The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-01-10
CHANGE OF FEELING,
ENGLAND VIEWS TIE VENEZUELAN
MATTER IN A NEW LIGHT.

Amazed 1t the Firmness Of the Adminis-
tration--American and English Newsps-
pers--rhe Blindness Of the London Press
90 the People Of This Country.
WASHINGTON. Jan. l0.-lSpec!ai. l-For
some time past about al the talk In the
national capital has been OF financial n At
tiers and the Venezuelan question. As 70
the latter, the opinion 10 gaining ground
very rapidly here tina, ultimately Great
Britain and the United States will reach
an agreement 10 arbitrate all boundary
disputes arising In the Americas. 10 would
doubtless be rather humillatine for Lord
Salisbury 70 agree 10 arbitrate the Vepe-
zuela dispute by itself In. the face Of his
somewhat emphatic declaration that 10
Is not flt subject for arbitration. But
II a general scheme of American arbitra-
ton were proposed as q means OF settling
all such matters which may arise In the
future Salisbury could doubtless find
way 10 include enough OF the Guiana con
tentlon within It's scope 20 satisfy Vene-
zuela and the United States. and that
without too much Of a back down on the
part Of England. II is now believed Great
Britain views the whole subject In q diff
ferent light from what 10 did when our dis
| match was first sent 20 London. IL Lord
Salisbury had known the earpestness OF the
American people on this question, it Is
| doubted II he would have taken the risk OF
replying so sharply 10 our demands. The
| tkot ek. Il
| eating commission Is 10 be fair and i'm
partial tribunal, and that It will report the
| facts as nearly as IL can ascertain them, no
matter what the result may be. II the ter
ritory In dispute belongs to Great Britain
and there is evidence TO uphold its title
this will be certified to, and the question
will be at an end so far as we are concern
ed.
saiisbury's Amusement.
The London papers, and many OF the
| continental papers, complain that Presi-
dent Cleveland was too precipitate about
| the matter; that he went at England too
sharply, and that If he had moved In a
gentler spirit there would not have been
any danger of opposition which threatened
the peace of the two countries. But 1t
should not be forgotten that for years the
United States has endeavored to secure the
attention of Great Britain 10 this question.
We have asked again and again that the
quarrel be submitted TO arbitration, and
we have never received the slightest salts
faction. President Cleveland adopted, it
is believed by public men OF both parties
who are familiar with the diplomatic
methods which prevail in England, the
only means sure to secure the end in view.
A mild note, gentle protest, an inquiry
as to what Great Britain was willing TO do
on supposititious case, would have met
with the same treatment as that given TO
our many previous efforts In the same d.
rection. When Lord Salisbury read Mr..
Olney's note, he for the first time realized
that something unusual was up. For the
drst time he became conscious that the
Washington government meant business.
But it Is doubted If he fully realized IL.
He could not get out OF his mind the idea
that the American president was playing
politics; that il was preparing an issue for
the coming presidential campaign. Lord
Salisbury did not take the serious question
raised for his consideration as seriously as
II deserved 10 be taken. He thought II
more an opportunity for argumentatiye
treatment, for satire and wit, than for
war. II is safe to say that II he had the
matter TO do over again he wouS.'aries dei-
'',''ssers !rst the sort ottrTed Roehp, Treas.
Tnr-1'----liiss-ree $500
From one of the attachesE-J Ohm GriSi
embassy here learn that Lord SALISBURY
and his associates OF the foreign Office in
| Downing street were much amazed when
they saw how seriously the matter was
| viewed on both sides of the Atlantic.
They had not the slightest idea there was
to be talk of war, with all the accompani.
ments of war campaign, in both ooun-
| tries. The diplomatists largely blame the
| press for what they term its sensational
ism In dealing with this international
| question. / have heard so much OF this
| sort of talk in the diplomatic corps and
| among public men that wish TO enter my
| protest against 1t. The press of the
| United States handled this sensational
| question, possibly involving one OF the
| greatest wars of modern times, with rare
| moderation There were no outbursts
| against Great Britain, no abuse OF British
officials, no accusations against the SINGER
| ity of the British premier 1t is salts
faction 70 note that the American press
| was more conservative and level headed
| than the British press. For two or three
| days the London newspapers kept up
terrific fire ut America. They slandered
President Cleveland outrageously They
| accused us of being tricksters, who were
| willing 10 bring on war for the sake OF
carrying an election They took an ex-
tremely prejudiced and indefensble view
| Of the whole question and were several
| days In calming down to the level occu.
| pied by the American press from the start
| The American Journalistic.
| know something OF the methods Of the
American newspapers. A good example
will be found right here In Washington
For some time before the presidents mes
sage and the correspondence with England
were made public a number of newspaper
correspondents here, myself among them
knew the gist of the whole matter. We
were aware of the contents Of Mr. Olney' :
note, OF Lord Salisbury's reply and of the
| frame OF mind which the president and
| Secretary Olney were In when they ap.
preached the task OF writing their message
| to congress. Had we been disposed we
\ could have written a sensation which
! would have stirred the country We could
| have given the facts In such way as to
excite the greatest alarm. We did give the
facts, but we gave them purposely in such
manner as not to bring on excitement
Wepursued this policy In pursuance Of the
| training which we have received, notwith-
standing the prevalent belief In England
that American journalists are lot Of
! bushwhackers who care nothing for truth