The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-06
IF England Doesn't Relinquish
Venezuela She Must Fight
SHE MUST GIVE UP.
It Now Lies With Venezuela if
England Survives.
salisbury's Reply Now Guessed
to be a Refusal to Arbitrate.

CHICAGO, H., Dec "a special to
the Times Herald from its Washington
correspondent says: War between the
United States and Great Britain is
threatened. It can be avoided only
by surrender on the part of England.
The Intention over the Monroe doc
trine has reached stage which will
produce the gravest anxiety on both
sides of the Atlantic until the facts
become known. If the American Con-
gress will support the President, and
of this there can be no doubt, Great
Britain will soon be given the choice
of surrendering or fighting.
Upon authority which can not be
questioned, reads the dispatch, it is
known that this government has
received a cablegram from Am bassa-
dor Bayard giving briefly the con-
tents of the note which the Marquis
of Salisbury has mailed in reply
to Secretary Olney's dispatch of last
July. This reply is in substance
a refusal to arbitrate any of the ter
ritory eastward of the Schomb berg line.
Moreover Lord Salisbury raises
new case. He now contends that
the Schomberg line was not arbitrarily
run; that it was, in fact, located upon
authentic data, and that it can be
proved by the records, the treaty de-
scriptions and the maps that it cor
rectly represents the western limits of
the territory which Great Britain ac-
quired by cession from Holland.
Receipt of this information caused
some excitement in the Washington
government. Secretary 0lney at once
proceeded to confer with the president
about it. They agreed in their opinion
concerning it, and this opinion was
that the British premier was triding
with the merits of the question: that
he was attempting to evade and delay
direct response to the principal issue
involved, and to bring on a contro-
versy between the two governments
as to historical records and topograph-
zeal facts. Such a controversy, the
president and secretary agreed, If
once entered upon, might run an in
definite length.
The program which the President
and Secretary now have in mind is
first to ascertain the wishes of Vene
zuela in the premises. If Venezuela
is willing to arbitrate on the Schom-
berg line, then the mission of the
United States IS for the time be
ing at an end. Venezuela has repeat
eddy refused this, and it is not ex-
pected that she will give in now.
Once being assured of Venezuela's I'M
willingness to submit to England's
pretension, the President will refer
the whole matter to Congress at an
early day for such action as that body
may see fit to take. The correspond
ence will be accompanied by mes
sage from the President ex-
planning the situation, but probably
containing no recommendations. Con-
gress, as the only war-making power,
will be left to its own determination,
uninhuenced save by facts When
this moment arrives the executive will
have exhausted his resources The
future course of contention will rest
with the national legislature. 1t is
expected, however, that Congress will
at once authorize the president to
issue an ultimatum that will cause
England to back down or fight.