The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-21
THE CON sERyATIsM OF THE COUN-
TRY Is HOUSING ITSFIF


1t Is very rarely that that staid and
conservative Journal. the New York
Journal of Commerce, uses such language
as the following. and 1t must think the
case a very extreme one TO feel justified
in speaking of the President Of the United
States in such terms But in an elabo-
rate article reviewing the Presidents
Venezuela message, it says:
"Mr Cleveland has made a most serious
mistake His policy in this matter is not
only precipitate and untimely, il is mad
ness itself. He has out-jingOed the jingOs,
and from being the embodiment of sober
judgment he has become the hasty abet-
tor of a political fanaticsm. In thus in
Viting war, he has not shown the dis
erection of providing a way OF escape from
that alternative. He would send his own
commission to investigate the merits of
the boundary claims; such meagre in
formation as could be obtained would
come from the Nenezuelans while the
British side would be unrepresented. and
the commissions verdict would conse-
quently be such as TO lead TO threatened
election of England from the country
claimed by Venezuela. The people will
wait with profound anxiety to know
whether Congress Will sanction the Presi-
dents recommendations. IL is hardly
necessary TO consider what England may
do under the circumstances. II is very
unlikely that she would yield, and she
can therefore only await the develop
ment of our action
There can be no doubt that an i'm
preston is growing up that Mr.. Cleve-
landsc conduct ip THE roatt.r has ha.n
of an entirely political character. You
cannot go out upon the streets without
hearing men of the most conservative
character saying that they believe he
situation TO make himself the logical
candidate of the Democratic party for
third term. and the unfortunate part Of
it is that the men who are saying this
been his stunchest and steadiest support
ers. They are the conservative and or
derby part OF the population who abhor
everything comprehended in the word
'jngoism." We know not how it may
be elsewhere, but in Richmond the ma
jority of the conservative people are
unanimous in condemning Mr.. Cleveland
and in declaring that they will not toll
crate the idea OF war with Great Britain
over the present dispute about Venezue-
la. The politicians may put that in their
pipes and smoke it, for 1t is the truth, and
absolutely the truth.
The extract from the Journal of Com
merce we have quoted is from its issue of
Wednesday. Yesterday, in another elab-
crate article upon the same subject IL
used the following language
Possibly from sincere but mistaken
patriotic reasons, but apparently under
all the circumstances. far more probably
from allurements of political ambition,
Mr.. Cleveland has involved the country
in a situation far more serious than any
that has existed before or since the civil
war Against the traditions OF his party.
against the spirit and professions OF re-
cent acts Of his own administration,
against the unbroken policy of the nation.
against the historic Interpretation of the
Monroe doctrine. and with no solicitation
from public opinion, he has affirmed In
the Venezuelan case a startling policy OF
foreign intervention. and has distinctly
threatened it's prompt armed enforcement
against friendly and powerful nation.
He has done this without sanction of
international law and In defiance OF the
great European powers. whose unQues-
tionable international rights are thereby
threatened equally with those of Great
Rfif afD -