The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-18


There viii be plenty Of lingo talk in
the Senate within few days. Senator's
who want their constituents TO know just
where they stand on the Venezuela boun-
Diary question are understood 10 be writing
speeches 10 be delivered on a resolution
defining the Monroe doctrine which the
Senate committee on foreign relations
adopted yesterday. and which viii be re-
ported TO the Senate on Monday.
This resolution is a more radical inter
probation Of the Monroe doctrine than that
contained in the Presidents Venezuela
message. The President said that the ac-
quirement by European power by force
Of additional territory on this continent
would be regarded in an unfriendly light
by the United States. It is the under
standing that the measure proposed by
the Senate committee on foreign relations
says that the acquisition Of additional
territory on the Western Hemisphere by
a European power by force. purchase or
otherwise would be regarded as an I'M
friendly act by the United States.
1t is not clear. what especial advantage
the Senate expects TO gain by making
declaration Of this sort at this time. II
is thought that no such declaration
would be approved by the House, not be-
cause the House is not in full sympathy
with anything which is meant to check
British greed for land, but because of the
ACCESSIBILITY of letting the President bring
about a settlement of the Venezuelan
boundary dispute on the lines laid down
in his Venezuelan message.
There are senators. probably. who do not
expect that the resolution win be adopted
by congress. That fact. however. cuts
no figure in their programme which APP
pears to be to make an opportunity for
the delivery of patriotic speeches that may
increase their Importance among their
constituents. The President has got all
the glory out Of the Venezuela matter thus
far. and that is not satisfactory to them.
They themselves want a little Of what
ever glory there is to be had.
The resolution the committee on for
oign relations has adopted is one that
ought to be given very careful considera-
tion, because It win most likely meet with
the opposition Of all the European powers.
The position which the committee takes
is a good way in advance of that taken
by the President. If the resolution should
be adopted the United States would he
placed in The position not only of pro-
tecting the South American states from
European aggression, but also of prevent
ing those states from doing certain things
which they might desire to do-that Is,
if the resolution is what it is understood
to be- 1t might be the means of invoiv>
ing us in trouble with some one of the
European states at any time and even
with the South American states.
For instance. If our Venezuelan commits
sion should find that Great Britain has
10 right to the territory which she is
claiming in Venezuela, and Venezuela
should agree to let Great Britain have the
territory for a money consideration what
would the position of the United States
be If the resolution of the Senate commit
tee ON foreign relations should be adopt
ed? Would we not have both Great Bril-
tain and Venezuela for enemies If We
should attempt to carry out that resolu-
tion by preventing a transfer of the ter
ritory in question to Great Britain?