Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-30
THE VENEZUELAN QUESTION
Whitelaw Reid Discusses the
Monroe Doctrine
Good American Doctrine, but Not In.
tcrnatiOnal Law-EurOpean Craze
for Lands.
From the New York Tribune.

dispatch from Phoenix, Arz, dated yestel
day, says:
Whitelaw Reid, ex-minister to Franc,
refused to talk about the Venezuelan cor
troversy when the Geographic abstracts c
the correspondence were first received. H
said he was unwilling to form an opinion
even much less express it, until he had a
opportunity to see the full text of the COZ
respondence Todays the eX-minister wa
more willing to be communicative. He wa
asked by the Call correspondent whethe
there was any possibility that the Unite
States could make an alliance with Franc
and Russia against England, as suggeste
in eastern papers.
AT present. he replied, mot the slight
est. They are both against us-not tina
they love England, but that they despis
the Monroe doctrine If we should get int
war with England. and a general Europea
war over Turkey or Egypt or China shout
break out about the same time then Franc
and Russia would be with us. But eve
then they would not be in favor of tn
that any club is good enough to hit you
enemy with
The Monroe Doctrine
papers, that the Monroe doctrine is good
binding international law?''
What rubbish all this talk is about tn
Monroe doctrine being international law
Who ever thought it was? 1t is a tire
mendously good American doctrine, whic
We have backed up with tolerably fair sue
cess for three-quarters of century-al
most as good an American doctrine as tn
republican form of government-and 1t
about as repugnant to every Europea
government. There has not been a mo
ment since it was first advanced when tn
nations of continental Europe, without eX
ception, have not been solidly opposed t
1t. Why should not they? The two Amer
lean continents constitute an eXtraordinari
ly attractive pasture. The Monroe doctrin
is simply a notice to all monarchies t
keep on the grass, and the United State
is the big policeman with a club standing
h. to enforce the notice. European ma
tons, up to this time, have obeyed 1t pref
ty well, but what nonsense to suppose tina
they like 1t and would accept it as an
way authoritative. unless compelled tc
They are al land hungry-all crazy to b
dividing up weak countries like Turkey an
China, or to be colonizng barbarous one
like Africa. Over the whole stretch of tn
two American continents the Monroe doc
tnne stands as notice not to trespass
There isn't nation in Europe that doe
lot resent being told to keep out; but Their
is not one either that will fight us in orde
to get in. They have too many chance
just now to fight nearer home, and are to
iiiuSh Gil did liley may nave GmDrac
some of them.
No Danger of War.
NO, we are not going to have any wal
If things are well managed, A little differ
ent turn to the message would have main
tanned our attitude just as well, create
less alarm, and given England a bette
chance to get out. The message is splen
diGly American, but Mr. Cleveland is nc
strong in diplomacy, and diplomatic stua
lions which compel either the humiliatio
of our adversary or war with him are al
ways to be avoided, If possible. Neverthe
less. with time and Il little common sens
on both sides, we shall get out withou
fighting. The whole affair. though de
plorable in some of its present aspects
will turn out to be good thing Euro
pean nations will realize at last that tn
Monroe doctrine is more than a phrase
and VIII all learn, as Louis Napoleon di
IN 1860, that the United States cannot b
trtf1ed with about American interests.
There ought to be another excellent
good thing resulting from it. This ough
to give the crown to Mr.. Blaines splendi
work in the pan-American congress, tn
reciprocity treaties and his other effort
not merely to strengthen the military tie
between us and the other American repul
lies, but to knit US far more closely wit
them in intimate and constant commercia
intercourse. Senator Allen of NebraSk
has already Offered a wise resolution t
that end. This is the golden opportunit
for our merchants to extend our trade t
every quarter of Central and South Amer
lea, and never before could they have ha
such a welcome as now awaits Them
only our diplomacy and our commercia
enterprise can work together to seize it.
Many Things Have Happened.
Don't mistake me. however, about tn
international obligations of the Monro
doctrine Europe, to be sure has never &C
knowledged it. But England ought to rec
oSnize and obey it. She inspired it orig
nally, rejoiced over it's declaration, an
made haste then to accept it. Lord Sails
bury admits as much even now, but onl
maintains that since then the times hav
changed, Or as Disraeli once said Gym
cally, when likewise convicted of an incor
sistency: A good many things have HAP
pened since then They are right a goo
many things have happened. One of ther
is that the United States has fought
great civil war in the face of the scarcel
disguised hostility of both the British an
French empires, and has nobly reunite
the warning sections. Another is that tn
looSe-jointed, feeble infant among nations
which this country was in Monroe's tim,
has now doubled Great Britain's popula
ton. No doubt our coasts are defenseles.
but so is Canada. Our cities could be bon
barded; but so could England's commerce
be driven from the ocean by American pr
VateerS. If there We're a war we Shout
be sure to have more than one Bull Run a
the outset, but our people did not sto
hghtlng at Bull Kun. In the long run, it
not to England's interest to attack us, an
she will not do it unless by awkward d
plomacy We leave her no honorable wa
to avoid it,