Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-12-20
He Strongly Endorses the Monroe
! Observation-Disclosures It Inter-
f.-~ national Law. : "
England Must Be Brought t,
!. Terms = Boundary Line to
- Be Determined.
President Asks for Power to Appoint
Commission to Settle the Boun-
Diary Line at Once.

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE president
sent to congress Tuesday the Nenezue-
Ian correspondence, accompanied by
the following significant message:
To THE CONGRESS-: In my annual mes
sage addressed to the congress on the
third instant,1 called attention to the pend
Britain and tn republic OF Venezuela and
recited the substance of n representation
mic majesty's government. suggesting rea-
SONS why such dispute should be sub
United to arbitration for settlement and
1nQuiring whether 1t would be SO sub
mitted.
The answer of the British government.
een .aen mas fhe is
pended.
cations addressed by the British minister
to Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British am
nassador at this capital. It WIN be seen
voted exclusively to observations upon the
Monroe doctrine. and claims that in the
present instance a new and strange extern
insisted on by the United States; that the
reasons a justifying an appeal to the doc
generally inapplicable ito the state Of
things in which we live at the present
day" and especially lnapplicable to a con-
trOverSy involving the boundary line be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela.
Tho Monroe Doctrine Strong and Sound.
Without attempting extended argume nt
in reply to these positions, 1t may not be
amiss to suggest that the doctrine upon
cause its enforcement is important to our
peace and safety as a nation and is
essential to the integrity. Of our free insti-
buttons and the tranquil maintenance of
our distinctive form of government 1t
was intended to apply to every stage Of our
" on ha hala
OF power is justly a cause for jealous
anxiety among the governments Of the old
interference, none the less is an observe
ance of the Monroe doctrine of vital con-
Germ to our people and their government.
erly. insist upon this doctrine without re-
tard to the state of things in which we
I've" or any changed conditions here or
elsewhere, 1t is not apparent why Its ap-
Dltcation may not be invoked in the pres
ent controversy.
of its boundaries. takes possession of the
territory OF one Of our neighboring re-
sp9 ts r aannt Is Its m and T. in by
that extent, such European power does not
thereby attempt to extend It's system of
nent which is thus taken This is the pre-.
else action which President Monroe de-
clared to be dangerous, to our peace and
safety. and 1t can make no difference
whether the European system is extended
by an advance of frontier Or otherwise.
that rs N ehe B S Mp
roe doctrine to the pending dispute. be-
cause It does +, not embody any principle Of
general consent 81 Fl. Ssa0oesafs and that mo
tion. however powerfilege . competent to
novel principle which was never recog-
med before, and which has not since been
accepted by the government of any other
Place In Interna tionaI Law
Practically the principle for which we
contend has peculiar II not exclusive rela-
ton to the United States. 1t may not
the code Of International law. but since
in International counsels every nation is
hstea to 1hs d Se M0a to 1t
something we may Justly claim it has it's
place IN the code Of international law as
speeiacally mentioned. and When the
United States is sutton before the high
tribunal that administers International
whether or not we present claims which
the Justice of that code of law can find to
be right and valid
ton In those principles of international
law which are based upon the theory that
every nation shall have its rights protected
md Its just claims enforced.
OF course this government is entirely
confident that under the sanction of this
dehted claims Nor is this ignored in the the
British reply. The prime minister, while
not admitting that the Monroe doctrine
= Is applicable to present conditions, states:
In declaring that the United States would
rests resist any such such enterprise if it was con-
policy which received the entire sympathy
Of the English government of that date"
He further declares: Though the Ian
the attainment of objects which most
Englishmen would agree to be salntary,
It Is impossible to admit that they have
mn odn 10 ~ .t%,
in the code Of international law Again
he says. ."They cher majesty's govern
President Monroe apparently entertained.
that any disturbance of the existing ter
ritorial distribution In that hemisphere by
any fresh acquisitions on the part of any
European state, would be highly inex-
pedient change"
The Proposition to Arbitrate.
In the belief that the doctrine for which
was founded upon substantial consider
atoms and involved our afety and welfare,
that It was fully applicable to our present
progress, and that 1t was directly related
to the pending controversy, and without
any conviction as to the final merits of the
dispute, but anxious to learn In salts
factory and conclusive manner whether
Great Britain sought. under claim of
continent without right, or whether She
merely sought possession of the territory
fairly included within her lines of owner
eminent of Great Britain resort to arbi-
tration as the proper means of settling the
question. to the, end that vexatious
boundary dispute between the two confess
tants might be determined and our exact
standing and relation In respect to the con-
troversy might be made clear.
1t will be seen from the correspondence
herewith submitted that this proposition
has been declined by the British govern
ment upon grounds which In the circum-
stances seem to me to be far from salts
factory. 1t is deeply disappointing that
such an appeal actuated by the most
friendly feeling towards both nations
directly concerned. addressed to the sense
OF justice and to the magnanimity of ono
Of the great powers of the world and touch
1nB us relations TO one comparatively weak
results.
The Course to BE Pursued
Tho course to be pursued by this govern.
not appear to admit Of serious doubt. Hav-
ing labored faithfully for many years to
induce Great Britain to submit this dis
Been now finally apprised Of her n refusal sslf te
DO So, nothing remains but to accept the
eituation. to recognize its plain require
Britain's present proposition has never
thus far been regarded as admissible by
Venezuela, though any adjustment of the
boundary which that country may deem
for her advantage and may enter into of
her own free will cannot of course be OBJ
5ected to by the United States 80
Venexuela will remain unchanged, the
dispute has reached such a stage as to
make i now incumbent upon the United
sufficient. certainty. for its justification
what is the true divisional line between the
republic of Venezuela and British Guiana.
The INQUIRY to that end should Of course