Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-25
CIeveIand's Diplomacy.

To the Editor of the Journal.
What does the Olney-Salisbury, or the
Cleveland-Victoria board of arbitration
mean?
Has the Great Republic of the North
acted in bad faith toward sister republic
of South America? Has Lord Salisbury.
with his British diplomacy, outgeneraled
the Cleveland administration? Or is it an
other chapter in diplomacy to match the
Behring sea arbitration, with the major
part of the board belonging TO monarch
ical Europe, TO settle question purely
American?
The people of the United States, who
have taken the trouble to inform them
selves, know that the United Netherlands
ceded to England what is known as Brit
ish Guiana. They also know that it's west
ern boundary was left indefinite. After
Venezuela gained her independence she
claimed as her eastern boundary the east
ern bank OF the Essequibo river, while
England has had q rowing claim to suit
circumstances, and finally extended her
claim up to the mouth of the Orinoco river.
II the United States had not interviewed
she would have made. good her claim by
force of arms besides claiming indemnity
for damages that probably would have
taken from Venezuela the control of the
Orinoco river. The United States and Ven-
ezuela have tried repeatedly to have the
boundary question settled by arbitration.
Finally Lord Salisbury fatty refused to
arbitrate the question.
President Cleveland, it is said. went fish
ing. While fishing he received his first and
return he proposed and congress author
lied the appointment of a high board of
did ndt is that
aminers to report to the people of the
United States where a just and equitable
boundary line should be drawn.
Our only interest in the matter is to see
that England does not take from Ven
ezuela territory that was not ceded to
her. such interference would be only
carrying out the Monroe doctrine" Until
the board that congress created finishes its
labors and reports, it is meddling on the
part of the president to enter into any
honor or justice can We arbitrate a bound
ary line between England and Venezuela
and not give Venezuela as many members
on the board as England has?
Judging from the published protocol of
the treaty there could be no good Matched
out of it. but would be our first attempt
to enter into entangling alliances with
Europe" which has been our policy for
over 100 years to avoid
And what is this new chapter in inter-
national law, by which British subjects can
enter territory claimed by Venezuela, and,
after fifty years residence therein. they
| can swipe the disputed territory over to
the British crown, even though upon the
principle of justice and equity it had not
been originally ceded to England. If there
are no English settlements west of tho
Essequibo river then fifty years resi-
dence as part of the arbitration treaty
would be unnecessary.
To get the full significance of this fifty
years occupation. 1t Is only necessary to
consider what might happen if British
subjects Were living at different places
along the coast up to and including the
mouth of the Orinoco river. Said occupan-
| cy to be perhaps venal evidence, and sub
mttted to King Oscar, who is to be the
real arbitrator fine gentleman. no doubt,
but thoroughly impregnated with monarch
ical views of right and wrong.
IF we are gulled into subscribing to such
a treaty. while it may have no bad results
in Venezuela. it will be general in it's ap-
plication, and bind us to a precedent that
would be applicable to all territorial dis
Dutes in the two Americas, and might null
! lify all that is worth contending for in the
Monroe doctrine
If our senators are wise statesmen they
| will not confirm this treaty. or the latest
freak at treaty-making of the Cleveland
administration--the five years arbitration
! treaty. by which we agree to submit to
| King Oscar or his deputy. questions that
may be of vital Importance to us.
To a person up a tree it would seem that
If dispute could not be settled by an
! equal number of referees on a side upon
! its merits. then it would seem that that
question is not an equitable question for
| arbitration: WILLIAM D. ETTING.
| Moline