The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-03-22
MONROE DOCTRINE
May Need New Interpretation
to Bring England to Time.

Britishers' Severe Demands Upon Nicara-
qua May Resuit In Lively Diplomatic
| sparring Between Great Nations.
WASHINGTON. March 19-It is impos-
sible to learn positively whether the state
department. has been fully advised off
cially of the severe demands made upon
Nicaragua by Great Britain. as reported
in The cable dispatches from Managua; but
from the fact that General Barrios, who
WAS appointed a special am bassador by the
Nicaraguan government to endeavor to
settle their differences with Great Britain.
has been in Washington for week, and
has paid several visits to the state depart
ment in company with DR.. GuZman, the
resident Nicaraguan minister, 1t Is as
sumed that our own government 10 fully
posted in regard to the matter.
1t cannot be denied that this new in
cident, taken in connection with the
hostile attitude of Great Britain toward
our sister republic of Venezuela, promises
to lead to trouble of a character much
more serious than the little incident of the
Alliance affair, which has caused such a
connection.
The administration is evidently about
to be put in position where it must lay
down new construction of the Monroe
doctrine, or else abandon all concern in
the small republics of Central and South
America In Venezuela, it is alleged, that
the British are steadily extending their
boundary line and encroaching upon Ven
ezuelan territory in spite of the strong
protests of the Venezuelan government,
and the repeated urging OF the United
States that the question of the boundary
should be settled by
A Resort to Arbitration,
not of part of the question, excluding
the main issue as desired by Great Britain,
but by the submission of the whole issue.
But there are also questions Of indem-
nifty arising in Venezuela, growing out of
claims preferred by other European ma
tions, and there are indications noted by
officials here to show that these are being
pressed by concerted action. Many of the
claims for indemnity grew out of the fail
ure of these republics to meet their obliga-
tions to foreign nations under the stress
Of hard times and the influence of the
world wide depression In trade.
AS the European governments appear to
be moving to collect these individual debts
on their own account. 1t is a question that
the United States must speedily settle as
to how far 1t is prepared to permit this
process to go on. AS to Nicaragua, 1t is
felt here that the terms of the British ul-
timatum are unduly severe
Besides, there is u rather disagreesble re-
feotion upon American citizens in the
stipulation that none such shall serve on
the commission to adjudRe the damages
On the whole, it is more than probable
that the president will feel called upon to
interpose to secure, at least, amelioration
of the terms of the ultimatum by an ap-
peal to the British government, represent
ing the great hardship that it will work
to Nicaragua, under the present depressed
of her finances, w prefer de-
mand for SO large an indemnity as S75 0OO.
England's Ultimatum to Nicaragua
demands cash indemnify of 9l5, 600 as
smart money to pay for the expulsion of |
Mr.. Hatch, British consular agent at |
during the troubles there last |
year, and also the appointment Of a COM
mission to adjudicate the damages sus-
tanned by the persons and property of
British subjects who were expelled from
the Mosquito reservation about the same
time
By the terms of the ultimatum, Great
Britain is to name one of the commission
srs and Nicaragua the other, and these
two are to choose third who shall not be
\ citizen of the United States. 1t was also
made known that British warship Is now
IN her way to Nicaragua to enforce the
demands, which must be complied with
within seven weeks from Feb 25 last, the
lay of the ultimatum.