The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-12-20
There viii BE No War.

: ton, II is the most serious compiled
ton va have had in our foreign affair
since we had TO call Il halt on Loui
= Napolcon's raid ON Mexico. Nor /
there any doubt that it is most unfort
> innate in the present business situa
q tion that this complication should b
forced to an issue now, with all it
threatening and uneasiness for tn
: future Ia spread alarm.
! But there was no way Of avoiding i
or delaying it further. In fact all TIN
years OF delay since the subject wa
first made Il matter of correspondence,
between this country and England ha
only made the situation worse anc
strengthened England's apparcn
determination to grab what she wants
regardless of anybody's else rights
; Now finally she fatty refuses 70 sub
nit the dispute to arbitration, as We
bad in the most friendly way asked
her to do.
This has brought matters to a point
where our government must cithci
back down and abandon the Monroe
doctrine, which has for 10 years been
held to be vital part of our American
system, or else give notice that we
will stand by il, whatever the consc-
qucnces. There is no possible middle
course. Tho men who believe there
is nothing in The Monroe doctrine
worth maintaining, as is perhaps true
in the cold dollar and cents view, who
held that there is no duty upon Amcri-
can craftsmanship for the defense OF
the principle of free government out
! side of our own domains, can blame
the president for his action. But no
one else can,
If there was ever a case that came
within the purview of the Monroe
doctrine this is one. That doctrine
forbade any further extension of the
European system or of European col
onies or Commons in North and South
America, and its PRONUNCIATION at a
time when the European despotisms
were preparing to unite to crush the
young republics Of the New World, as
they had 80 years before united against
the French republic, saved all Spanish
America from reconquest. But for the
firm stand President Monroe took and
the emphatic notice he gave that
European meddling would not be
tolerated, it may we'll be doubted if |
there would today bo another republic |
in the world but our own.
Vastly beneticcnt as has been the |
work wrought by that doctrine in the |
past. yielding to Britain's demands
in the Venezuelan matter now, would
simply bc an abandonment of it for the
future; for if we admit her right to
do what she pleases with Venezuela
now, there would be no ground left TO
dispute it in her many other con-
on the continent or to pre-
vent the other powers of Europe from
following her example. As Secre
tary Whitney says:
Without the Monroe doctrine there
would BIO nothing to keep the Euro
pean powers from dividing up South
America as they have divided up
Africa. They would SO divide il IN
loubtedly if allowed.
1t is not at ali impossible or i'm
probable that this issue is being
forced with this purpose. So far as
any knowledge on the subject is aces
siblc, or so far even as Lord Salibury I
shows in his answer to Olney, the |
merits of the dispute between England {
md Venezuela are all one way. Eng {
and has half a dozen times increased ,
Ter claims to territory that is Ven
zucla's and that was SPANS before ,
Ter, until now she demands about four !
ines what she did in the beginning, I
nd her right seems to be that simply (
Il occupation which she has pushed I
tcadily in spite of Venezuela's un- q
easing protests. If this is so it is T
learly "a case of extending European !
ominion. Whether it is so or not, i
ur government does not undertake to t
ay. 1t merely asks England to sub L
ait the case to a fair and impartial j
rbltration, and If England could s
hen show right. of any kind. even by O
adverse possession to what she is
ow trying to grab. the arbitration
'oud give it to her. 1t is peculiarly II
question of fact, of history. Of con- II
tructions of old treaties and of the s.
caring of the law of nations. that il
ught to be arhitrated. and such u
uestion as England ne has V
.peatedly shown herself to be willing b
, arbitrate with nations of her own il
2e, But she refuses to arbitrate in n
lis case. unless she can herself first T
raw The line to which the arbitration L
lall appiy-that is, unless she can II
ave the greater part of what is in M
spute. The refusal is itself evidence sc
lat she knows that she has not a case
! which she can stand before an i'm h;
irtial tribunal. az
The president meets this refusal liz
it'll a proposal to ourselves appoint of
'mmission TO investigate the mattel h;
I'd on its results to stand in resis- IL
nee TO British claims Unless the ne
of such commission we're III