The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-14
Can Venezuela Be Piunderedf
NJ. w. Hazeisino in North American Re
TteE

NJ. W. Hazelunc In NoTlh American he
view.
Can Venezuela De plGndered with impu-
nity7 Or Is X rather the duty Of the
United States 20 interpose. and insist that
the disputed boundary shall be defined by
an impartial tribunal7 Is that duty Inn
posed on us by a logical deduction from
the Monroe doctrine? Taking the latter
question first, let lis recall for moment
what that doctrine Is. as il was expressed
ny It's propounder. The message sent 10
congress by President Monroe on Decem-
be- 2. 1873. confined tho following words:
i've owe q 10 candor and 20 the amicabie
relations existing between the United
States and the allied powers. 10 declare
that we should consider any attempt on
their part &c extend the!r system to any
portion or this hemisphere IS dangerous
10 our peace and safe:Y." II In true that
with the development Of the United States
into a power OF this first magnitude and
with the diffusion Of parliamentary gov
eminent o. the other side or the Atlantic.
the apprehension OF danger 20 our free
institutions from the Cor:igu!ty OF men
archical systems has ib tarEs measure Dis
appeared. But that. outside of any terrors
on their own account the people OF the
United States conceive that they have
speclai righ,. and special duties In the
TWO Americas, rights and duties which
mlght he obstTicted by the extension OF
European domini0ns within oar sphere
OF influence. is explicitly declared in the
ensuing words ~ the message % President
Monroe: with the existing colonies or
dependencies c. any European power We
have no. interfefed aa3 saali not inter
fero; bat with the governments which
have declared their independence ana
maintained Il. and whose Independence wa
have on great conslc erRtiSU aud Just pYiu-
cipleS Acknowledged. we could not view
an Interpolation for depressing them. or
..H aN.s -
by any European power, tr any other light
than as manifestation Of an unfriendly
disposition toward the nited States"
II is these words which render uu-
mlstakeble TIE application o. the
Monroe doctrine "a the Nenezuela
boundery dispute. Scarcely viii any one.
We fancv. argue that tie forclble dismem-
berment o. an American republics terri
tory Is dlstiugulshabie from an attempt 10
subvert its liberties or 10 control It's aes-
tiny. To an attempt Ia draw such "A DIS
tinctio0 Venezuela could reply that You
take ny lie when you do take the means
whereby / live" ana that. should England
assume "A commanding position az the
mouth OF he Ortn0Co. she would IN the
eJrictest sense control the destiny Of tho
Venezuelan nouweaith: she would. IN
truth. have set her hand upon las throat
Much the same thing may he said - EnE-
lands apparent determine tion 20 take pos
session of the invariably extensive and
rich aurlfeToUs deposits on the hanks OF
the Nuruan river in the Venezuelan terri
tory of Uruary. The tremendous s{ru,r-
canoe 81 the double wrong Indicted may Ia
measured in q sentence. X IS as II Great
Britain during Our civil war. taking a van
taSe ground OF proximity ard believing us
incapable ~ sclt -dvfsnse. had undertaken
to rob us. en- the one hand. 81 California.
and on the other. 81 The control Of the
Mississippi