The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-06
ARE WE TO 60 10 WAX OVER THIS

Fellows Han.
.pE WE TO 60 10 WAR OVER THIS
Tho announcement is now p'auo ma
49, coyor,m,nt OF Great Britain mas
informed Mr.. Bayard, our AnDassauoi ~
England. that It Will not tolerate a.'
interference by this country III l's ui'
rute with Vertzucla over the boundary
limo between dts territory in South Ainci'-
On and that of Venezuela. The announce
mont is rot yet official. but 1t comes
ont from Washington in such form as 70
carry with IT ali the prooaDih-
ties CT truth. If the British "o'-
eminent has really taken this stand We
are confronted with case when MAKES
II necessary that this Government SINH
abandon the domain of talk, OF "hieh
we have had such an excess IN TINS con-
n,ction. and prepare itself TO enter the
fe,d Of action. We have got 10 determine
vto,her all this fuss and ado about the
monroe doctrine" has been merely an
opcra of "chin music or whether we
propose to 20 into the bloodiest and most
do<~rnettse war that has ever been fought
10 make the ''Morroe doctrine goou-
The time for talk mas passed. the tilhe
for action has arrived, and we hau as
we'll make up our minds whether we are
golng to inform the world that all OF
South and Central America are under
our protection and that we are gong
10 fight their battles, or whether we are
going to inform it that the South Ameri-
can countries must fight their own bal
Ties as other Independent nations do.
II is needless TO state The Times views
upon this question again. It's readers
krow that IT considers the adherence al
this day. to the Monroe doctrine an
obsolete dogma-the veriest piece of hum
bugscry that could be brought forward.
But The Times thinks an attempt 10
base national action upon it IN this case
IRE cmirentyy absurd. The idea of the
thing is that we are not to have the mon
arches of Europe setting up their mon
arch.cal institutions on this continent
and thereby putting our republican IN
stitrtions In peril.
But Guiara has been British territory
undisputed ever since 1903. ard II was
either French, Dutch. or English Tor
three hundred years preceding. The
monaichical institutions have been there,
therefore. all the time. II the Monroe
doctrine" had any virtue in 1t at ALL
II required us long ago to drive the Eng
lish ont OF Guiana that our republican
institutions should not be threatened by
the near sojourn Of monarchical institu-
tions. Since we have permitted Eng
lands monarchical Institutions TO be os-
tablshcd there without protest or remon-
STRANGE from us for all this time, IL does
seem a little late In the day for us 10
come forward now with objections 10
British institutions on South American
soil.
But II should be borne in mind that the
whole matter dn controversy Is whether
the British line comes north to within a
certain distance of the Orinoco river, or
whether the Venezuelan line runs south
10 a point beyond that indicated by Eng
land. 1t is not question of institutions
at all. 1t IS only a question or whether
monarchical institutions which are to re-
erees OF latitude or whether they may
extend ten miles beyond two degrees OF
latitude. in other words Great Britain
thinks that her title papers include
strip Of ten miles Of territory, while
Venezuela thinks that her title papers
include that strip England. feeling per-
fectly satisfied that her papers include
the strip. is going 10 take possession OF
IL by force and hold II unless Venezuela
shall be able TO expel her by force, and
the claim is made that principle which
opposes the establishment OF monarchical
institutions on this continent demands
that we shall aid Venezuela TO exPel
her from that strip Of territory, while we
leave her after the expulsion. with her
monarchicaJ institutions hourishing In
full vigor on the VIDE territory now oc-
crp.ed by her and called Guiana.
We are frank to say that we know
Of no claim more absurd, more illogical.
and more urfounded in reason. Are the
American people prepared to see the
ca.amity brought on this country which
war with England would involve, in
such cause as this?
And we are frank to say that we do not
see how England can permit Us to inter-
fere IN the dispute. i; sesms 10 us that
her credit and prestige before the world
would be degraded. II not abandoned and
iost " she permitted AZ TO drive her on