Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-12-19
ON VENEZUELA.
The President Sends a Special
Message to Congress.
The MONROE DOCTRINE DWELT On.
The Duty Of the United states to Resist py
Every Means Any Appropriation OF
Venezuelan Territory by
Great Britain.


cation. 1t was at once read IN DOM
houses, as follows:
To the Congress:
| In nv annual message addressed to the con-
press on the Sd inst, called attention TO the
pending boundary controversy between Great
Britain and the republic Of Venezuela ana re-
cited the substance Of representation maze
| by this government to her Britannia Majesty )
government suggesting reasons why such as
mute should be submitted to arbitration LOT
settlement and inqulring whether 1t would DO
so submitted.
The answer Of the British government, which
was then awaited, has since been received ana
together with the dispatch to which II Is q re-
ply. is hereto appended
Such reply Is embodied in two communca-
| lions addressed by the British prime minister
to Sir Julian Pauncefote the British anpas-
sador at this capital 1t will be seen that one
Of these communications Is devoted ex-
clusiyely to observations upon the Monroe
doctrine and claims that in the present
instance new and strange exten-
sion and development OF this doctrine IS M
sisted on by the United states, that the rea-
sons justliying an appeal TO the doctrine ehuh-
cIated by President Monroe are generally IN
apulcable Ito the state OF things In which we
| lye at the present day and especially map
plcable to q controversy involving the bound
ary line between Great Britain and venezuela
Without attempting extended arguments IN
reply to these positions, 1t may not be amlss 70
suggest that the doctrine upon which we stahu
is strong and sound because its enforcement
is important to our peace and safety as ma
ton and IL essential to the integrity Of our
free institutions and the tranquil maintenance
Of our distinctive form Of government " was
intended TO apply TO every stage OF our ma
tlonal life md cannot become obsolete WINE
our republic endures II the balance OF power
IL Justly cause for jealous anxiety among inc
governments Of the old world and subject TOT
our absolute non-interferencc none the less Is
an observance OF the Monroe doctrine OF Vital
concern to our people and their government
Assuming, therefore, that we may properly
insist upon this doctrine without regard 10
the 1.-THE st tie OF things in which we live o.
any changed conditions here or elsewhere IL
Is not apparent why It's application may not Dc
Invoked In the present controversy In Euro
peau power, by on extension Of Its boundaries
takes possession Of the territory Of one OF our
neighboring republics against It's viii ana IN
derogation Of Its rights, 1t Is dinicult 10 see
why to that extent, such European power
does not thereby attempt to extend Its system
Of government to that portion OF thiscontnent
which Is thus taken This Is the precise &C.
ton which President Monroe declared to be
dangerous to our peace and safety, and 1t
can make no difference whether the European
system is extended by an advance OF frontier
or otherwise
It has been suggested in the British reply
that we should not seek to apply the Monroe
doctrine to the present dispute because 1t
does not embody any principle Of interna-
tional law which rs founded on the general
consent OF nations and that no statesman
however eminent and no nation now
ever powerful. are mpetent to insert
into the code ii international law
novel principle which was meyer recognized
before, and which has not since been
uccepted by the government OF any other
country" Practically the principle for which
we contend has peculiar, IL not exclusive re-
lalIon to the United States. 1t may not have
been admitted In so many words to the code Of
international law but since, In Inc
ternatonal counsols every nation Is
entitled to the rights belonging 10
If. II the enforcement Of the Monroe doc
trne is something we may justly claim 1t has
It's place in the code Of international law as GER
tainlv and securely as It has II 1t were specih-
cally mentioned, and when the United states
is sutton before the high tribunal that I'D
ministers international law the question to DO
determined Is whether or not we present
claims which the justice OF that code Of law
can find to be right and valid.
The Monroe doctrine finds its recognition in
those principles OF international law which Is
based upon the theory that every nation shall
have It's rights protected and lis Just claims
enforced OF course this government Is en-
tirely confident that under the sanction OF this
doctrine we have clear rights and undoubted
claims Nor Is this ignored in the British reply
The prime minister while not admitting that
the Monroe doctrine is applicable to present
conditions. states IN declaring that the
United States would resist any such enter
prise II 1t was contemplated President
Monroe adopted policy which received
the entire sympathy Of the English govern
ment OF that date He further declares
"Though the language OF President Monrot
is directed to the attainment Of objects
which mos, Enyllshmen would agree to be
',nI,,,ar, 4, &c imnoeeIhlo IN admit that they
rohoon lrscrIhed hv anv adeouate authority
in the code Of International law Again he
says. THEY cher majestys government
finally concur with the view which President
$780, o,,,aran,,, entertained that anv dis
.naua n, ,ho eyis,ing ,crrItorn distrihu-
,tna w. ho, hnmisnhere nv anv fresh acouisi-
, .,om ,,o NV, ~ any Euronean state would
,'VnN A Wv Wv ,nosnod,on, change
~, h',,as M, ,ho doctrine FIR which we
~ '"S ,,as a1aar and de,lnite nm, II was
,e O"s"S ",. "nhs,an,,aI considerations and
, ,uu "r rr sasa,v and welfare Tint # WINS
,,,,,' on,,,,oa,lo IN our nresent conditions and
~ No s,ats n, ,se worlds progress. and that
/, ,,os dlrectlv related IN The pendinp contro-
,,.ss,, nnd ni,hort ony conviction as IN the
e o' nar,,s ~ ,ho disnute Int anylous to
,""r, IN ss,is,ac,orv and conclusive man
n ,v"'" ',hn,hor Graa, pri,ain sough, under n
no, ""e'r nonndan" a. ovtand ber nossessious
IAN XII, U' o,,,mant s,,hont rlcht or whether
y" '''o s .1n'', ao,,',h, nossoss,on a, tarri-
'nn '' .i.,, ,ss,,,aa, Within how uros mr.
o oV,n '"rp ,hIs government nronosed Ia
tho goyerument NJ Great Britain resort to
arn ,hs nroner means of settInu the
oo,,an "a ,ha and ,ha, veyatious houndary
ai"n,o no, ,,oa, tho two contestants might he
a',p"0e ana onr oyac, s,andlng md rela.
,',, IN sasnsc, 70 ,ha controversy mich, he
Wv" a., niaa. :, ,s,,, ho soon from Tho corre.
maui ''o"', - s,t.,., ,,,a, ~, -
Spondenee herewith suo',','so. 'n' n .u,s p,vp
os'lou guy uecn ueoi,neu ~ VIZ a". . ,n ~,
erhmeh' upon trounus Mn,e"' a.uea sne VI,