Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-07
SIMPLY MISREPRESENTATION
Senator Allen Makes Speech on the Mon
rec Doctrine.
The Temper of the American People
is Not for War, bat They Will Be
Victorious If 1t Comes,

Senator Allen addressed the Senate to-
day on the Monroe doctrine resolution. He
contended that the Monroe doctrine was
simply one of national self-preservation,
and said that II the invasion of the South
American republics by Great Britain will
endanger the welfare or menace the safety
OF this government in any way, we should
apply this doctrine and resent her action
with all the strength and resources of
mighty nation. We must be the exclusive
judges of when the doctrine is to be ap-
piled. We cannot, he maintained, permit
Great Britain or any other foreign power
to determine when and to what extent the
acquisition of territory on the western
hemisphere will imperil our government.
He thought, however, that ii would be
ample time to act when the Venezuelan
commission shall have reported, and said:
III This Government is Imperfled.
IF We shall then determine that the ac-
ton of Great Britain in acquiring territory
in Venezuela will imperil our government
by imperiling the rights Of Venezuela, it
will become our duty to marshal all the re-
sources of our people to resist the threat
ened or actual invasion. If, on the other
hand, We shall determine, after due investi-
cation and elaboration, that our interests
Will not be imperiled it Will be our duty to
abstain from any Interference with the
action of Great Britain. / feel confident,
however, that the dispute over the bound
airy line between Venezuela and British
Guiana is not for the primary purpose of
obtaining territory, but fer the purpose of
gaining control of the Orinoco river, which
leads into one of the richest portions of
South America. If this be true, it will be
our duty to repel the aggressive action of
that nation"
Mr.. Allen warned the Venezuelans against
becoming over-elated at the attitude of
1T. 80
plunging England and the United States
into deadly conflict, though England
should be given to understand, in manner
that cannot be mistaken, that the honor
served at all hazards and under all cir
cumstances, even though it may take every
man and exhaust all the resources of this
nation to defend them.
Continuing in this connection, he said:
THE threa tened demolition Of England
and the English institutions that We have
heard in this chamber is not real; there is
nc danger from foes without. We have
simply been INDUCING in the harmless
pastime of twisting the caudal appendage
of the British lion to arouse war spirit
in the breasts Of our people, and thus in
duce them to forget their grievances and
their wrongs.
No Danger of War.
1--WE mistake the temper Of the American
people. They krcw full well that there is
war with England, with any other for
eign power. They do not seek war, and
l cannot condemn in too severe terms the
lack of confidence in the sober judgment,
the intelligence and patriotism Of the Amer
lean people that has led at least one Sem
ator in this chamber to assert that large
portion of them would welcome war and
bloodshed IS a relief from their present
conditions.
Much eloquent denunciation of England
IA &c nf fnrrin1G nnlnnI-
Zat ton has been INDUCED in in this chamber
within the last few weeks, but they are
sounding brass and tinkling cymbals-
Full of sound and fury,
Sgnifying nothing.
"F'lorid language mas been used, and a
willingness to die for the country has been
expressed when there is not the slightest
likelihood of being called upon to make the
sacrifice, but these will not meet the situa-
ton nor solve the problem. We must meet
this question in the serene and pure at
mosphere of a cold philosophy that rises
high above the dust and smoke and clouds
of mere contending words. If, after we
have tried this. the sky line is not visible;
if the clouds of war should still gather and
threaten to delUge our beloved country
with blood then let our eloGuence speak
from thousand battle ships that skim. the
seas and ten thousand cannons that Will
v AXE the echoes of the world
But If 1t Should Come.
IF, unhappily, the time shall come,
which God grant it may not, that, Ameri-
can valor must again be displayed on the
field of battle in deferse of American in
stitutions and against foreign greed and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, We may confidently ex-
pect tie sons CT America to march under
the flag Of the free. consecrated by the
blood of a hundred years. to permanent and
glorious victory. Then, for every Grant
there will be Lee; for every Sherman, a
Johnston; for every Thomas, a jackson;
for every Sheridan, a Stuart, and Mason
and Dixon's line will be blotted from the
map Of tie United States, and true Ameri-
cans, north and south, welded by the blood
of the revolution, the war of 1872, and the
war with Mexico, renewed by the estrange-
ment of 1881, lovers renew and intensity
their affection by estrangement, soothed
ard sustained by united and splendid
American womanhood, will give to the
world lesson in valor that it has never
known before"