Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-24
England the Bully.

It has been interesting to note with
what eagernuss certain crowd of men,
who arc exceedingly self-assertive in
times of peace, and who send substitutes
to the front in times of war, have has
tened to spouse the English side of the
Venezuelan controversy and to condemn
President Cleveland for his assertion of
the Monroe doctrine These men do not
undertake to deny but what England has
attempted the most unblushing grab OF
Venezuelan territory with no right save
might. The burden of their song has
been that the Monroe doctrine isn't ma
tional law Well, who has ever said that
it wasY International law has been
admirably stated by Prof. Theodore
Woolsey to be " the aggregate of the rules
which Christian states acknowledge as
obligatory in their relations to each other
and to each Others subjects, The same
author also makes the point that rules of
action unless agreed upon by all, or nearly
all Christian states form no part of in
ternational law. Thus while all interna-
tional law secures its force Ivy conconsus
of accepta nee, it is equally true that many
of its recognized strongest tenets of today
were, originally, policies. 4he Monroe
doctrine is IA policy, an American policy,
and while it may not ne international
law at the present time it certainly APP
pears to be in fair way of becoming so.
One thing, at least, appears to he assured,
it has become recognized international
law in the Western hemisphere. This
great doc trinc has its justification in the
right of this great nation to maintain
its own sa fety and promote its own wei
fare 1t is doctrine of self preservation
and as such 1t has just claim to be in
corporated in those rules of intercourse
between nations which are deduced from
which together constitute the code known
as international law
The rules of this code have here
tofore, troubled Great Britain very
little in appropriating those portions of
the earth whose peoples were too weak
to resist her. They have not figured at
all in her prcposterous demands upon
Venezuela, demands that have been
growing constantly more grasping, as
will be seen by reference TO the map.
and accompanying explanation published
elsewhere in this issue. There is in this
whole infamous business, no shadow of
justice. The civilized world has seen q
powerful nation, making use of its supe-
rior strength to bully vastly smaller
and weaker one out of its territorial pos
sessions in order to secure certain rich
gold mines, and a valuable water way.
The spectacle is one that the people of the
United States cannot and will not con-
template in silence. 1t was high time to
call IA halt upon the infamous bullying
policy by which England seeks to defraud
Venezuela of its territory and it Is crafty
Ing to note the cordial support given the
President in the stand he has taken upon
this matter. The air of injured innocence
assumed by England should be promptly
discounted Does any Intelligent reader
suppose that If she had had clear and
just case, she would have so arrogantly
refused to submit it to au impartial
tribunal? No at all. 1t is because Their
is not the shadow of right in her preten
sions that she is SO loath to have tn