Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-02-08

the expense of commission to be ap-
pointed for the purpose of examining
the situation and of reporting to the
president the fact as to the real
boundary line between British Guiana
and Venezuela. Congress promptly
passed an act making the appropria-
ton; and the commission has been APP
pointed, and it is at work
It will take fully year for the COM
mission to make it's investigation and
report. Every avenue of information
will be examined and thoroughly trav-
ersed. The commission is composed of
men learned in law, international law
and the history of the contention. They
will do their duty in an intelligent
manner, and their conclusions will
form the basis of future action.
But, when the commission makes it's
report some time next year, and sub
mits its conclusions to the president,
it will then be necessary for this gov
ernment to call the attention of Great
Britain to the status of affairs, and of
the intention of the president and of
our country to enforce the Monroe doc
trine, and prevent the aggression of
Great Britain, or any other foreign
power, upon the territory of the weak
er governments of the new world.
In accordance with diplomatic usage,
it will then be the province of Great
Britain to ask time, in order that a
commission from that government may
make an examination of facts. This
request must be granted. The British
commission will consume at least an
ether year in its work; going over the
same ground which will have been trav-
ersed by the commission appointed and
authorized by this country. Thus, two
years will have been consumed before
we get to the fighting point.
But there is another matter concern
ing boundary lines which is of vastly
more present Importance to our peo-
pie; and that is the disputed boundary
line between our Alaskan territory and
British Columbia. Whether erroneous
ly or wilfully, Great Britain is claim
ing a large part of our territory; and
it is all rich in gold and other precious
products.
A resolution was recently introduced
in the senate by Senator Squire, of
Washington, providing an appropria-
tion of 5000 TO defray the expense of
locating the boundary line by an inter
national commission to work conjoint-
ly with an American commission, in
order that a report may be made upon
which this government may base ac-
ton through the department of state.
The senator says that the Alaskan
boundary is conveniently divisible into
two sections: The first where it fol-
lows the contour of the coast from the
southernmost point of Prince of Wales
island until it strikes the Hist meridian
at or near the summit of Mount ST.
Elias; the second where it is formed
by the 141st meridian. which it follows
from that intersecting point to the
frozen ocean.
The going in of the miners and the
development of the country has been
such that the valley of the Yukon is
becoming a highway through the
hitherto unexpiored wilds of Alaska.
This region has great mineral resources,
recently discovered, especially at or
near the junction of the boundary
meridian of the Yukon and it's tribu-
taries. What is known as the Porcu-
pine river is another of the tributaries
upon which surveys have been made
The outposts of civilization and en-
terprise are springing up. and under
these circumstances it seems exceed
ingly important, and, indeed, neces-
sary, that the jurisdictional limits of
the respective governments in that new
region should be determined. 1t is
understood that her Britannia mai
csty's government has already pro-
posed joint delilnitation of the 14Ist
meridian by an international commits
sion of experts. and it congress should
create this commission. and make pro-