Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-08
ALLEN ON MONROE DOCTRINE
Holds it Necessity for the Welfare Of This
Country.
OURSELVES TO JUDGE ITS APPLICATION
NebrasLn's senior Senator Takes n
strong hut Moderate Position In
Upholding the Dignity and Well
fare of the United States.


dressed the senate today on the Monroe doc
trine resolution. He contended that the Mon
roe doctrine was simply one Of national self
preservation, and said that II the invasion Of
the South American republics by Great Brit
ain will endanger the welfare or menace the
safety OF this government In any way we
should apply this doctrine and resent her ac-
ton with all the strength and resources OF a
mighty nation. We must be the exclusive
judges of when the doctrine Is to be applied.
We cannot he maintained, permit Great
Britain or any other foreign power to deter
mine when and to what extent the acQuisi-
ton of territory on the western hemisphere
will imperil our government. He thought,
however. that it would be ample time to act
when the Venezuelan commission shall have
reported, and said:
"If we shall then determine that the action
OF Great Britain in acquiring territory In
Venezuela will imperil our government by
imperiling the rights OF Venezuela 1t VIII
become our duty to marshal all the resources
of our people to resist the threatened or
actual invasion. If, on the other hand, we
shall determine, after due investigation and
deliberation, that our interests will not be
imperiled 1t will be our duty to abstain from
any Interference with the action Of Great
Britain. I feel confident, however, that the
, dispute over the boundary line between Ven
ezuela and British Guiana is not for the
primary purpose Of obtaining territory. bu,
for the purpose Of gaining control Of the
Orinoco river, which leads into one of the
richest portions of South America. II this
be true. 1t will be our duty to repel the ag-
gressive action of that nation"
Mr.. Allen warned the Venezuelans against
being overelated at the attitude of this coun-
try and deprecated the idea of putting Eng
Ian and the United States In a deadly con-
fict though England should be given to
, understand in a manner that cannot be mis-
taken that the honor and interests OF our
country will be preserved at all hazards and
under all circumstances, even though 1t may
take every man and exhaust the resources oi
this nation to defend them
Continuing in this connection, ne sald:
"The threatened demolition Of England and
the English institutions that we nave heard
In this chamber is not real there Is no dan
ger from foes without. We have simply been
indulging in the harmless pastime OF twist
ing the caudal appendage of the British lion
to arouse a war spirit In the breasts OF our
people and thus induce them to forget their
grievances and their wrongs.
"We mistake the temper OF the Ameri-
can people. They know full well that there
war with England or with any other
foreign 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 American
people that has led at least one senator
in this chamber to assert that large por-
tion of them would welcome war and blood
shed as q relief from their present condi-
tions.
"Much eloquent denunciation Of England
and the English system of forcible colonial
tion has been INDUCED in in this chamber
within the last few weeks, but they are as
sounding brass and tinkling cymbals-'full
Of sound and fury, signifying nothing
"Flord language has 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 this will not meet the situa-
this question in the serene and pure atmos-
phere 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 a
thousand battleships that skim the seas, and
10000 cannon that will wake the echoes Of
the world
"If unhappily the time shall come-which
God grant 1t may not-that American valor
must again be displayed on the field of battle
in defense of American institutions and
against foreign greed and agrandizement, we
may confidently expect the sons of America
to march under the flag of the free. conse-
Grated by the blood of 100 years, to perma-
nent and glorious victory. Then. for every
Grant there will be a Lee; for every Sher-
man, Johnston; for every Thomas, jack
son; for every Sheridan, a Stuart. Mason
and Dixon's line will be blotted from the
map of the United States. and true Ameri-
cans, north and south, welded by the blood
Of the revolution, the war of 1912 and the
war with Mexico. renewed by the estrange-
ment of 1861. as lovers renew and intensity
their affection by estrangement, soothed and
sustained by united and splendid Ameri-
can womanhood, will give to the world
lesson in valor 1t has never known before"