San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-25

NEW YORK, OcI. GA SpeCldi
to the Herald from Washington:
Additional particulars have just
been ascertained concerning the
contents of Secretary Olney's note
to Great Britain in the Venezuelan
matter. 1t is a communication OF
about 5000 words and contains a
full review of the efforts which the
United States has repeatedly made
to secure settlement of the long
standing dispute between Great
Britain and Venezuela. 1t de-
scribes the Monroe doctrine, points
out the availability of this doctrine
to the boundary dispute in Guinia
and declares the principle, which
is the vital part of the note and
the great principle for which the
United States is now contending,
namely, that no European power
shall enlarge it's territorial domin-
ion on the American continent by
means of force. From this base
Secretary Olney proceeds to declare
that arbitration obviously is the
only just measure by which Great
Britain can hope to reach a settle
ment of her dispute with Vene-
zuela. Such arbitration, he says,
the United States is now, as FORM
erly, willing to promote and facili-
tate. But he in emphatic language
points the declaration that any at
tempt to reach a settlement of the
contention by means of force would
be regarded as unfriendly to the
United States.
Secretary Olney is careful to
point out in this note that the
United States has no opinion to
offer concerning the merits of
Great Britain's dispute with Vene-
zuela. So far as the United States
knows, either party to the conten-
ton may be in the right. But he
reviews the history of the terrific
rial misunderstanding between
Venezuela on the one side and
Great Britain on the other in order
to show most conclusively that
Great Britain has at various times
herself admitted the existence of
this doubt arising through a
series of complications, imperfect
descriptions and indefinite treaties.
He establishes, as it appears be-
yOnd contravention, that the dis
pute is of that character where no
absolute right, or clearness of title
exists, between either party, and
that the quarrel is essentially one
of those misunderstanding be-
tween nations which by innumer-
able international precedents are
properly to be adjusted by MEM
bers of arbitration. Having thus
effectually stopped any possible
plea that the territory in question
is aindisputably British soil and
therefore coming within the rule
that no nation can submit to ar
bitration its title to its own,
Secretary Olney again declared
that through the Monroe doctrine
the United States has right to
voice in settlement of this matter,
and that his voice is raised to urge
that the dispute be settled by ar
bitration.
The secretary takes the ground
that arbitration may confirm
Great Britain IS jurisdiction over
all the disputed territory. If this
should be the finding of tribunal
the United States would henceforth
respect that decision. But he shows
that until Great Britain's title
shall have been passed upon by
such tribunal, the United States
is, and will, continue to be a party
to the question. There are eleven
weeks now elapsed since this i'm
portant communication was placed
in the hands of the British govern
ment and no other response has
been received than formal ac-
acknowledgements thereof. The OIL
Gals would like to have reply be-
fore congress convenes, but they
are by no meaDs sanguine that
their wishes will be complied with.
In any case the probabilities are
that the president will officially
make known the contents OF
Secretary Olney's note in his an
nual message.