The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-01-02
THE DANGEROUS WAR SPIRIT IN
VENEZUELA.

IL Venezuela has any friends OUTSIDE OF
its own people such friend or friends
would render that republic great favor
by dropping line to President Crespo
advising him to haul in his horns and get
his people down from the high war morse
they mounted so hastily when they heard
that this government was Interesting
itself in the controversy of that country
with Great Britain.
Nothing would prejudice the cause OF
Venezuela more than for PRESIDENT
Crespo to inaugurate any hostile move
mcnt against the British colony already
and rightfully established there. vi
course the United States would have
nothing to do with any conflict that might
take place between Venezuelan and I'm
glish troops If the latter were resisting
the cncrcn chmcnts of the former upon
their claimed territory and Venezuela
would not suffer in the opinion or acton
of this country on the real issue OF British
encronchmcnts il such resistance was IN
auguratcd. Even them, however, the
limited States commissioners would have
10 report if they so found that the British
were by force Of arms attempting to take
from Venezuela territory that the com
missioners have found was in Venezuela
boundaries, and then of course the United
States would ask England to cease hos
tilities and arbitrate the question OF
boundary.
But in the event that the war spirit
that seems to be red hot and boiling over
at Caracas should induce the army Oh
Venezuela to invade English territory,
we'll defined and well settled as belonging
10 Great Britain, Venezuela could not
hone for any aid or comfort from the
United States government.
Venezuela has never acted with much
prudence, but if there ever was tme
when that government should act Win
the greatest prudence now is the uhle'
Venezuela. to hope for any aid from the
limited States, must in the first place be
clearly in the right, and in the second
Mace strictly on the defensive.
This government can not aid Venezuela
unless Great Britain violates the Monroe
doctrine. and that would be by conquest
or attempt to colonize Venezuelan TERRI
tory or that Great Britain should DO
something to impcril the natural adVah-
tnees accruing to this country by reason
-af- HIS -being on the same continent ana
pe;phbors of Venezuela. For instance
70 Great Britain was 10
t,ko nossession of the mouth of the orl-
noco river the United States might justly
conclude that it initiated against .he
commercial relations of this country with
the best part of South America and not
alone Venezuela.
The Orinoco river by reason Oh ns
pepetrating the wealthiest part oil south
America, by its great length as navi-
gable stream and the many navlgapie
streams flowing into it from different sec
tions of the country, would afford the
oyners of its mouth an unfair adVan-
tage. Just as unfair as If Spain or
France had held the mouth of the Mis-
s;ssippi river and the Louisiana purchase
meyer had been made. II, we say, such
n thing should occur, the United States
might regard it of such serious disadvan-
tape to its commerce as to protest ana
ultimately take up arms to prevent it.
Tn either of these contingencies Nene-
zuela can reasonably count on the assis-
lance of the United States, provided al
ways that Venezuela is right in the con-
troyersy. and provided, further, that the
war spirit lately so rampant in Venezuela
does not precipitate its people into an ag-
gressive war. Therefore. we say some
friend or friends of Venezuela ought to
counsel President Crespo to go slow,
prepare for battle, but to stand squarely
and Enthusiastically on the defensive. by
the least imprudence of even patriotic
zeal Venezuela may forfeit all aid from
its powerful neishbor in North America