader question of a general enforce
ment of the Monroe doctrine.
The points embodied in the brief are
as follows:
First-If the quarrel with Venezuela
is an ordinary boundary dispute. hav-
ing it's origin in faulty descriptions,
imperfect surveys or other misunder-
standing, a refusal to arbitrate the
same is contrary to the presidents set
by Great Britain herself, and contrary
to the practice of all civilized nations.
Second-If, on the other hand, as ap-
pears to be the case, and as is the be-
lief of the president of the United
States, the dispute as to the location
of boundary line is mere disguise
under which Great Britain is attempt
ing, by superior force. to extend her
territory in America, this is directly
violative of the Monroe doctrine, and
will never be submitted to by the
United States.
This is the substance of the dispatch
which. in all probability. will soon be-
come one of the most famous dis
patches ever sent out from the Ameri-
can state department 1t is direct
and practical application of the Mon
roe doctrine in its broadcast aspect to
the quarrel between Great Britain and
Venezuela. 1t commits the United
States to a position which must be adj
hered to.
About a month ago a copy of the
Olney brief was sent to Ambassador
Bayard with instructions to present it
to Lord Salisbury as the defined policy
and attitude CT this government. Lord
Salisbury and most of his colleagues
in her majesty's government were alb
sent from London when the communi-
cation reached the ambassador. No
answer has been made to it as yet
Nothing has been heard from Mr..
Bayard, save that copy of the secre-
tary's communication was transmitted
to the British foreign Office.
This is the status of the question at
present. Great Britain will have to
back down and submit the boundary
dispute to arbitration or prepare to
make war on all the Americas. Secre-
tary Olney expects that the case will
be ready to submit to congress prompt
here that Mr.. Bayard will be tempted
to temporize. He seems to have fallen
in love with the British. He has
wonderful influence over the president
and it is not telling a secret to state
that the members of the cabinet are
continually afraid of Bayard's inf1u.
ence over the president, in the con-
duct of foreign affairs.
The president has a much higher
opinion of Mr.. Bayard than the mem
bers of his cabinet have.
The statement that an ultimatum
has been issued, however, is without
foundation. Anyone familiar with
diplomacy must know that an
ulthmatum means the last word. The
case has not reached that stage with
Great Britain yet. Uncle Sam is still
on speaking terms. and expects to ex-
change a good many words regarding
Venezuela and the Monroe doctrine in
the near future.
Secretary Olney positively refuses te
eay anything touching any CORE
spondence he has had or intends &c
have relative to the settlement of the
Venezuelan boundary dispute.
It is generally believed, however
that he recognized when the above
message was sent that it was but the
first step of more forcible presenta.
ton than the mere statement that the
United States would welcome sub
missioa of the question to arbitration
Az d;plomacv has many steps between