Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-12-25
Stauutott Spectator.
THE WAR CLOUD.

on the horizon, a little cloud no larger
than mans hand. Whether it is the
harbinger of a great storm, can only be
conjectured. But not since the Rev
dictionary war, has there been any pa
per issued from the departm ants of our
government, which caused such thrill
throughout the civilized world as the
message of President Cleveland. which
we print in full in another column.
Our readers will naturally ask, What
is it all about? Our reply is:
The English own British Guiana,
little province on the northern coast of
South America. Venezuela lies adjoin-
ing this English possession. The boun-
Diary line between the two countries
has never been settled; in fact, has been
in dispute for fifty years.
A short time ago, Mr.. Olney, our Sec
rotary of State, wrote Lord Salisbury,
the British Prime Minister, a rather
peremptory note, stating, in substance,
that England must arbitrate this boun
Diary question. To this, Lord Salisbury
replied, that part of the territory in
dispute, he was willing to arbitrate-
that beyond the line drawn by the
Engineer, Sir Robert Schomburg-but
that the part within that line is too
plainly British territory to permit him
to agree to submit it to arbitration.
This refusal to arb:trate. called forth
the message of the President to Con
gress, which has so stirred the two con-
tinents.
In 1928, President Monroe asserted
in message course to be pursued by
the United States toward the South
American Republics, which has since
been known as the Monroe Doctrine,
often quoted, much talked of, but poor
iy understood.
This doctrine has no legal force or
significance in the United States; but.
by tacit agreement, has been adopted
as our course of action.
Mr.. Cleveland or any other President
since Mr.. Monroe, has just as much
right to lay down doctrine as had Mr..
Monroe.
1t seems now that Mr.. Cleveland has
asserted this right, and gone somewhat
in advance of the common acceptation
of that Doctrine. In the message re-
ferred to, the President tells England
that the United States will investigate
this boundary question, and asks Con
gress to support him in his course, by
sufficient appropriation, and COM
mission for the purpose.
This Congress has done without dis
sent; one hundred thousand dollars is
appropriated, and in few days the
commission will be appointed, which
will sail away to South America to
make the investigation.
Now, the most serious question in the
controversy, will arise.
What will we do with the line when
we find it? If the report be adverse to
the pretensions of Great Britain, how
are we to make her accept it? And il
Diverse to Venezuela, how are we to
force her to an acceptance? If we had
been invited by these powers to arbi
trate this matter, the work would have
been easy. But pushing ourselves into
the controversy, without invitation
there will surely be trouble, if we I'M
dertake to enforce our findings.
When the work of the commission is
ended, how have we helped either
Venezuela, or ourselves.
Again; l. the dispute worth the ex.
pense? Venezuela is small country.
almost under the Equator. Its popula
ton is only about 100000. Of these
only one per cent. or $4,000, are white,
the rest are Negroes, Indians, and Mix
ed. The whites are Spaniards, unlike
our people in tastes. manners, or GUS
toms.
What can it advantage US, to take
these strange people, these hybrids,
these Indians, and Negroes, under our
wing? We have too many of them
now.
can country in the hands of the indo
lent and quarrelsome SpaniarG, would
it not be better to let England, France,
Germany, and Russia parcel the whole
of it among themselves, and thereby
introduce into it some of their progress
and advanced civilization?
If the British possessions on the
north of the United States are no men
ace to us, and can be left under British
control, in what, let us ask, could the
pushing of boundary line, few miles
up into Venezuela, do us harm? Have
we not strained at gnat, and swallow
ed acamel?
See what has already been suffered
by us? One hundred thousand dollars
of our money! has beens.dumped into
this sink without any possibility of re-
turn. The money..markets have been
responsive to this excitement, and mil
lions have been lost Wheat and corn
are dropping lower, our commerce will
suffer untold disaster. and all this with
out the firing of gun.
What must result if hostilities should
begin The failure of the Barring Bros.
caused excitement in banking interests
sometime ago, sbut it was nothing to
the proceedings of Friday last, when
American stocks aud American securi.
ties shrunk In value to greater degree
than ever before in the same length of
time.
We want no war nor rumors of war;
We want peace and prosperity.
The Congressional Committees have
at last been announced. The principal
ones are Foreign affairs, of which Mr..
lift of Illinois is ho;