The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-12-20
The Need of the Hour.

month or two over difficulties between Great
Britain, Germany and Venezula. While these
European powers have not actually violated
the Monroe Doctrine. that no European power
may acquire bypurchase or conquest territory
on the Western Continent, they are closely
verging upon it in dealing with Venezula.
There have been instructions in Venezuela
at intervals for the past four or five years,
during which property Of British and German
subjects have suffered. Each government has
demanded $40, 900 in compensation for such
damage, and in hot haste, during another in
surrection, the two European powers have
asked for immediate settlement. They, at
least, might have waited until peace was re-
stored, but instead gave President Castro
forty.eight hours to recognize the claims and
then prepare for their payment Castro did
not comply within the specified time and
then the combined British ard German forces
seized the Venezuela navy, few small war
vessels, sunk two and disabled third. The
custom house at La Guayra was then seized
and it is proposed to satisfy the debts from
customs receipts. Customs receipts, we take
it, will be small, and there is not much like
lihood the claims will be satisfied from that
source
What the next step will be by Great Brit
ism and Germany remains to be seen. Castro
rejected every demand in the ultimatums of
the two powers, and proposes arbitration.
To add further to the complication of affairs
Italy has demanded $685., 600 indemnify on
behalf of her subjects in Verezuela, and here
is triple alliance against a sister republic on
the Western Hemisphere by three European
powers. And should this alliance propose to
take Venezuelan territory in satisfaction OF
their claims the United States is now power
less to prevent it.
The dastardly and wanton destruction of
the Venezuelan navy is but a lite short of the
acquisition of territory, and as the customs
receipts will not satisfy the claims of the ALI
ance they must either acquire territory or be
placed in a ridiculous position, unless they
agree 10 the arbitration of their claims.
This government should not have allowed
affairs to reach such q dangerous condition.
Mediation should have been offered, and in
sisted upon, just as Cleveland did when Great
Britain was undertaking to extend the bouu-
dairy of its territory in Guiana. Great Brit
ain undertook to discuss the Monroe Doctrine
and to declare it out of date. President
Cleveland, in effect, virtually told the British
government the United States would not dis
cuss that matter, and then asked Congress for
mower TO appoint commission to examine
records and titles and ascertain the true bound
airy line, and then to resist any attempt OF
Great Britain to overstep the mark. The
power was given, the boundary established
and Great Britain accepted the decision OF
the commission. Had Roosevelt offered me-
diation some weeks ago, and insisted upon It's
acceptance, no such condition OF affairs as
now exist would have prevailed today. Presl-
dent Roosevelt then was too busy in trying to
boom himself for reelection and in tiding
over coal strike that threatened disaster to
the Republican party in the November cleo
lions. 1t still may not be too late TO offer the
good offices of this government to amicably
settle the dispute, but one thing is certain that
could not withstand the combined navies of
Great Britain and Germany, and ltaly's sea
power Is of no mean rank. Germany has been
credited with designs of territorial aggrandize
mentin South America, aud it is a fact that
there hos been no specially good feeling be-
tween that government and the United States
for some years. Up to the present time it
has been war of tariff rates, but if Germany
desires South American territory the oppor
tunity is now offered in Venezuela, backed as
she will be by Great Britain and Italy, who
will in all probability take slice also.
And if the triple alliance of Great Britain,
Germany and Italy conclude to get footing
in Venezula, we have no argument to advance
to the contrary, since this government crossed
the Pacific aud seized the Philippines. 1t
was fatal mistake when the Mckinley Ad
minisiraton demanded the Philippines as
spoils of war with Spain. 1t is true we went
through the farce of a purchase, for it was a
forced sale, followed by a bloody and costly
war of conquest to obtain possession. And
the seizure of the Philippines and Porto Rico
followed the congressional declaration that
the war With Spain was not to be waged for
territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and Mckinley de-
clared TO the world that forcible annexation
(of territory would be criminal aggression.
Republican statesmanthip has placed this
government ina pretty plight as respects the
Monroe Doctrine, and we repeat that the need
of the heur is Monroe, jackson or a
Cleveland a statesman of courage and ability.
IF such man were President there would
have been no considerable assembling of for
eign war ships with hostile intent in Ameri-
can waters. Arbitration would have been
recommended and foreign governments warn
ed that the Monroe Doctrine still stands.
The right of a government to collect debt
is not in contravention of the Monroe Doc
trine, but all such procedures should be close
" watched and American war ships should be
near by to see that the collecting power does
not exceed its rights against any South Amer
lean government There has been an un-
written alliance between Great Britain and
the Republican Administrations of Mckinley
and Roosevelt, but Great Britain never loses
an opportunity to secure new territory. fact
that our Republican statesmen will sooner or
later find out. Washington's advice against
entangling alliances and the Monroe Doc
trioe, had they been needed, would not now
find this government in a rather embarrass-
ing position.
Besides the demands for claims against
Venezuela by Germany, Great Britain and
Italy, Spain, Belgium, Holland and Denmark
have claims also, and have notified President
Castro they expect the same treatment as to
them as is accorded the first named govern
ments. The nations now after little Vene-
zuela include all Europe except France, Aus
tria and Russia.
GiIant NOxr