Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-21
COL. BILL DENSON'S VIEWS How He Was Impressed by the
 Presidents Message.
WHAT GOV. OATES OMITTED
Characteristic Interview With the 0utspokea Ex-Congressman From the Seventh
 District.

his home at Gadsden on a brief business
 trip, intending to return this morning.
 As usual, he is the picture of good
 health and sanguine spirits, of which no
 reverse, political or otherwise, can de-
 prive him.
 He talked last evening with character
 istic freedom, humor and eloquence about
 the absorbing questions of tfe day in
 frank response to pumping interrogato-
 ries. Asked what he had to say for him.
 self on the presidents Venezuelan mes
 sage. Colonel Denson's face took on great
 gravity as he responded thus:
 'I have read the presidents message
 with a great deal of care, and 1 heartily
 approve it. I think it is a brave, timely,
 American deliverance. Indeed, it is the
 one thing truly and conspicuously Ameri-
 can to which he has given utterance
 since his second term began. This in it.
 self is somewhat remarkable, but there
 is to me another circumstance incidental
 to the message, or rather in the sequence
 of it, that is strangely singular. It IS in
 the effect of the message. We are all
 naturally interested in what the world at
 home and abroad has to say of the most striking executive expression that has
 come from the white house in very many
 years. I say that in noting the comments
 of the press and the dispatches giving
 the views of prominent citizens, II IS
 passing singular to me that in what Gov
 efnor Oates of Alabama is reported to
 have said on this vastly momentous question that there appears noWhere Tn his interview the pregnant and assuring
 phrase, advised Cleveland. The ap- sence of this familiar expression Of our
 governor which so tersely and beauti- fully SignalzeS the cordial and intimate
 relations between these two great men, constrains me to apprehend that there is something wrong. Was the president
 not advised by Governor oates on this vital occasion, or can it be that our gov ernor was not fully or correctly reported?
 I rather fear that our illustrious govern or failed to advise the president, TOT, mark you, there is another omission Una v hampers my reaching a complete opinion and that Is that at no time in dlscuss- ing this matter and giving the president credit for his share in the determlnatloh of the issue does Governor oates make use of his handy and ingenious express sion, I and MT Cleveland Now II our gold and silver chancellor governor had but stated one of these comforting things, what an assurance 1t would nave peen' at least here in Alabama, that all was wellr'
 "But seriously" added Colonel Denson, after laughing at his little pleasantly, "there will be no war. England en- vironments in other countries, to say nothing of her great interests on the American continent, will impress the British government ultimately that war with the United States would inevitably lead to the impairment of the autonomy and preservation of the British empire England will not fight, not because the English people are not brave ana war like people if need be, but MT. Cleve- lands message itself implies that II England will accept the submission Of the issue to arbitration the United states will accede to it. And then you will see the United States worsted. How so? The Monroe doctrine is not purely and simply a question ol acquisition or ter ritory only by European powers on thls continent, but it reaches further and in wolves the question whether the people of our American countries snail De per mitted to govern themselves with aDso- lute freedom from all threatening inter position of monarchcal powers, which would tend to defeat the right of enjoy ing our republican institutions to their fullest extent. The message leaves open
 the matter of arbitration, which England may adopt. As a matter of course there will be on the board of arbitration rep
 resentatives of monarchical govern ments, and their prejudices will work against us and to England's advantage But in order for the United States to maintain it's dignity and honor and vim dicate the right of our people to self
  ought to be that she must recede from her Venezuelan pretensions or fight Just as the silver people have contended, British tories over here will be found to be goldbugs. The most of the eastern goldbug press will be found opposing war Of course, MT. Cleveland will have | to change his injections from chloride of gold to spirits of American ginger. l would not be surprised to hear of many | of our Alabama goldbugs and cuckoos -I,;, fn hni,. | shots Coming from MT. Cleveland ! they will take it like the little martyr men they are."
 What will congress do, and what if | war does come?" was asked in conclu- | sion.
 'The congress will back the president | in letter and in spirit. It Is now a neces- sty The American people will demand it. The only opposition that will be in terposed will come from the same section and in the same spirit that inspired the Hartford convention of 1912. I hope, if there is indeed to be war and lombard ment of our cities that the British will attend to Boston first, and Lombard Bug zards bay early in the conflict for am confident that in his present fervor of patriotism the president will gladly sac rifice his summer home on the altar of his country. But if I were Governor Oates I would advise the president not to go duck hunting on the North Carolina coast while the brltlSH are eHBdSeu WltH
 their swarming fleets in blockading our
 ports. or they might run off with him to Dry Tortugas, or some other anti-fat
 resort"
 Colonel Denson said in parting that he
 believed the president was not actuated
 by any selfish political motive, as the
 English press suggested, but had given expression to the honest, patriotic ex-
 pression of his heart; and as to the
 third term idea, Cleveland was not a fool He knew he was not bigger than
 Washington or Jefferson, and could not
 accomplish what Grant had failed to do. Colonel Denson hopes that Lon Living
 ston and Bill Scruggs will, in view of
 their familiarity and sympathy with Venezuelan affairs, be appointed on the commission to investigate the boundary question.