The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1895-10-26
ADMINISTRATION SNEBBED.
secretary oIney's Dispatch to Lord Sails
bury lis Ignored.

secretary Oney's Dispatch to Lord Sails
/ bury is Ignored.
washington, Oct. The report from
LONDON that Great Britain has sent an
ultlmatum to Venezuela demanding re-
dress Tor the arrest of three of her colo
MAI police, although not officially con-
nrmed by Ambassador Bayard, is gem
! orally believed here to be based on fact.
The other report that Lord Salisbury has
| given final answer to Venezuela in
relation to the boundary question is
also thought to be trustworthy. Nat
urally, the news has attracted atten-
| ton in official and diplomatic circles for
many reasons. The two chief reasons
are: First, that it is practically certain
That England purposes repeating her
| Corlnto tactics on Venezuelan territory,
ana, second, that Lord Salibury has
polntedly and deliberately snubbed
secretary Olney and Mr.. Bayard. What
| may come OF the incident cannot of
course, be now foreseen. Following his
| usual course of proceeding with proVok-
ing delay, Mr.. Bayard has sent no off,
clal information to the State Depart
ment concerning Lord SaliSbury's atti-
tuoe or action. The London papers
speak positively enough in the matter,
out MI Bayard has nothing to say con-
corning subject which is Of import
ance TO the country, and presumably
o. interest to the State Department.
1t requires no great stretch of the
| imagination to work out the intentions
! OF Great Britain or to determine the re-
suit OF her latest diplomatic effort. 1t
mas been generally believed by well-in-
| formed persons here for some time that
IN due course England would follow her
usual tactics and exact reparation from
venezuela Tor the arrest of the Guiana
police. England has no doubt demand
ed not only an apology, but smart
money as we'll
In all probability Venezuela will re-
1use the payment of an indemnity Her
representatives here say that she will
DO So Then an English fleet will appear
on La Guayra, the admiral OF which
VIII nave orders to enforce the terms
OF the ultfmatum." He will be in
structed to use force If necessary. OnIy
me course will be open to Venezuela.
ehe must pay. She has no navy. and her
lana defences are not such that thew
could long resist the shells Of British
Meet: In brief, the Corinto incident
"ou!d be repeated. In that affair the
republic assaulted was too weak to pre-
vent English success, and she had at
the critical hour neither the moral nor
the physical support of the United
states, on which she counted.
In the present case the Admfnjstra-
ton has a much better reason for in
terterlng, but it probably does not view
the matter in that light There is the
boundary dispute pending, in which this
country, confOrmabl to a resolution of
congress, seeks to bring about arbitra-
ton. TherA is a relationship between
the two points which could properly be
pleaded, but Mr.. Cleveland is not likely
TO take II into account. When Mr.. Oh
ney became Secretary of state the
bugles blew loudly and the cuckoo"
press declared that vigor in foreisn af-
fairs could be counted on so long as the
Secretary remained in Office. SO far all
predlctlons nave come to naught. The
reason for inaction will doubtless be the
Same as that given by Mr.. Cleveland in
the Corinto affair: There is no prece-
Dent to fit the case" Precedents over
shadow all other considerations In these
days at the State Department
Lord SaIisbury's not to Venezuela is a
slap In the face of the Administration.
1t is pointed, deliberate, coming as it
does so soon after the receipt by the
British Foreign Office of a communities
ton from Secretary Olney urging that
the Venezuelan boundary question be
submitted to arbitration. The terms of
the resolution Of the last Congress con-
corning the boundary question are ia
miliar to the readers of The Tribune As
/ Attorney General, Mr.. Olney considered
the resolution, and together with Score
tary Gresham, prepared an argument
to be forwarded to the British Govern
ment. This did not reach Ambassador
Bayard until short time ago. In the
despatch Mr.. Olney made two important
points, and elaborated each. He said
in effect, first, that If the contention be-
tween England and Venezuela were an
ordinary boundary dispute, having it's
origin in faulty surveys and descrip-
TONS a refusal to arbitrate the question
would be contrary to precedent and un-
reasonable. In the second place he in
timated that if, on the other hand Great
Britain had in view Interior objects
such as the increase of her territorial
possessions by the employment Of force.
the principles Of the Monroe Doctrine
might be involved. No threat was made,
but the Secretary spoke, it is said, with
firmness.
The London press has noted the recep-
ton Of the despatch at the British Foreign
Office and commented on its terms. AL
though the date of the sending Of the
paper is not definitely known it prob
ably left Washington about six weeks
ago and reached Mr.. Bayard ten days
thereafter 1t would appear from the
London kilograms that Lord Salisbury's
note to Venezuela was sent about the
first Of this month. Therefore, 1t started
for Caracas only a few days after Mr..
Bayard submitted Secretary Olney's
despatch, The failure to answer the
note Of the State Department. and the
haste used in dispatching the ulti-
matum" to Caracas, look decidedly as II
a deliberate snub Of the Administration
were intended.
rooupcm mn NJ curunmnN