The San Francisco call., 1895-12-20
SENATORS DISCUSS POSSIBILITIES OF WAR;,

was disposed of. What is of vital i'm
portance," he said, sis that we should
show the world that we are not divided on
this question, but deal with it as Ameri-
cans. AS Daniel Webster said Our poll
tics stop at the waters edge The Eng
lish press and that small edition of it pub
lshed in New York profess 10 see in this
an electioneering dodge. Nothing can be
further from the truth than this. We are
standing together as one man without re-
gard to politics"
Lodge had no desire to limit the execu-
tive; the House had by an overwhelming
majority upheld his hand; the Senate
would do the same, but it might desire to
strengthen it. The world should know
that we are able to maintain the Monroe
doctrine-not as a principle of interna-
tional law but as an accomplished fact.
He would suggest and urge an amendment
requiring the commission to report on or
| before April l, 1896. This would give
notice to the world that we were proceed
ing deliberately; that we meant what we
said and are able to maintain our position.
Voorhees, CD of Indiana urged that the
bill be passed as it came from the House.
The Senators seemed, he said, to be desir-
Gus of relieving themselves from the
charge of being in haste. VOORHEES, said
he was not in haste, and he did not be-
iieve those on the other side of the water
were either; it had taken them five
months to reply TO Mr.. Olney's note of last
June
81 am willing to join issue with Great
Britain on this subject" he continued,
land as a preliminary step let US look into
the claims. England has always been the
oppressor of the weaker nation, and she
has gradually eneroached upon Venezuela
without any right or show of right, until
she has taken hold of more territory than
one of the great States of this Republic. l
look upon war as a horror; but there will
be no war; England don't dare to fight;
the commerce of the world is in English
bottoms, and she does not dare to subject
it to peril. 1t might as well be known now
on both sides of the ocean that England's
colonization career has to have some limit,
and that this country and it alone shall
dominate the continent on which it has
been erected. Let the President appoint
the commission and the work go on
Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska said the Mon
roe doctrine was the doctrine of self-de-
tense; IL was law. of nations because it
was the law of self-defense. Congress
ought to name the commission because
Congress was the only power that could
declare war. At least the names of that
commission should be sent to the Senate
for its approval.
Hawley said it was not wise to assume
that great peoples will not fight, and he
regretted the exceedingly warlike tone of |
the Senator from Indiana. What the Sem |
ate of the United States wanted was the |
facts, and they could only be had through |
a commission. The bill should go to the |
committee for careful consideration.
Teller took the position that the Presi-
dent had the power to determine the facts |
for himself, and did not need to ask Con- |
gress for authority to appoint a commits !
sion. The docrine was not the doctrine of |
Monroe; it was the doctrine of American
ism.
"If the President himself had declared |
what the true boundary line was would |
have" he said, "stood by that declaration |
whatever it might have been. l am firm |
believer in the doctrine appealed to here,
but l believe there is no need of undue |
haste. This is not a political question. |
The political party that attempts to make
capital out of this will be the loser in the |
end. The American people will not be
trihed with in matter of such grave i'm
portance. The situation appeals to Amer
cans not political enthusiasm. We appeal |
to the Monroe doctrine, not because it |
protects these weaker powers, but because
it's violation means ultimate danger to
this great Republic. Because we are
strong and great we 90 not want to go 10
war. We must consider these matters ser-
ously, but if we do go to war it should be
in spirit that will lead US to sink every
dollar we possess and lose every able.
bodied man if need be in the defense of our
National honor
Teller recalled the action of this Gov
ernment when France and Great Britain
were at war with Mexico and Secretary
Seward secured from them the declaration
that they were fighting only to secure the
settlement of just claims and that all in
tention to acquire territory was disavowed.
He would like to see this doctrine enun-
ciated in such way as to show the world
that we will enforce it whenever the occa-
sion requires it. A war between US and
Great Britain would be the most tremen-
QOuS war Lne WOTlu has seen from IQe Gays
of Alexander to the present time. If
anybody believed there could be war be-
tween US and Great Britain without bring
ing in other powers they have not studied
the European situation. European powers
would not permit England to get the ad-
vantage of us. Russia was patiently wait
ing for the chance to get an opening into
the sea to make inroads into India and to
dominate China. Would they want to
take it?
Teller thought there was little chance
for war. The chances would be much
more serious for Great Britain than for us,
but neither nation could afford to go to
war unless there was great principle at
stake.
Teller said he would give his voice for it
before he would see his country dishon-
bred. The question was too big for party
politics or party gain. We should have ,
the approval of the civilized world before
we go to war, and that we cannot have un.
i'll the facts are determined.
Allen declined to withdraw his objec-
ions to the second reading of the bill to-