Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-12-18

b nndafy In . very serious nannef'ha'
caused . great deal ~ fofeign war tails.
The controversy primarily y between
tireat Britain and the republic oi Vsne'
zuela, South America, and Involves
posaeaaIon Of the territory on The
AnsrIoan oontlnsnt, aud hence the
Monroe doctrine.
Few Americans are aware 0f the
magnitude " the question 40 energet-
lcaliy and clearly placed before consfers
In the able message Of President Cleye-
land. Tue United States, includlDe
Alaska, comprises only 1900, 900 square
miles on the American continent
while Great Britain has dominion over
s,4OO, 600 square miles, asd Including
British Guiana, Honduras aud the
West India islands, England owns
8,530,OO square miles now Of America
coil. n we had not bought Alaska,
the Eugllsh aag would fly today over
more new world territory than the
stars and stripes The British dag
can almost be seen of the southerr
coast Of Florida, and England owns u
Gordon of islands, extending from the
Bahamas to the south American coast.
As Senator CulIom said the Other
day, not sail Of American commerce
enters the gulf OF Mexico except by The
tacit consent OF foreign powers. Now
Great Britain seems to coyet large
portion of the boundary Of q south
American republic and the president
has voiced q genuine feeling OF protest
against British aggression and further
aggrandlzsmeut of territory. "Ameri'
can nOn-lntervention 10 Europe
necessarily implies European non
interference In American affairs" is
plain statement OF the case by Secre-
tary Olney, Ia his note to minister
Bayard last June Goth.
There are many influences that lead
up TO the conclusion that foreign war
is possible. The unrest and dissatis
faction of the masses OF laboring people,
the depressed condition OF agriculture,
the overpopulation Of the world, the
inability of governments to bring
about even tolerable prosperity for the
people, the Improbable etate OF indus
tries and the money market--all these
are conditions and influences that con.
tribute to the possibility Of foreign war.
A foreign war would crafty the sem
sational clamorlngs OF a speclous class
Of patriots who would disappear at the
first call for troops, and help the
present administration out Of Its serious
predlcament Of unpo aularlty.
The foreign war talk may end only
In talk for the present at least. A com.
mission will be formed TO investigate
and report. In the meantime the can
mons OF lingo eloquence will boom, the
rattle Of newspaper musketry will be
heard all over the land and great
many Euglsh navies will be sunk
and armies will be annihilated on
paper. More warshlps will DO ordered
and more bonds will be issued. These
will be but the prellmlnaries on paper.
The question fthe Venezuelan bound
ary Is an Important one, n vital one TO
all true Americans. The situation has
the semblance OF being serious one
The president has struck a popular
chord and II he will follow II up IL
may save the political fortunes OF him.
lelf and associates.
That n foreign war Is possible no
intelligent man will easily believe.
England does not want q row any
worse than we do, and we do not want
Il at all II there is any way out OF II,
except remembering, In the ringing
words of President Cleveland's mes
Iage, that:
There Is no calamity which great
nation can invite which equals that
which follows supine submission 10
wrong aud injustice and the conse-
luent loss of national self respect and
lonor, beneath which is shielded and
defended the peoples safety aud great
less.
Those are the most potent and his
the most important words ut
cred since Grant sent his message 90
leaders;"I demand immediate
nj unconditional surrender, or move 4
pon your works" President Cleve- 3
and reminds Great Britain that a {
'oundary dispute involving acqusi
ions OF territory on the Amer q
can continent cannot be settled
VithOut the consent and co-OpeT. I
tion Of this government, nor In \
iolatlon Of the great principle of In Q
irrational law adhered to by our coun. I
~ for seventy years, which forbids r
European monarchles from encroach. \
az upon American territory. Thank a
lod for Cleveland's patriotic utterancei l
fay he aud his advisers have the hrm- q
ess, courage, aud wisdom TO maintain h
hat declaration, and the patriotic blood 4
nat still fows In the hearts OF the /,
,.arfaan m .,aa.,la x.fsIl t.s.k,lA ahas.. A.. | !.