Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-01-14
VENEZUELA,

Now that the war cloud seems to be
quietly floating by we can take time
to investigate little. Where is Vene-
zuela and what is the furry about? 1t
is South American Republic about
two thousand miles from us. Vene-
zuela owns part of the territory and
England owns a part. The boundary
line between the two countries has
been in dispute for many years, but
nothing was thought of it until quite
recently. Additional gold mines have
been discovered near the line and Eng
land with that abnormal craving for
gold which seems to pervade all man
kind just now has mines and settlers
there and the Venezuelans claim they
are on their side of the line. Neither
country has asked any outside interfer-
ance and for all we know are abund-
antly able to settle the matter them
selves, peaceably if possible, if not,
the other South American Republics
are ready and willing to aid with men
and money i'm case of war with Eng
land. Venezuela can place $50, 900 men
i'm the field; Brazil has promised lOO,-
600 all armed and equipped; Columbia
$4,000, making an army OF 100000,
besides perhaps as many more from
other states.
BY the time England has left home
with her back door unlocked and
sailed 1900 miles with men enough to
meet such force it would seem that
she would have enough to attend to
without Uncle Sam sticking his finger
in the pie. But then there is the Mon
roe Doctrine; what is it? Simply the
opinion of Mr.. Monroe that no foreign
power should acquire any more terri
tory on the Western continent than
they already own, but nothing about
boundary lines; and as yet there is not
an atom of proof that any nation is
trying to get more than belongs to it.
1t might be pertinent question to
inquire where Uncle Sam gets his au-
thority to take this whole Western
hemisphere under the protection of his
coat tails, Notwithstanding what Mr..
Monroe said IS years ago, and whether
under all circumstances he would be
able to carry out the program. But
the jingos say we have got our foot in
it and cannot hOnorably back down.
Nonsense! nothing is more manly and
hOnorably than when one is convinced
he is wrong to acknowledge it. We
have all heard of one George Washing
ton and that he was very quick tenn
pered man. Once upon time he and
Mr.. Payne had heated discussion
and Washington called him liar and
Payne promptly knocked him down.
| The air was full of duds and blood and
thunder from one end of the land to
the other. But as soon as the swelling
had left Washington's eyes so he could
see clearly he called on Payne and
said: "Sir, you have already had some
satisfaction for the insult | gave you
but don't consider it enough and have
called to offer you an apology" No
human being ever accused the Father
of his Country of want of honor,
| courage or patriotism.
There is another doctrine which may
be called the Jackson doctrine, perhaps
not as well known as the Monroe doc
trine, but just rs applicable to the
present situation. 1t came about lin
this way: A dude statesman was lee
turing Jackson on his uncouth appear
ance, long hair, cob pipe, etc. The
old hero got mad and said to his yisi-
tor: "By the Eternal, | have known
people who succeeded remarkably we'll
by minding their own business"
! The one bright side of this Venezue-
In question is that it has shown that
patriotism i'm this country is rs strong
rs ever and if it should ever be neces-
sary to call for soldiers there would be
no North, no South, no parties, but all
a unit for the honor of the old flag.
| II. A. B.