Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-26
No Mood to BE Scared About War.


Despite the martial strut of the
jingoes, their warlike threats and theil
great display Of military trappings,
there is no occasion for the plain, or.
dinary people of this country to alarm
themselves over the prospect OF a war
between tho United States and Great
Britain in consequence Of tho Vene.
zuela dispute. There may he much talk,
much grave diplomatic correspondence,
even a great deal of brag and blustel
occasionally. But war, the actual clash
OF arms on land or sea, is a very, very
remote possibility.
In the first place, the cause of con.
tention is too trivial to Justify or even
to lead up to such serious result. Ii
IS dispute over the legal boundary
line between Venezuela and British
Guiana. II has been a cause of mild
wrangles for many years, finally ending
in the breaking off Of diplomatic rela-
tlons between Venezuela and Grcat
Britain. There has been much talk
about the matter, but never any threats
of actual hostilities between the two
governments most Immediately con-
cerned.
In the second place, neither Great
Britain nor the United States can afford
to indulge in tho awful experiment of
great war, except as last resort,
ana upon an issue that involved the
most vital interests Of one or the other,
And no such issue can be distorted
from this Venezuelan muddlc. Even
assuming Great Britain's attitude in
the matter TO bo in contravention of
the Monroe doctrines contention
which is very generally disputed - the
trouble is still susceptible of amicable
settlement, without resort to a bloody
conflict
While the affairs in Europe remain
IN their present peculiar condition,
Great Britain can have no desire for a
foreign contest of such magnitude as
dispute at arms with this country
would lead to. Nor is this country in
a condition to welcome such conflict,
Its effects would be disastrous, even
with victory as the result. The pros.
perity and well-being Of the people
would be set back full decade.
But it is needless to speculate upon
the results of war when war is not
likely to occur. Tho Venezuelan affair
is subject TO easy settlement by common
agreement, or by arbitration. although
Great Britain has practically declined
the gracious offer of this country of
it's services in the latter form of media
tion. 1t is even possible for Great
Britain to end the controversy by a
mutual ageement with Venezuela,
which arrangement when entered into
by the latter country Of her own free
VIII, cannot, as President Cleveland
says in his message, "be objected to
by the United States.'' Indeed, in
viow OF the well-known craftiness of
English diplomacy, il would not be
surprising to sec Lord Salisbury adopt
this mode of adjusting the boundary
dispute, and leave the United States
hounderlng in the mud and mire of
lingo statesmanship.
And so, we repeat, there is no need
for the people of this country to worry
themselves over the fear of terrible
war. The jingoes may bluster and
fight, but their fighting will not sink
ships, destroy cities, or drench the
country with the blood OF its loyal
sons peace hath her victories no
less renowned than those Of war;" and
in peace and honor the pending inter
national dispute can easily be ended.