The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-17
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT coNDl
 TrONS.
The, Columbus Enquirer Sun says:

The, Columbus Enquirer Sun says:
 Many are wishing that Mir. Cleveland was in the White House just now. They think 1t right and proper that VeneSueia should pay her just debts. but dislike 10 see foreign powers encroaching on our preserves.
 We have noticed in various exchanges intimations and suggestions that the United States should take . hand in the Venezuelan matter. and that if MT. Cleveland were President he would soon settle the differences which now threaten serious consequences. f
 These papers evidontly misunderstand or uisapprehend the conditions existing in Venezuela, and the different conditions which existed in 1895. when President Cleveland took such decided and ef- fectual course. A brief reference to tho9e conditions may not be out of place in order to show that there is a marked dissimiliarity. The trouble between Eng land and Venezuela in 1895 grew out of a disputed boundary line between that State and British Guiana, which join each other Great Britain claimed por- ton of territory which Venezuela claimed as part of her domain, and over that dis puted territory the contention arose.
 Now, the famous Monroe doctrine was not intended to apply to or affect terri tory already owned on the American con- tinent by any foreign power. It was declaration by our Government that the attempt by foreign power to acquire any new territory on this continent. or to assume dominion over any of the coun- tries or governments already existing. would be looked on as a hostile movement which would be regarded by the United States as a dangerous and unfriendly act In short. the United States said to the world: You are free to enjoy and cc ntrol such territory as you already own on this continent. but you are not to acquire any more, either by purchase or conquest. and any attempt to do so, or to interfere with the conditions already existing in North and South America will be resisted by the United States. This is what that doctrine means, and when Great Britain threatened to take a portion of the territory of Venezuela. a lain violation of the Monroe doctrine. He, in a spirit of friendlines, asked Eng land to submit the matter to arbitration, but Lord Salisbury replied. in effect. that there was nothing in the matter to ar bitrate.
 This reply brought the responsibility right up to MT. Cleveland, and, as usual with him. he made no attempt to shift or dodge it. He at once sent a message to CongresS. asking that body to appoint a commission to determine the true boun- dary line between Venezuela and British | Guiana, and fin that message it was very significantly added that after the com mission had investigated and reported 1t would, in his opinion, "be the duty of the United States to resist by every means in it's power. as wilful aggression upon its rights and interests. the appropriation by Great Britain of any lands, or the exercise of governmental jurisdiction over any territory which, after investi- gation. we have determined of right be- longs to Venezuela"
 | This was really a very thinly-veiled declaration of war and the British For eign Offics so understood 1t and needed It. The matter was amicAbly settled to the satisfaction of all parties, but had Mir. Cleveland been weak or vasciIlating there might have resulted complications of the most serious character, and which might have ended in the despoiling oi Venezuela and the establishment of a precedent which would have nullified the Monroe doctrine and tied the hands oi our Government for all future time. And 1t is not out of place just here to add that MT. Cleveland was cordially sus- tained by Congress and by the best ssnti- ment of the Union of all political parties They recognized the propriety and time liness of his action and endorsed 1t.
 The present trouble is entirely differ. ent. There is no question of territory in- volved. so far. and no prospective viola ton of the Monroe doctrine. Great Britain and Germany arc taking their present course for the purpose of collect ing certain claims against Venezuela Their course may be impolitic. oppressive and unjust, but we do not see how our Government has any more call to inter fers than 1t would if England and Ger. many were using the same methods tc enforce payment from Turkey or Japan It may be that the trouble will go or until one or the other powers. or both will take possession of a portion of Vene. zuela's territory and show c disposition or determination to hold 1t permanently In that case it might be incumbent or President Roosevelt to intervene, if he has the nerve to do it, as Mir. Cleveland did. and declare that the Monroe doctrine must not be violated.
 I Of course our Government must and will protect the lives and property oi Americans. and do all that a nsutra
 Government may do in q friendly way and it may be that one or the other of the
 belligerents may be guilty of some aot which will draw the United States int the imbroglio. That may occur but thert is nothing in the present quarrel to bring forth any exploitation of the Monroe doc
 trine. nor is there any call just yet fol another Cleveland.
 There were over fifty thousand whit, men In Alabama of legal age and pos
 sessing other qualifications who had no | hogr