The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-12-21
TWISTING TIE LIONS TAIL.

y NAS "a oOAASS
ton on congress and the country gen
orally last Tuesday in his special mes
sage on the Venezuelan boundary dis
pute. In strong and dignified language
he informs all concerned, England in
particular and the world in general,
that the famous doctrine Of President
Monroe will be upheld as long as the
republic stands. Some people may call
such utterances lingo. but in our Opin-
ion, to use the expressive ~vernacular of
these diggings, it is red hot stuff"
and for once in his checkered political
career, Grover Cleveland is with the
people-or, more properly speaking
the people are with Grover Cleveland.
The whole controversy is reviewed
in the message. and the diplomatic cor
respondence which accompanied it.
,England's original contention was that
facts. favorable to Her maiesty's gov
eminent. existed. and with which our
government was not conversant. In
the second stage Of the controversy the
English premier intimated that the
condition which gave it life had passed
away, and that it was not applicable in
the Venezuelan matter.
The president. however, takes an en-
tirely different view, and assures Lord
Salisbury that the famous doctrine will
be absOlete only when the republic
ceases to exist and says:
ut wiz be seer from the correspon-
dence herewith submitted that this
proposition has been declined by the
British government upon grounds
which, under the circumstances, seem
to me to be far from satisfactory. 1t is
deeply disappointing that such an ap-
peal, actuated by the most friendly
feelings toward both nations directly
concerned, addressed to a sense of JUS
@tice and to the ~magnanimity Of one OF
the great powers OF the world. and
touching its relations to one compare
lively weak and small, should have
produced no better results.
The course to be pursued by this gov.
eminent in view of the present condi.
ton does not admit of a serious doubt.
Having labored faithfully for many
years to indu~a Great Britain to sub
NIT this dispute to impartial arbitra
ton. and having 20 been finally ap
prised of her refusal to do so, nothing
remains but to accept the situation, t
recognize its plain requirements an(
deal with it accordingly. Great Brit
aims present proposition has neve.
thus far been regarded as admissabl.
by Venezuela though any adjustment
of the boundary which that countr,
may deem for her advantage and ma,
enter into OF her " free will, cannot
OF course, be objected to by the United
States. Assuming, however, that tn,
attitude of Venezuela will remain IN
changed, the dispute has reached sucl
a stage as to make it now incumben
upon us to tax measures to determin,
with sufficient certainty for its justif
cation what is the true divisional lin,
between the republic of Venezuela an,
British Guiana. An enquiry to tina
end should, of course, be cOnducte.
carefully and judicially. and du,
weight given all available evidence
records and tscte in support of tn,
clai@s OF both parties. Ia order tina
such Ell examination should be prose
cutec in a thorough and satisfactor,
manner succes; that congress maxi
an adequate appropriation for the ex
penses OF q commission 20 be appointed
by the executive, who shall make tn,
necessary Investigations and report up
on the mater with the less, possibl,
delay.
When such a repor, is made and &C
cepced il will, in my opinion. be tn,
duty Of the United States to resist, by
every means in its power as a wilfu
aggression upon its rights and il terestl
the appropriation OF Great Britain o
any lands OF the exercise OF govern
mental Jurisdiction over any territor,
which, after investigation, We have de