Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-23
THE DAVIS RESOLUTION.


 doctrine as construed by Mir Cleveland. The president, in his message concerning the Venezuelan boundary line, said that any adjustment of the boundary which that country (Venezuela) may deem for her advantage, and may enter into of her own free will, cannot, of course be objected to by the United States"
 This senate resolution, however, seems to deny to Venezuela the right to convey to Great Britain any territory in dispute between them It most positively and un. equivocally opposes the acquiring, on this hemisphere, whether by conquest and violence, or by peaceful treaty, pur- chase or absorption, by any foreign na- tions. of any more territory in addition to what is already owned by them.
 This Davis resolution is not the Mon- roe doctrine. MT. Monroe in his cele- brated message, said:
 We owe it. therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing be- tween the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependen- cies of any European power we have not
  with the governments who have declared their independence and maintained 1t, and whose independence we have on great consideration and on just princl- pies acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of op- pressing them, or controlling in any oth- CT manner their destiny, by any Europe an power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposi- tion toward the United States.
 Our policy in regard to Europe, which was adopted at an early stage of the wars which have so long agitated that quarter of the globe nevertheless re- mains the same, which is not to interfere in the internal concerns of any Of It's powers: to consider the government de facto as the legitimate government for ns; to cultivate friendly relations with 1t, and to preserve those relations by frank, firm and manly policy; meeting, in all instances, the just claims or every power, submitting to injuries from none But in regard to these continents, cir cumstances are eminently and conspleu- ously different. It is impossible that the allied powers should extend their polti-. cal system to any portion Of either con tinent without endangering our peace and happiness; nor can anyone peheVe that our southern brethren dhe states of South America), if left to themselves, would adopt it of their own accord. It is equally impossible. therefore, that we should behold such interposition, in any form, with indifference"
 There is no difficulty in understanding the language of MT. Monroe It was not his intention to interfere with any of the existing dependencies of Great Britain upon this continent. Naturally the exist ing dependencies would at times have disputes with the neighborlng republics as to boundary lines. When such dis putes arise the Monroe doctrine steps in and declares that this government will see that the dependencies of foreign pow CTS do not violate the doctrine by refusing reasonable arbitration as to boundaries. This is what MT. Cleveland has. said and this is all he has said. The Davis doctrine, however, declares that the op- position of the United States to eXten- sion of European domain in America ex- tends quite as much to the question of purchase as of conquest It declares positively that this country will not all low any American nation either to sell or give away any territory it now owns to any European power. American na- tions will be protected in their rights to combine or to acquire territory by pur- chase or conquest from each other, but not to alienate their land to any foreign power.
 It seems to us that congress should call a halt. It will not do to put our selves in the wrong. If Venezuela should choose to settle her boundary line with Great Britain she should be permitted to do so. In such case we would have no right to define her boundaries. It would be a bold and vexatious thing if this ch n we will go to war to prevent one of our sister republics from agreeing with a neighboring European power as to what shall be the boundary between their possessions.
 The most important feature of this Davis resolution Is that which touches upon the report that England and Vene- zuela may reach an agreement. and that English money will settle the boundary dispute The resolution declares that in case boundary disputes on the American continent between foreign governments and American governments are decided by arbitration, agreement, purchase or in any manner whatever the United States shall be the sole judge as to whether the Monroe doctrine has been violated in such arbitration or agreement. In fact, it means that arbitration or agreement between foreign governments and gov ernments on the American continent as to boundary lines cannot become binding or effective unless sanctioned by the United States, and that this government is satisfied that no part of the American continent has been ceded to a foreign power by such arbitration or agreement This practically makes the United States the arbitrator between foreign govern ments and thdse of the American con- tinent in all boundary disputes.
 This government cannot maintain such a contention. We must defeat the Davis resolution or get ready for war.
 SHE IS GOING.