The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-08
ONLY ONE SURE WAY
III BRITAIN WANTS OUR FRIEND
SHIP SHE MUST BACK DOWN.
MIR. Norman Reiterates Salisbury's
Great Opportunity Is tn Arbitrnte
the Venezuelan Dispute.

special commissioner of the Daily Chron-
icle, cables his paper from Washington as
follows
There is a heroic way of settling the
whole difficulty fraught with honor
to both governments and with results
of priceless worth to both peoples.
The present delay consists in the
fact that the United States govern
ment considers itself I'm honor bound to in
sist on a certain course which the British
government considers itself i'm honor bound
TO refuse to adopt. Every day spent here
has convinced me more strongly that 1t Is
impossible to exaggerate the seriousness of
such an international situation. IL the
British public is Duled by the optimistic
sentiments of New York, il may find itself
suddenly face to face with an appalling
danger. If the American government acts
only in the belief that because Great Brit
ain is threatened with an European crisis,
therefore. she will knuckle down to any
American demand, it may suddenly dis
cover that the European crisis has blown
over and that war with England Is on its
hands. In all the government departments
here the situation is regarded as very seri-
Gus, despite every effort made on behalf
of -eace.
Now. the kernel of the dispute being the
principle Of arbitration, the solution may
be found therein also. If Lord Salisbury
will say that, although he must maintain
his refusal to arbitrate on Venezuela by it
self, he is prepared TO conclude a treaty
with the United States, under which all
questions failing of diplomatic settlement
shall be submitted to arbitration, and that
this, of course, would include Venezuela, as
tor I'M lu1e 10
government, 1 know, will receive his COM
munication with warm sympathy. Herein
is a dignified and. indeed, the most simple
and friendly escape from the deadlock.
Remember that resolution to this ef-
feet was adopted by Congress on April 4,
1890. and responded to by a resolution of
the House of Commons, supported in it's
decision by Mr. Gladstone on June 16. 1893.
A second joint resolution of Congress was
introduced in the Senate by Senator Allison,
on June 20, 1894, and referred to the commit
tee on foreign affairs, where 1t still re-
mains.
1.-Two things block the way. The first is
that If any arbitration treaty was ever un-
der discussion ii was laid aside when Con-
gress, by refusing those $425, 900, temporarily
invalidated the Paris Boring Sea Commits
sion award. But, as have already cabled, a
treaty is partly concluded. to which Amer
lea. Canada and the British ambassador in
Washington have all assented, placing this
matter in direct way of. settlement. 1
observe that the statement is to-day cabled
from London that this treaty is blocked by
Ganada's refusal The statement s is en-;
finally agreed. Ii only awaits the assent OF
the Foreign Office for this treaty to become
operative. l reassert there is both surprise
T.
gently desirable that the treaty be pressed
forward. AS soon as this is done the first
difficulty will have been removed.
The second difficulty in the English
feeling that any action now would APP
pear to be due to American threats, In
reply to this it is quite certain that neither
President Cleveland nor Mr. Olney consider
themselves to be threatening to England.
They only desired, after years of fruitless
OF their own country clear beyond the
| chance of further misunderstanding. If
Lord Salisbury has any doubt on this point
| channels Mr.. Bayard or Sir Julian Paunce-
| fote. will. | am convinced. dispel the no.
ton that the American government DELHI
| erately adopted a menacing attitude not
Moreover. if Lord Salisbury is agsrieSed by
the expressions of the American government
the American government in its turn con,
| siders itself legitimately aggrieved by Lord
| Salisbury's tone and his virtual poo-pooing
| a doctrine which they had formally declared
they regarded as vital to the national well
| fare. Therefore. these sentiments balance
each other, and there Is every ground for
| mutual agreement and assurances that no
| offense was intended.
These two are the only things in the
path leading to grand recognition before
| the whole world of the principles of arbi-
! tration between civilized nations. The
| British public are ready. i am confident
| that the American public are equally ready
| and L know that the American govern
| ment is ready. This being so, what blocks
| the way TO an almost immediate removal
| of Venezuela from the field of international
| discussion, and the complete restoration OF
cordial relations between two peoples. who
while only ready to fight for principle
are even reader to agree on a civilized set
| IF Lord Salisbury is able to move diplo
| matcally in the direction indicated, it /.
! certain that the meeting of the Venezuelan
| commission would be instantly adjourned
| uatil the time was ripe for common dis
| cussion of the question when the treaty
| 1t were my last word, that ii would be
lamentable mistake for England to believ,
that there Is any division Of opinion worth
| considering in this country. Washington, fa
more than New York, is the pulse of tn,
United States, and have been feeling tina
spite criticism or contradiction that Amer
lea will speak practically one voice in sup
port of the Cabinet in the Venezuelan mat
ter. If Lord Salisbury decides that ii /
impossible to take any step let him an,
England at least recognize what is the al
tentative.
An editorial in the Chronicle justifies Am
er!ca's aspiration to dominate the forma
ton OF international law on the American
continent as England in her time dominate,
Europe. 1t must be recognized that Amer
lea never acquired an inch of civilized terri
Cnv,t -