Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-02-26
From the N. Y. Herald of Feb. 18th.l
Time for Venezuela to Fall In Line.

According to the special cable
despatch from Caracas which the
Herald published yesterday Venezuela
is not disposed either to submit the
Yuruan affair to arbitration or to
negotiat tie with Great Britain for an
amicable settlement of the boundary
dispute. Its policy is to wait and see
what the Washington boundary com
mission reports.
If Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Olney will
convey gentle hint to the Venezuelan
government not to make a fool of
itself he will render timely service to
that bumptious Republic as we'll as to
this country and England. Venezuela
was always eager to settle She boun-
Diary dispute by arbitration or diplO
macy until the sudden outbreak of
jingosm in Washington. Then she
was seized with the notion that the
United States was going to take up
her quarrel and fight it out with Eng
land. Accordingly she has since shown
defiant and even bellicose spirit, well
calculated to hurt her own interests
and foment mischief generally.
What the Venezuelan government
now needs is to be disabused of it's
entirely mistaken and unwarranted
notions. When the jingoes first broke
loose with their hysterical cry and
Congress lost it's head over the boun
Diary dispute and the Monroe doctrine
it was perhaps natural for the Vene-
zuelans with equal precipitancy to
jump to the conclusion that they had
suddenly found in the United States a
doughty champion to battle for their
cause. But since the remarkable out
burst the sober second thought of the
people has prevailed and asserted it
self with telling effect and the most
salutary results.
The attitude of the United States is
now well understood. 1t is that this
country is not to back Venezuela or
any other South American Republic in
its boundary dispute with European
Power That is not the purpose or
meaning of the Monroe doctrine as
viewed by the sober sense of the
American people. Whenever this doc
trine shall be applied it will be for the
protection of tie United States, not
for the support of any South or Cen
trail American government.
in line with this view is the function |
of the boundary commission which |
has been appointed. Its purpose is |
simply to obtain light as to the true |
divisional line and report the results. |
To further this end England has wise
ly consented to give the commission
her side of the case as fully as possible.
There is no reason to suppose that the i
commission is predisposed toward
Venezuela or that its finding will
prove favorable to the Venezuelan
claim If Venezuela is counting on
such predisposition or favorable result
the sooner she is undeceived the better
it will be for her.
1t is now obvious that both England
and the United States are moving for
an alnicable settlement of the dispute.
Both governments, having learned a
timely lesson from the people, appear
10 have come to their senses and to
realize that it is matter to be dealt
with by calm craftsmanship and
patriotism rather than jingoism and
buster. The VeneZuelans will do well
% open their eyes to the same fact.
The dispute is primarily between Eng
and aud Venezuela, and they should
,ettle it. This is evidently the view
hat the British government and the
administration at Washington now
AXE of the situation 1t is high time
or Venezuela to come down from her
high horse and fall in line with them.