Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-12

right to interpose In any controversy by
which their own interests are affected. and
they are entitled to judge whether their in
| terests are affected and in what measure
| they shall be sustained. That Is a general
doctrine upon which all states act. Upon
| this Is founded the balance of power. and
upon that ground Great Britain interposed
In Belgium. Greece, Turkey and many other
places. The Monroe doctrine is not an ex-
| tension OF this principle, it Is a lmita ton
| Of what other states claim to exercise every
where. President Monroe limited 1t to the
American continent, and the United States,
| following the wise teaching of Washington,
have declared their d.sinclfnation and de-
termination not to interfere in the contro-
versies of the European powers, but they
have declared the controversies of the
American continent to be Of special interest
| to themselves, and they will judge when and
how they are called upon to interfere. That
| feeling is not disputed in the queens speech,
and rejoice to see that it states wish to
| United States, and the only practical ques-
| ton remaining is whether the doctrine has
been invaded in the case of Venezuela. The
United States have not made any pronounce
ment upon this question, but have appointed
commission to inform their judgments
upon the subject.
The American Commission.
"It has been stated that the appointment
| of this commission was an offense to the
people and government CT Great Britain.
| Happily, the government does not take that
| view. The commission is to inform the gov
| eminent of the United States. with which
our government desires to cooperate. How
can the United States of America cooperate
with US unless they have the information
which will enable them Incorporate in set
Ting the boundary?
Il regret the delay in the publication Of
the English case. l should have thought
that before Secretary Olney was answered
all the materials would have been ready to
lay before the United States and the world
at large. We do not desire to claim any
territory to which We are not clearly emit
tied, and the question is what is that terri
tory? 1t is the business of the diplomats to
come to a reasonable settlement in such
matter. Diplomacy has had this matter in
hand for half a century, and a mighty bad
hand it has made of 1t, in my opinion. 1t
is not creditable that question of this
| character should have been allowed to
tester until 1t has broken open into dan
gerous sore to breed bad blood between
two great nations. 1t is the first duty of
the government to take measures, without
| delay to heal this sore. cloud cheers)
Prompt Solution Demanded.
What the country demands without dis
tinction of party is that the dispute should
be brought to an honorable solution prompt
ly. (CheersD
IF it is proved that rights of Venezuela
have not been invaded by Great Britain,
the united states OIL America VIII nave no
cause for complaint. If We have occupied
territory to which We have no title we must
not make any pretense to maintain that
occupation: The question must be settled
on the evidence, and what objection can
be raised to the arbitrament Of third
party?
The people of Great Britain and the
United States of America have already set
tied important questions by arbitration, and
it cannot be admitted that this question is
beyond the reach of arbitration. The gov
eminent does not reject arbitration, and
the only question left is the limitation of
the boundary. There is a general desire
that justice should be DONE
TrunsvaaI and Armenia.
Referring to the Transvaal, Sir William
Vernon Harcourt paid a high compliment
to Mr.. Chamberlain for his skillfull conduct
of the affair, and said that he thought his
tory had but few examples of such moder-
alton as had been displayed by President
Kruger, under circumstances of unparalleled
ed provocation.
Turning to Armenia. Sir William Har-
court said that to say the reference to this
subject in the queens speech is disappoint-
ing and totally unworthy of the subject will
represent the feeling of the country. Con-
tinuing, he remarked:
These crimes are matters for our special
concern, as We are parties to the guarantee
OF the powers. The whole point of the
treaty OF Berlin is that there was cove
rant upon the part of the sultan to carry
| out reforms and guarantee upon the part
| OF the powers of Europe to see that these
| reforms were effected.
u nder the Cyprus convention Great
| Britain specially covenants to defend
Turkey In Asia in return for which Turkey
covenants to protect the Christians in Ar
menia. The support we have given Turkey
| was conditional upon the covenants which
the sultan has foully broken.
rs this to be the outcome of the great
Anglo-Turkish policy of 1887"
finn, tro
scribed Lord Salisburys recent speech on
the subject of Armenia as an Unparalleled
confession of diplomatic insolvency and
national impotence"
Passing to the other topics of the sneech
Sir William Harcourt expressed confidence
that the house would support the necessary
increase in the navy.
Sir William concluded his speech by say
IL e: Il am glad to find that the govern
| ment has not contemplated a return to
protection or tampering with the cur
rency."
Mr.. Balfour Replies.
A. ]. Balfour, first lord of the treasury,
| and conservative leader in the house was
loudly cheered when he arose to reply to
the liberal leader. He said:
"Sir William Harcourt has devoted much
time to attacking the view which the gov
eminent has never held. Neither 1 nor my
friends ever said that the Monroe doctrine
was one to which we had right to object.
1t is of British origin, and do not see any
reason why We should criticise 1T.
THE American commissioners (on the
Venezuelan boundary nave applied to us
to aid them with any information we have
on the Venezuelan subject and we have
promised to give them all the information
We are able to give at tine earliest possible
moment. CheersD No false pride or dplo-
| matte punctiiio will be allowed to stand
in the way of a settlement, as far as we
are concerned
But there are duties requiring diplo-
matte enforcement. We owe a duty to our
children, our colonies ard those occupying
them; and this country would not deserve
to retain the confidence oe the colonies I'M
less we-convinced them that we were ready
and willing to defend them, and in a case
in which We are right we should not aban-
Con them. (Cheers)
1T is impossible to fores &c with certainty
what will be the general conclusions ar
rived at by the American commission or by
| those called upon to investigate the Brit
ish case. But one conclusion, 1 am GER
| tain will be reached by every one who i'm
partially investigates; he will be convinced
that there has never been the slightest in
| tention on the part of this country to VIC
late the substance or essence Of the Mon
roe doctrine. Whatever other conclusion
the commission may arrive at, It will most
assuredly reach the conclusion that no de-