The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-23
INCENDIARY.
Wolcott's Opinion Of 0lney's Note to
Salisbury on Venezuela.
M)NR0E DOCTRINE MlSAPPliED.
Errors Made by the President
and by Congress.

WASHINGTON, jan. 23.-Mr. Wolcott's
speech criticising the presidents attitude
on the Venezuelan question was the nota-
BILE event of the senate session yesterday.
For an hour the senator commanded the
attention OF n crowded chamber and over
flowing galleries.
Senator Wolcott's speech was followed
with the closest attention. nearly every
merfber OF the chamber being present.
Born in Massachusetts, n Union soldier,
a studentht Yale and n graduate OF Har-
ward law school, Senator Wolcott Is well
prepared To represent the action against
the Davis resolution n other extreme
forms of jingoism already setting In.
Existing conditions, he said, made IL
difficult to dispassionately discuss she
honroe doctrine Mt this time. 1t was not
nj easy or n gracious task to take q posi-
ton which apparently involved in the
slightest degree the abandonment of that
patriotic fervor which animated the breast
Of every citizen where our national pride
or our country's honor was in question.
There has been much tension for the
past few weeks, The letter of the score
tary OF state to Mr.. Bayard was, from a
diplomatic point of view, almost incendi-
AIRY. The presidents message glowed
with the possibilities of war. Members OF
both houses OF congress followed tho
presid 5 suggestion as to the appoint
ment OF commission with feverlsh
haste. just what the commission was to
do, or how 1t was to do 1t, Mr.. Wolcott
added, nobody knew, but 1t had been
created and 1t now stood more q menac
than a guaranty of peace.
Resentment Still Exists.
The efforts Of the government to fire the
national heart had not been unavailirg
nor was the work difficult. This country,
he said, had had two wars with Great
Britain, and while the past so years had
seen an entire readjustment of all our re-
lations with the mother country, n read
justment which ought TO make future
war with her out of the question, there
were still lurking some traces Of the tradi-
tional resentment.
There Is discomfort, too, with existing
conditions In many sections OF the
try, N men felt that any change, even
war with a foreign country, could not
make matters worse, and might bring i'm
proyement. T%houghtloss though these
views might be, they existed. 1t was
easier, he said, TO drift with such q condi-
ton than to antagonize 1t.
He then proceeded TO condemn tho whole
controversy, SO far rs it was based on the
Monroe doctrine. sit Is" he said, 'and
has ever been, without recognition by
other countries, and has always been re-
fused the approval of congress-"
Mr.. Wolcott entered into an exhaustive
review OF the origin and meaning OF the
Monroe doctrine, and Of It's application by
the United States. He added: Not only
- II -
as n declaration of limited scope and pur-
pose, but the circumstances under which
IL was given TO the world were far differ
ent from those which now exist, and
under present conditions its assertion and
maintenance to the extent claimed by the
president have largely ceased to be Of
paramount importance, IL was essentially
q doctrine OF self-dcfensc, promulgated
for our own preservation and for no other
purpose" He closed by saying:
Whatever Of advancement and Of prog.
ross for the human race the centuries shall
bring Us must largely come, in my opin-
ion, through rho spread OF the religion OF
Christ and the dominance Of the English
speaking peoples, and wherever you find
both you find communities where freedom
exists and law is obcycd. Blood Is thicker
thar water, and until some just quarrel
divides us, which heaven forbid, may
these two great nations of the same
speech and lineage and traditions stan rs
brothers, shoulder to shoulder, in tho In
forrest of humanity by their union com-
polling pcacc aud awaiting tho coming OF
the day when nation. shall not lift sword
against nation. neither shall they learn
wnr any uiOrc.'
Defending southern Republics
Scnor salvador dc Mendonch. minister
from Brazil so the United states, In n
communication to the Washington Post
with rc%fCreucc 10 Mr. ftcprws speech he
fore the Now York Bar association, writes
rs follows;
"Mr. Dcpcw's fears that Venezuela or
Brazil would bc willing TO sell n portion
NJ their territory seems TO carry him 10
tho conclusion Tint u prOtcctoratc ~ the
United States OF America over It's Latin
ncighbors would become indispensable.
In regard 70 this point, Mr.. Dcpew is rs
we1f Informed as in regard to the DISPOSE
ton Of property in the South American