The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-01-15

compelled the Dutch to oede ber portion
Of Guiana. This COLONY Is known as Brit
ish Guiana. II adjo,ns Venezuela Oh the
south. The boundary line OF this province
hos long been In dispute The British
have occupied the disputed territory, and
British miners and ool0nlRers have seized
en- the fertile fields and gold mines there
Failing 10 set any satisfaction from
England after various requests to vacate
the territory, Venezuela appealed to tho
United States. For several years our only
reply to this appeal was in the form OF
mild suggestions to England. These sug-
gestions had little effect.
A iittIo stronger stand was taken in our
next communication on the subject, Eng
land Was asked TO submit the question Of
tho boundary dispute to arbitration. Lord
Sal!sbury's recent answer to this was that
Great Britain had nothing to arbitrats.
Presidents Clnveland's message to con-
gross. which has caused all the war talk,
proposes that a commission be appointed
to settle tho question. Then, II England
Is found to be encroaching ON Venezuelan
territory, she will either have to give up
and get out or daht, provided Uncle Sam
does not buck down, and there Is not much
danger OF his doing that.
The whole question, according to tho
American View Of 1t, Is one Of boundary
lines, and to settle it the commission will
have ~ turn back several pages Of history
and search many musty records.
Purely Territorial Controversy.
The dispute turns wholly upon the
strong demand made by our government
that the territorial controversy I'm Its en-.
sirety" shall be submitted TO impartial ar
b!tration. The outline which the prssi-
dent gives In his annual message of secre-
tary Olney's July dispatch to Elnhasssdor
Bayard says with great Formally that our
government insists ON arbitration a. to the
whole Of tho territory, and in the most
significant words EnglAnd's assumption
that portion Of tho territory already b.
''7gs 20 her, and therefore cannot be put
10 tbs risk Of arbitration, 10 utterly 70
tecte;i.
In the language of the message, "ths
resort to such arbitration should include
the whole controversy and Ia not aatisfed
IL GRO Of the powers concerned is permitted
50 NV an arbitrary line through the ter
ritory In debate and to declare that ii will
submit TO arbitration oniy the portion ~.
!ne Oh one aldo Of It."
he arbitrary line" referred TO IN the
PRESIDENTS nessngs Is the famous Schom-
burgk line, beginning at the mouth Of the
Orinoeo rivor and pursuing ON irregular
course southwark to the Brazilian frontier.
Il hA k.A
insists upon "a the extreme possible bound.
airy OF tho Venezuelan republic, and he
refuses absolutely to submit to arbitration
any OF tho territory east OF 1t. AS matter
Of fact, England Is now and has been for
moro than ten years In full control Of all
the country east OF the Schomburgk. But
Venezuela asserts lhat throughout that
region, extending o. far as the Esseauibo
kiver, the British nro mere usurpers, and
he United States substantially Endorses
he assertion by refusing to sanction Brit.
oh occupation there unless the English
itle can bo established by impartial arbi-
ration.
To fully understand the significance OF
bur governments position respecting the
merits Of tho case and Its support OF Vene-
zuela g demand for arbitration Of tie terri.
torisl question "in It's eutiraty" Is Is nee
essary to 60 buck for q period Of about
nine years.
On Feb. II, 1888, Mr. Bsyard, then sso-
rotary OF state, nddresssh Ia Minister
Phelps In London a long COZ munioation
regarding recent aoss Of Brit 81 aggression
IN Venssuelan territory In it he said:
THE government OF .iAE United States
has hitherto taken an ear 1t and friendly
interest in the question boundar,es 90
long in dispute between |. Brita,n and
'ehe@ueia' anu, so far lisinterestet
eoehse'f We're "dmissi advocated