Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-29
THURSTON'S GREAT EFFORT
First Set Speech in the Senate of Nebraska
Junior Member
MONROE DOCTRINE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
Relieves In n strict Adherence 10 the
Doctrine Embodied in the Davis
Resolution ana Takes Issue
with senator woicott.

WIN tne closest attention throughout.
Senator Thurston said in part: THE adop
tion Of the resolution reported by the com
, mittee on foreign affairs will present a CRANE
: international issue which may hold mucl
menace to the worlds peace; an issue whicl
sincerely hope and profoundly believe vii
be resolved to the abiding peace and honol
and permanency Of this republic. but which
1t is useless to deny may precipitate upon
our beloved country all the disasters and hor-
rors and sacrifices which would inevitably
follow should the two great English speaking
nations of the globe remit their differences
to the arbtrament Of arms l cannot assume
these responsibilities; l dare not vote for
the pending resolution without first sub.
hitting to the deliberate Judgment of man
kind and the dispassionate criticism of pos.
terty some of the reasons which seem tc
make my path Of duty plain.
Were there nothing at stake but a mere
adjustment of a boundary line between Vene-
zuela and British Guiana, | should hesitate
long and seriously before voting to commit
this government to any interference. 1t is
difficult to believe, and impossible to demon
| strate, that our honor is involved, our pres
tige threatened, or our tranquility disturbed
by any disposition which can possibly be made
of distant strip of South American marsh
and mountain But the present question
rises high above any Venezuelan dispute.
| The British prime minister, the accredited
mouthpiece of the strongest empire of Chris
tendon, has seen fit to officially declare and
to advise this government that the Monroe
| doctrine has no place in the law OF nations
| and is net accepted or recognized by any
| European power. The challenge thus broadly
thrown down by Great Britain must be taken
up by this republic or the Monroe doctrine
| is thing of the past.
WOLCOTT AND SALISBURY.
| "Mr. President the British position, bluntly.
| almost insolently, stated by Lord Salisbury,
| has been reasserted from this floor; clothed
| in such splendid rhetoric and presented with
| such feryid eloquence as even to win Amer
| lean applause. | unhesitatingly assume that
the applause was for the matchless ability
of the orator, and not for the sentiment OF
his address. / cannot believe that the views
| of the senator from Colorado Will commend
| themselves to the deliberate judgment OF
the American people. They may be salts
| factory to the money changers. England
| can crack the whip for them; but, thank
| God! the money changers are not the Gus
todians of the nations conscience. Iney
| may be approved by Wall street, for Wall
| street represents that powerful foreign syn
| dcate which seeks to dominate the financial
and industrial policy of this country; put
Wall street cannot dictate to the senate oil
| the United States. IL our people ever become
so senle and degraded as to be willing to
| list the honor of the nation on the Stock
| exchange, to go up and down with the mar
| ket. it will time to turn the pictured lace
of Washington to the wall and TO cast the
sword of Grant into the sea.
"Mr President have the most profound
admiration and respect for the senator from
Colorado I know how intensely American ne
is His patriotism cannot be questioned or
bis sincerity doubted. / know how strong
must be the convictions which lead MN TO
lift his voice against the known sentiments
of his countrymen. l agree with the senator
that this is net the time to stir up puplic
passion to appeal to any preJudices tnat may
exist against England; to fan the flame OF
any incipient war sentiment: but must IN
sist that this is time of all others 10 can
forth the highest expression or loyalty anu
devotion 10 American institutions; l must IN
sist that this is the supreme hour for dlgni-
fed. positive and solemn declaration OF the
American purpose, clearly, calmly and de-
liberately stated.
"Mr. President, it is gravely argued that
our country has outgrown the necessity for
anv further enforcement of the Monroe doc
trine.
OUR NATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
at Is contended upon this floor that our
neighboring republics are not worthy OF our
sympathy or assistance because of the insta-
blity of their established forms of govern |
mont and CT the ignorant and helpless char
acter of their populations. Any country |
which has shown its ability to rid itself OF
despotism is worthy Of our announcement
and substantial aid in all its struggles ana
all its efforts to secure for its people |
greater measure of liberty, enlightenment and |
civilization than they now enjoy. That same |
Providence which has blessed us with its |
gracious favor has placed us in the position |
of responsibility ard guardianship toward !
the weaker American republics We cannot |
think Of our obligations a nation and alb |
solve ourselves from the performance OF those |
duties which Providence has imposed upon us.
81 am not unmindful of the seriousness |
and gravity of the present situation. We are |
calling a halt upon that settled policy of ag-
gresson and dominion which has character
lied the extension Of the British empire from
the hour in which her first adventurous PROV
turned to unknown seas But does this fur
nish any reason why Americans should
abandon any settled policy of the United
States or retire from any position which the
honor Of the republic and the welfare of
America require that we should assume.
Mr.. President, our people have been repre-
sented as eager for war, and the senator
from Colorado seems to believe that 1t Is
necessary to cool their ardor by d'sparage-
ment of the Monroe doctrine and euiogium OF
British grandeur. Ours is mighty nation
but its people are slow to wrath. They be
lieye in the divine doctrine taught by the
lowly Nazarene on the shores of Galllee. But
there is no other land In which the honor OF
the nation Is SC dear; there Is no other land
in which the love OF country. of liberty and
of Justice is 80 strong; there is no other land
whose citizens would sacrifice so much to
maintain its institutions or defend its soil.
PATIENT UNDER WRONG.
"The people of this country have always
been patient and long suffering under wrong.
They have never provoked wars, and have
never taken up arms until driven to 1t for
the preservation Of their most sacred rights.
"Sir, Great Britain has mistaken the
temper of the people of this country in the
past, as she mistakes it now. Tho English
people profess to believe that the United
States dare not stand up for the Monroe
doctrine at this time, because they say the
people Of the south would gladly take ad-
vantage of a declaration Of war to renew
the old internal contest. Standing upon the
floor of the American senate, knowing
whereof / speak, | say to the people of Great
Britain that the grave issues which have
been settled by brave men upon American
battefelds can never be reopened again.
Sir, there Is no division of sentiment in
the United States. Let but single drum
beat be heard on our coasts announcing the
approach of a foreign foe and there will
spring to arms In the north and the south
the grandest army the world has ever known,
animated by a deathless loyalty to their
flag and marching to the
mingled and inspiring strains OF our two ma
tloral airs, yankee Doodle" and Dixie"
"Mr. President, the press of Great Britain
has already seized upon the utterances OF
the senator from Colorado an indication
that the people Of this country are ready
to abardon whatever plan we now hold Of
duty and responsibility toward the republics |