The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-03

The Scnsihlc View.


George Fred Williams OF Mnasachn
setts is one of the few SO called MUG
wumps. who take rational ard JUST
view Of President Cleveland's action
in the Venezuela case. In an inter
view from Wash ngton he reviews the
case we'll and Justly. he says;
IF, az is alleged by some, England s
PURPOSE is to control the commerce OF
North and South America by, obtain
ing possession and control OF the
mouth of the Orinoco river, 1t is OF
Fundamental importance to our peace
that this shall not be done unjustly or
by force. II England would arbitrate
its claim. then the methods of peace
would be indicated II the United
States allows England to defy. the
tribunal of peace and take possession OF
American territory by force, it cannot
later regain its position as the defender
of the autonomy of the existing states
of the American continents. l cannot
understand how President Cleveland
can be chargedwith prccipitating war
when he proposes to appoint Just
tribunal to satisfy the people OF tne
United States and Of the world as to
the justice of England's demands, and
thus insist upon peaceful solution
where Lord Salisbury insists upon the
savage tribunal OF force. While Presi-
dent Cleveland might have chosen less
forcible words with which to enforce
the American doctrine of tho peaceful
solution of questions affecting the
Amerianic ontinents ! should rather
treat any excess in statement as an m
dignant protest against the policy OF
England to acquire territory by force
than the expression of a purpose on the
part of the United States to use force
in the defense of this territory. The
appointment of the commission IS 4
distinct Reputation of the doctrine OF
force. 1t is an appeal to the sense OF
Justice of the world: II Is vigorous
insistencc that armed Europe shall not
introduce warlike methods to disturb
American peace. Instead OF declaring
war. the president treats Lord Sails
burys refusal to arbitrate as an lnsls-
tence upon forcible measures and pro
poses to have the case tried peaceably
whether England wishes it or not, and
TO ask the support of the peace-loping
and war hating world in resisting what
he deems to be the oppression of a
feeble American state by a powerfully
armed European invader. This is the
American doctrine that was good in
1923, is better now, in 1895, and will
be boon to mankind in the next cen
tury am second to no man in de |
force in the settlement of
international disputes. 1t is bar.
barous, UNI Christian, and TO be hated
by every just and merciful man, but
tue nation which defies the tribunal of
peace is the nation which must bear |
the guilt OF bloodshed, and not the
nation that insists upon arbitration as
the civilized Christian, and awful
method of settling disputed interna-
tional questions.
The case could not be better stated.
And history will do Cleveland the JUS
icc TO recognize the good work of his
message il just the line Mr.. Williams
suggests. BY his resoIutc utterance he
has focused the worlds attention to
the subject and compelled the change
If English sentiment that will bring
ibout a peaceful adjustment through
or some similar means.
But for his action the matter would
nave drifted to point where either
var or an igpominious back down
rom the Monroe doctrine on our part
would have been unavoidable.
This is the view the Reformer has ,
aiken from the beginning and the out
ONE. SO far, is just what We said it
lainly must be. !