The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-02-07
THE SUPREME iHOU &.
Mr.. THURsToN INSISTS ON.
A DECLARATION.
The Dignity OF this Nation and Its Obliga-
tions to Weaker Republics Force the
Issue Agai1 English Aggrcssion-sen-
ator Woleost position Criticised. .

-sn, 3finsi Of Nebraska (Republican)
aoiftinrlged the Senate to-day on the
Davis RESOLUTION, which is intended as
declAration by the United States of
tr;,,a T.; Interpretation 4 Of the Monroe doc
SenaRor Thurston said in part:
''Were there nothing at stake but
mere adjustment of a boundary line
between Venezuela and British Guiana
l should hesitate long and seriously
before voting to commit the govern
ment to any interfere nee. It is diff
cult to believe, and impossible to dem
onstrate, that our honor is involved,
our prestige threatened. or our tran
guilty disturbed by any disposition
which can possibly be made Of d is
tant strip Of South American marsh
and mountain. But, the present ques-
ton arises high above any Venezuelan
dispute. The British prime minister,
the accredited mouthpiece of the
strongest empire Of Christendom, has
seen tit to officially declare, and to ad-
wise this government, that the Mon
roe doctrine has no place in the law
OF nations and is not 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 a thing Of the past.
'Mr. President, the British position
bluntly, almost insolently stated by
Lord Salisbury, has been re-asserted
from this floor. 1 cannot believe that
the views of the Senator from Colo
rado (Wolcott) will commend them
selves to the deliberate Judgment of
the American people. They may be
satisfactory to the money changers
England can crack the whip for them;
but thank God the money changers
are not the custodians of the con-
science They may be approved by
Wall street, for Wall street presents
that powerful foreign syndicate which
seeks to dominate the financial and in
dustrial policy of this country; but
Wall street cannot dictate to the Sen
ate of the United States. If our people
ever become so senile and degraded
as to be willing to list the honor of
the nation on the stock exchange to
go up and down with the market, it
will be time to turn the picture Of the
face of Washington to the wall and
cast the sword of Grant into the sea.
Il agree with the Senator that this
is no time to stir up public passion; to
appeal to any prejudices that may
exist against England; to fan the
flame Of ah incipient war sentiment;
but must insist that this is a time of
all others to call forth the highest ex-
preston Of loyalty and devotion to
American institutions; I must insist
that this is the supreme hour for
dignifed, positive and solemn declara-
tion of the American purpose, clearly,
calmly, deliberately stated.
1t is gravely argued that our coun-
try has outgrown the necessity for
any further enforcement of the Mon
roe doctrine. It is contended upon
this floor that our neigh boring repub-
lies are not worthy of our sympathy
because Of the Inability OF their estab
lished forms Of government and of the
ignorant a 4lelpless character of
their popul y Ms, Any country which
has shown Ia ability to rid itself Of
despotism is worthy of our encourage
ment aud substantial aid in all it's
struggles and all it's 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
it's gracious favor has placed us in the
position of responsibility and guard
ianship toward the weaker American
republics. We cannot think of our
obligations as a nation and absolve
from the performance of
Q. .ose duties which providence has i'm
: rics ibed upon us.
u =. sstsSir, Great Britain has mistaken the
temper of the people of this country
in the past as she mistakes it now.
The 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 advan-
tage of a declaration of war to renew
the old internal contest. Standing
upon the floor of the American Senate,
knowing whereof speak, i say to the
people of Great Britain that the grave
issues which have been settled by
brave men upon American battlefelds
can never be reopened again. There
is no division of sentiment in the
+ United States. Let a single drumbeat
be heard upon our coasts announcing
the approach of foreign foe and
there will spring to arms, in North
and South, the grandest army the
world has ever known: animated by {
deathless loyalty to their country's
flag and marching on to the mingled
and inspiring strains of our two Ma
tional airs, Yankee DOODLE anc
- - d Di IL. x: e. e -
Believing that the honor OF m.
country is involved, that the hou
y { j . & . 4