St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-19
IN VARYING LIGHTS
Do London Newspapers View the
New Plan of ArbitrntiOn

LONDON, Feb. 1S-The arbitration debate
in the house of commons yesterday and the
proposal OF the Times correspondent in the
United States, George w. Smalley, that Great
Britain should appoint commission of its
own, consisting of two members which should
work in conjunction with the two Americans
as new Venezuela boundary commission, not
TO fix the boundary but to ascertain the facts
and report to their governments, are the lead
ing subjects for editorial comment this after
neon, especially as Mr.. Smalley's proposal for
joint commission is supposed to have orig
mated with the cabinet at Washington.
The Pail Mall Gazette says: Mr.. Atherly-
jones amendment (deploring the absence of a
announcement in the queens speech in favor
of arbitrating the Venezuela dispute) could not
do good, and might do a great deal of harm.
Mr.. Atherly-Jones is old enough to know that
the interference of the house of commons in
matters under diplomatic treatment must be
intolerable. The amendment, implying CEN
sure Of the government, would infallibly have
been negatived by a large majority and would
thus have defeated its own ends and have con-
yeyed to the United States entirely falla-
cious impression of hostility. This on the
morning Of the very promising suggestion of
Mr.. Smalley, might have been a very serious
calamity.
The Westminster Gazette says that it en-
tirely sympathizes with the object of Mr.
Atherly-Jones' amendment, adding. however,
but it was clearly desirable after Mr.. Bal
tours appeal and Sir William Vernon Har-
courts speech that it should not be persevered
in, for it's certain rejection would have been
the house Of commons did not favor arbitra-
tion."
The st. James Gazette agrees that Mr. Bal
tours Intervention in the debate yesterday in
order to end it was justifiable and says: ''But
Sir William Vernon Harcourts utterances on
arbitration go great deal further than is JUS
titled by the feeling here"
The Chronicle says Sir William Vernon Har-
court most mischievously declares that the
country is answerable for arbitration, without
specifying what arbitration. Nothing but
harm can come of this mystifcation. Another
ambiguity was introduced, by Mr.. Smalley S
suggestion, which seems to be entirely prema-
ture, until some arrangement has been effected
with Venezuela that occupation shall be the
basis of settlement.
The Globe says it is not surprised to learn
that the scheme commends itself to President
Cleveland and his ministers, continuing
They have taken UP untenabe ground, and
virtually ask our assistance to enable them to
retire gracefully. 1t is often good policy TO
build golden bridge for an adversary, but il
must not be too costly, and cost in the present
instance is too great, and it has the fatal de-
jects and territory claimed by Venezuela abso-
lutely in the hands of an unknown foreigner.
This sacrifice President Cleveland has no
right to call from us. America has no CORE
spending interest to put at stake as an equiva-
lent, and we cannot consent to leave the posi-
ton and property of forty thousand English
men at the mercy Of Swiss, Belgian or Scan
dinavian arbitrator