St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-12
OUR FOREIGN POLICY INDICATED.


OUR FOREIGN POLICY INDICATED.
A more complete and unqualified vim
dication Of the foreign policy of this
administration could not be conceived
than that which is brought to us by
the dispatches announcing the opening
Of the British parliament The amazed
reader will rub his eyes, as he scans
the speeches of the great English po-
1itical leaders, Conservative and Lib
eral alike, to see if he has not mistaken
the names; If, instead Of Sir William
Vernon Harcourt, and Mr. Balfour and
Lord Salisbury, he should not find the
names Of President Cleveland and Mr..
O}ney. For it was the American doc
trine that was laid down to the
queens subjects, the American position
that was eXtolled as right in principle
and contributing in practice to the es-
tablishment of justice and the peace
full settlement Of disputes. To have
won the united support Of the American
people was a great triumph for the
administration. To have compelled
the assent of the legislative body and
the executive officials of the nation
against which we pitted ourselves is
something beyond either expectation
or precedent
We do not exaggerate the language
or the meaning of the leaders of opin-
ion in England. While holding to the
technical position that the Monroe doc
trine is not interna tional law, they de-
clare that 1t is sensible and necessary
rule Of action for the American people.
with which they have no desire ID in
terfere. They not only accept it. they
glory in having helped to originate it,
They admit that the policy Of non-in-
Prevention by this country in the af-
fairs Of Europe involves, per contra
the right to decide, in the last resort,
upon the propriety Of changes in the
two Americas. They justify the in
reference Of the United States in the
Venezuela matter as counterpart of
the dogma of the balance of power"
in Europe. There is no need for us to
defend further our position 1t is ad-
mitted, adopted, fairly glorified by the
supposed opposition. While holding, Of
course, that no invasion of Venezuelan
territory has taken place, the British
government acknowledges our right
to intervene, and holds out a promise
Of the speedy concession of arbitration
and the hope that this may be accepted
In the future as the recognized mode of
settling all our differences So much
for the effect of a courageous asser-
ton Of our national policy and rights.
Listen to these quotations; not from
any lingo" in our senate or house.
but from the sovereign and subjects of
Great Britain. The speech from the
throne says that "the government of
the United States having expressed a
wish to cooperate in terminating the
differences which have existed for
many years between my government
and the republic Of Venezuela upon
the boundary Of that country and nv
colony of British Guiana, I have ex-
pressed my sympathy with the de-
sire to come to an equitable arrange
ment." Mr.. Goschen, for the govern
ment, in moving the address, said that
he trusted that these negotiations
would not only result in satisfactory
settlement, but in a complete reconcilia-
nd f,,,,, nj
Britain and her kindred across the
Atlantic" Sir William Vernon Har-
court the representative of the Liber-
ais, said that the principle upon which
the United States has acted. of inter
fering where she believed her inter-
ests to be affected, was one that gov
erned the policies of every European
power. He supported the contention
OF the United States when they declare
the controversies of the American
continent to be of especial interest to
themselves. and that they will Judge
when and how they are called upon
to interfere" Mr. Balfour, the leader
for the ministry in the house, says
that there has never been the slightest
intention on the part of this country to
violate the substance or essence Of the
Monroe doctrine" And Lord Salisbury
adds that the intervention of the Unit
ed States has, In his opinion, done more
to help than to hinder satisfactory
and amicable settlement Of the Ven
ezuela dispute. :
Thus from every side, out Of the