The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-01-03
THAT CoMNIssToN,s WORK.

L
> president sent in a message to con
r gress containing the following passa z,
, apr0pos of the Venezuelan boundary:
I'm order that such an examination
should be prosecuted in thorough am
satisfactory manner, 1 suggest that th'
congress make adequate appropriation
for the expenses of commission to b,
appointed by the executive, who shal
make the necessary Investigation and re
port upon the matter with the least pos
s;ble delay. When such report Is made
and accepted it will in my opinion be the
duty of the United States TO resist BY
every means in its power, as willful ag-
gression upon its rights and interests, the
appropriation by Great Britain of any
lands, or the exercise OF governmental
jurisdiction over any territory which
after investigation, we have determined
of right belong to Venezuela"
And he added:
'In making these recommendations am
fully alive to the full responsibility In
CURED. and keenly realize all the conse-
quences that may follow
This is as plain declaration that
war will follow the occurrence of GER
tain contingencies as has ever been
made by ruler. 1t is proposal TO
trace the boundary line between Great
Britain and Venezuela, with or without
British cooperation, and impose our
| finding on Great Britain by force. On
| its face it leaves Great Britain only
1 q Of
dition or war. Congress acted prompt
| ly on the presidents suggestion, and
passed the following act practically
without discussion:
'Be it enacted by the senate and the
house of representatives of the United
| States of America, in congress assembled
| that the sum of 500. COO or so much there
of as may be necessary, be and the same
is hereby appropriated for the expenses
of commission to be appointed by the
president to investigate and report upon
the true divisional line between the re-
public of Venezuela and British Guiana"
The commission has now been ap-
pointed. 1t consists of two Republi-
cans, two Democrats and one man
whose political preferences are not an
nounced
What next? The commission will go
to work. 1t will not leave Washing
ton, and the United States through
the commission will hardly send to
Spain for them. Holland which has
just been offended by England may
send what documents it may have.
But at best the commission appears
only functionary. They are to deter
mine the exact boundary between Ven
ezuela and British Guiana. That de-
clsiOn must be in favor of Venezuela
There an be no question about that.
Secretary Olney and the secretaries of
state before him had looked into the
matter exhaustiyely or they would not
have addressed England so pointedly.
Olney in his letter to Salisbury. as
sumes all the way through that Eng
land has encroached on the land Of
Venezuela. So far as this country is
concerned the matter Of England's en-
croachment is settled. 1t would not
be possible for the commission to find
that England has not encroached.
1t will then fix a boundary. That
boundary will stand. Or in other
words the commission Is an arbiter-an |
enforced and peremptory arbiter. Eng
land does not agree to arbitration. |
Venezuela does. The United States
then proceeds to arbitrate. 1t is ar
bitrating a question which only one |
side agrees to arbitrate.
In the light of equity this action on
the part of the United States NAV
appear high-handed. But the United |
States is not meeting English oppres-
sion with equity. 1t is meeting ii |
with an assumption of power to regu-
late affairs On this continent when
those affairs are intertwined with Eu-
ropean aggression.
How can England recognize It? BY
keeping off the territory that the COM
mission finds is Venezuelan land. This
will probably be England's plan. By
simply keeping off the land, and in
recognizing in no way the commission.
and at the same time ignoring diplO-
the findings Of the commits
sion, it may adhere strictly to those
findings in fact, and while seeming to
ignore the demands of the United
States, in reality accede to them. This
will soften Britain's humiliation.
But if England should take the other
course and take possession of the land
awarded to Venezuela either by set
dement or sOldiery or survey. and
ignore the findings of the commission
IN spirit as well as in act. the United
States will at once become the aggres-
sor. The first outbreak Of a martial
nature would be of course on the part
IF the EenezuelanS. A skirmish or
two would be sufficient for America
TO issue its ultimatum to England.
And England would have another op-
to sneak out But IL the
llumatum was ignored or not acceied
%. Canada would be in the possession
If the United States within forty-eight {
hours.
l ,
a PEACE ADVOCATE