The Irish standard., 1902-12-27

'"tAel HelpleSS ourselves i'll certain
directions when the Alabama hoisted
Aer privateers' flag; but the day came
When England paid through the nose
for her pratical venture. The Ban
llSh landed her men, arms, and NUM-
tions at the right time for the purDos-
es of the Asphalt revolutionary cause.
and Castro was compelled to fight for
che life of the country. He did fight,
ana just when he is taking his affairs
i'll hand, when he is getting his sec
ond wind, and his treasury is empty.
Germany and England, Oh behalf of
the capitalists eXploiters, rush in to
destroy Venezuela.
1t is done with the aid and con-
nivance Of President Roosevelt's ad-
ministration, under the guiding infiu-
ence of John Hay, the British minis
ter sub rosa i'll Washington, and in
spite OF all the hot air and flummery
about guarantees for the observance
OF the Monroe Doctrine and the solemn
nonsense about the patience and kind
ness OF the two European highway
men, the attitude of the administra-
tion is about as contemplate be-
trayal OF American principle and doc
trine as has marked our history.
Mr.. Roosevelt we believe, is Offering
too high a price for his nomination to
the Presidency; if he desires to be re-
elected he may find it better to have
the people with him, rather than the
capitalistic interests; for if he don't
pull up short and do his duty the
Democracy may, in a lucid interval
nominate Richard Olney whose con-
duct in Venezuela is a strong contrast
to that Of Theodore Roosevelt.
If English and German merchants
have honest claims which the Vene-
zuelan courts refuse to entertain,
then their governments should make
the claims for them and have them
referred to arbitration. If the court
Of arbitration decides against Vene-
zuea then, if she cannot, or will not,
settle, or make some arrangement to
settle, it is time enough to resort to
heroic measures. 1t is essentially
hateful to American notions of equity
that strong European governments
may at any time make any claim they
desire against our little neighbor and
then proceed to enforce it by blowing
down forts and seizing custom houses.
Bills are not collected in that way
from countries with an ability to fight;
Japan used to be treated so, but no.
body is collecting bills from her in that
fashion to-day. Tie United States
should insist on having these more or
less genuine claims arbitrated before
allowing the proceedings that have
marked the past week. Venezuela is
not in a position to meet these de-
mands, financially; she is gasping
from the effects of a war deliberately
thrust upon her by American and
British conspirators, with the con-
nivance of the administrations Of
America and England, and it is a
gross outrage that her weakness
should now be used to ruin and dis
member her. Beaten in her attempt
70 plunder Venezuela by Olney's firm
front, England is finding it easier to
do the trick In another way, now that
men of another stamp are running our
Department of State.
The Asphalt trust conspiracy has
so far resulted in debt and disaster
for Venezuela, and made it possible
for Germany and England to humiliate
an American republic in it's dire hour
Of distress. Neither of these govern
ments has much use for republics; but
then high handed action at this time
is made possible only by the admins
tration of Theodore Roosevelt manipu-
lated by the Asphalt Trust and it's
financial friends.
Will Castro submit? Perhaps he
will, perhaps he won't. He is now at
bay. If he is the Castro he used to
be, he will defy both England and Ger
many and bring on a condition of af-