The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-05
And Also to Back the Chief Executive
the Venezuelan Question.
LORD SALISBURY BLUFFING
HE AGAIN REFUSES TO ARBITRATE
THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE,
Maintaining that the Land Within the
scbomburg Line Is Britain's-Reed
Called To the White House.
Special to the indianapolis Journal

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 4-The cablegram
announcing that the reply of Lord Sails
bury to Secretary Olney's note regarding
the arbitration of the Venezuelan difficulty
is on its way to Washington is practically
confirmed at the State Department. Infor-
nation from excellent sources is TO the
effect that the British Premier's refusal
to submit to arbitration any territory with
in the Schomburg line has been known to
President Cleveland for some time. While
1t is not according to diplomatic usage that
Lord Salsbury's formal reply should be in
trusted for transmittal to ambassador
Bayard at London, yet it is certain that
it's contents were made known to him, and
that he Immediately transmitted the facts
to the State Department. and that Mr.
Cleveland was fully acquainted with the
critical situation when he wrote his message
1t is explained that the comparatively brief
reference to the matter in the message,
which caused so much surprise yesterday,
is due to the fact that he has written a
special message to Congress. 1t lies on his
desk ready to be sent to Congress as soon
as automatically decent interval has ex-
pired after the formal presentation of Lord
Salisbury's note by Sir Julian Pauncefote,
groundwork of the message has been pre-
pared by Secretary Olney. and for unmis-.
taxable firmness leaves nothing to be de-
sired. That Mr. Cleveland will take no un-
certain stand is manifest from the words
Of yesterdays message to Congress. and
their determined tone foreshadows the
tenor of his message next week.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID.
Viewed in the light of to-days news, the
Presidents words assume new sig
nificance when he says that this govern
ment in its note to the British government
took the position that, Considering the
disparity in strength of Great Britain and
Venezuela, the territorial dispute between
them can be reasonably settled only by
friendly and impartial arbitration, and that
the resort to such arbitration should in
cude the whole controversy, and is not
satisfied if one of the powers concerned Is
permitted to draw an arbitrary line
through the territory in debate. and to de-
clare that it will submit to arbitration only
the portion lying on side of it, 1T
appears that President Cleveland was well
aware that the very contingency which he
apprehended has come to be the situation.
Lord Salisbury distinctly undertakes TO
take the most arbitrary of geographical
lines ever drawn, the line drawn by Sir
George Schomburg in 1871. and to submit
10 arbitration only that portion of territory
lying beyond 1t. Mr.. Clevelands message
is expected to point this out explicitly. and
then to announce to Congress that he
awaits its cooperation in enforcing at all
hazards the Monroe doctrine. The mos
sage Is expected TO be sent to Congress
| early next week. possibly even Monday,
certainly as soon as the clerks in the State
Department can transcribe all the corre-
| spondence.
! 1t is understood that one of the causes
for Speaker Reeds visit TO the White
House this morning was TO discuss this
| coming crisis with the President. AS re-
suit Of this visit, 1t Is rumored tonight that
! Mr.. Reed will announce on Friday when
the House reassembles his committee on
foreign affairs. so that there will be no
delay in meeting any situation that arises.
CONGRESS WILL GIVE SUPPORT.
| The Venezuelan situation is the only topic
| of discussion tonight There Is no shade
/ of party politics in the views expressed,
/ and il is recognized in administration cir
/ cles that Mr.. Cleveland will receive the
| same loyal and enthusiastic Endorsement of
his attitude from this Republican House
| that was accorded to President Harrison
| in the critical days of the Chilean affair by
4 the Democratic F'ifty-second House. 1t is
| at the same time the belief by many con-
servative members that Lord Salisbury is
| blufing, and that he Will very promptly re-
1 cede when he recognizes how quickly party
| lines disappear when there arises a ques-
| ton beyond our boundary lines.
The Associated Press reporter, writing in
| the line of the Journals correspondent,
says that IL the reply of Lord Salisbury is
fl,a sta tod ~ su oil TN,
| Washington that there can be but one line
of action open to the President. HE has
| i'm his note of instructions to Mr.. Bayard,"
the reporter says. .simply carried the ex-
| pressed wish to Congress as exhibited in
| the resolution adopted toward the close of
| the last session. He has presented the is
! sue plainly and divested it of all of the
| extraneous issues that were sought to be
| included by the British government. The
! question of claim for reparation for the
arrest of British officials by the Venezue-
| lans, being regarded by the President as di-
rectly dependent upon the main question
! of the solution of the boundary dispute, was
not allowed to complicate the issue, nor
was the attempt to assert jurisdiction over
the best part Of the land claimed, namely,
| that lying eastward OF the shifting Schom-
burg line. Having received a negative re-
! ply 10 Ills ulTect inquiry Wnetuer or not
! Great Britain mas prepared to submit to ar
bitration all of the territory in dispute. for
there can be no doubt that the President
| has been informed by cable of the nature
OF the communication coming by mall
I! there remains for him but one course
namely. TO submit the matter TO Congress
for it's further direction. Beyond this point
the President cannot so alone. for. to be
consistent. he would be obliged to notify
the British government that any encroach-
ment on Venezuelan soil would be regarded
by the United States as hostile act. and
that is so perilously close to an open decla-
ration OF war that II might be construed as