The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-10-12
NOT AN ULTIMATUM.
Secretary Olney's Message to En-
gland Simply a Notification
Defining the Position OF the United States
with Relation to the Venezuelan
Questionable Monroe Doc
trine Set Forth.

up WIN ma
al ultimatum has been sent to En-
gland hat the United States would
not tolerate aggression beyond the
Schomburg line toward Venezuela.
This is not true. No uitimatum has
been served.
What has been done was to serve no.
tice of how the United States regarded
the boundary dispute between En-
gland and FeneZuela; that is that the
United States did not recognize that
England had any right to push across
the ~Schomburg line, and that if it did
push possession further the United
States would regard it as an invasion
of the Monroe doctrine, and, as such,
an act u~nfriendly to the United States.
A message containing this was sent to
Ambassador Bayard about a month
ago, with instructions to lay it before
her majesty's government.
While Gen. Gresham was secretary
of state and Mr.. Olney was still attOr-
ney general, they frequently conferred
together and discussed the Venezuelan
boundary question. Both men were
slow, deliberate and accurate. They
4Ouhou dI oil IuCnblOhS Nllh uNNICldI
eyes Gresham pondered as if prepar-
ing an opinion to be rendered from
the bench. OIney weighed all issues
as he would all points in law when
preparing an opinion for his clients.
Olney got immensely interested in the
Venezuelan dispute and prepared an
elaborate brief, reviewing the whole
question. and at the same time setting
forth what he believed ought to be
the attitude maintained by the United
States. He reached the conclusion
in this brief that Great Britain had
not a shadow of claim to any of her
successive occupations of territory be-
yond the Schomburg line, and he in
sisted that for the United States to
coucede as rightful Great Britain's de-
mands upon Venezuela would be to
abandon every vestige of the policy
embodied in the Monroe doctrine.
After Gen. Gresham's death, and the
appointment of Mr.. Olney to the secre-
taryship of state, Mr.. Olney at a cabi-
net meeting read the brief that he
prepared for Gresham. 1t was earnest
ly discussed at several meetings of the
cabinet and finally adopted as the
policy of the administration. not only
as regards the Venezuelan boundary
dispute, but regarding the greater and
broader question of a general enforce
ment of the Monroe doctrine.
The points embodied in the brief are
as follows:
FirSt-If the quarrel with Venezuela
is an ordinary boundary dispute, hav-
ing its origin in faulty descriptions,
imperfect surveys or other misunder-
standing, a refusal &c arbitrate the
same is contrary to the precedents set
by Great Britain herself, and contrary
to the practice of all civilized nations.
Second-If, on the other hand, as APP
pears to oe the case, and as is the be-
lief OF the president of the United
States, the dispute as to the location
of Il boundary line is a mere disguise
under which Great Britain is attempt
ing, by superior force, to extend her
territory in America, this is directly
v~ioJative of the Monroe doctrine, and
will never be submitted to by the
United States.
This is the substance of the dispatch
which, in all probability. will soon be-
come one of the most famous dis
patches ever sent out from the Ameri-
can state department. 1t is n direct
and practical application of the Mon
roe doctrine in its broadcast aspect to
the quarrel between Great Britain and
Venezuela. 1t commits the United
States to a position which must be ad-
hercd to.
About a month e Il copy of the |
Oluey brief was sent TO Ambassador
Bayard with instructions to present it
to Lord Salisbury as the defined policy
and attitude Ct this government. Lord
Salisbury and most of his colleagues
IN her majesty's government were alb
sent from London when the commune
cation reached the ambassador. No
answer has been made TO it as yet.
Nothing has been heard from Mr..
Bayard, save that Il copy of the secre-
tary'S communication was transmitted
to the British foreign office.
Il This is the status of the question at
present. Great Britain Will have to
back down and submit the boundary
dispute to arbitration or prepare TO
make var on all the Americas. Secre-
tary Oiney expects that the case will
be ready to submit to congress prompt
~ on its assembling. 1t is feared
here that Mr.. Bayard will be tempted
to temporize. lie seems to nave fallen
in love with the British. lie has
wonderful influence over the president
and it is not telling a secret to state
that the members of the cabinet are
continually afraid of Bayard's infu.
euce over the president, in the con-
duct of foreign affairs.
The president has n much higher
opinion of Mr.. Bayard than the mem
beers of his cabinet have
The statement that an ultimatun
has been issued, however, is without
foundation. Anyone familiar with
diplomacy must know hat an
ultimatum means the last word. The
case has no: reached that stage with
Great Britain yet. Uncle Sam is still
on speaking terms, and expects to eX-
change a good many words regarding
Venezuela and the Monroe doctrine in
the near future.
Secretary Olney positively refuses to
say anything touching any CORE
spondence he las had or intends to