Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-12-19

Washington, d. c., Dec. 1S.--The
president sent to congress yesterday
afternoon Great BrltaIn's reply to the
note of the United States asking Tint
the boundary dispute between Great
Britain and Venezuela be submitted
to arbitration, together with special
message on the subject. The message
says: "rhe reply Is embodied In two
one of these IL devoted exclusively TO
observations upon the Monroe doc
trine. Great Britain claims that In
the present instance n new and
strange extension of this doctrine ~
insisted on by the United States that
the reasons justifying an appeal to
the doctrine M onunciated by PreHI-
dent Monroe are ihapplicablc TO the
state of things In which we live at
the present day, especially TO the
controversy involving the boundary
line between Great Britain and Vene-
2uela."
Without attempting an extended
argument, says the president, II may
not be amlss to suggcHt that the doc
trlne upon which we stand Is strong
ana sound because Its enforcement il
important to our peace and safety ns
nation and essential to the integrity
of our free institutions and the tran
qua maintenance of our distinctive
form Of government, TWAS intended
to apply to every stage Of our ma
tional life and cannot become obsolete
while our republic endures. IT tho
balance of power is n Just cause for
Jealous anxiety among the govern
monts Of the old world and Il subject
for our absolute non-lnterference, mono
the less IL the Observance of the Mon
roe doctrine Of vital concern to our
people and government. We may,
therefore, declares the president, prop
erly insist upon this doctrine without
regard to the state of things In which
we live or any changed condlhons
here or elsewhere. II IL not apparent
why It's application may not be in-
yoked In the present controversy. If
a European power by the extension Of
it's boundaries takes possession OF the
territory of one If our noighhoring re-
publics against It's will and IN dcrogn
ton of It's rights II Is dincult to sec
why to that extent such European
power does not thereby attempt to cX-
tend It's system OF government to that
portion of this continent thus taken,
This Ia the precise action which presi-
dent Monroe declared to be danger
Gus to our peace and safety" and u
can make no difference whether the
European system Is extended by an
advance Of frontier or otherwise.
1t Is also suggested in the British
reply that We should not seek to APP
ply the Monroe doctrine to the pend
Ing dispute because 1t does not en-
body any principle of international
law founded on the general consent
of the nations and that no statesman,
however eminent and no nation how
ever powerful, IL competent to insert
into the code Of International law 4
novel principle never recognized be-
fore which has not since been ar-
ccpter by the government of amy
other country" Practically, says the
president in reply. the principle for
which we contend has peculiar II not
exclusive relations to us. 1t may not
have been admitted in 80 many words
to the code Of international law, hut
since in international councils every
nation Is entitled 60 the rights be-
longing to il, IL the enforcement of the
Monroe doctrine il something we may
justly claim, II has n place IN the code
OF International law ms certainly and
securely ~ though specifically men
toned, and when the United States Is
sutton fore the high tribunal that
administers international law the
question to be determined Is whether
or not we present claims which in
justice that code can find right and
valid The Monroe doctrine finds rec
ognition in the principle of intern /
tional law based on the theory that
every nation shall have its rights
protected, It's just claims enforced or
course this government. continues the
president, Is entirely confident that
under the sanction Of this doctrine we
have clear rights undoubted claims
Nor Is this ignored In the British re-
ply for the prime minister states: I'm