The Van Buren press., 1902-12-20
DISCUSSED BY SENATORS.
The Venezuelan Question Occupies
the Attention of the Senate
In Executive Session.
AMERICANS MUST Be ON THEIR GUARD.
The Monroe Doctrine Not Yet Violated and
Assurances Received That u wiz Not
he; Nevertheless Americans should
Keep Watchful Eye on the Situa-
tiun

Keep Watchful Eye on the situa-
tion
Washington, Dec. 17.-The Nenezue.
Ian question occupied the attention
Of the senate in executive session
Tuesday for almost an hour, The
question came up informally almost
Immediately after the doors were
closed. Senator Teller. disclaimng
all intention of being critical and
saying he merely desired informa-
tlon, asked Senator Cullom, chairman
Of the committee on foreign relations,
what information he had obtained a.
10 the Venezuelan affair. Mr.. Teller
said that the situation was such that
senators felt that the Monroe doc.
trine AT any time might become in.
volyed, if the complication should
continue.
Senator Cullom replied to the in.
quiry that he had no knowledge of
recent events not contained in the
public print. Messrs. Bacon Hoar.
Lodge and Stewart all made remarks,
In none Of the addresses was any.
thing harsh or critical said.
No Overt Act Committed.
The tone Of all the speeches, wheth
er by republicans or democrats, was
that the attitude of this nation
should be one Of watchfulness. There
was "A general agreement that while
the means adopted by Great Britain
and Germany FOR the collection of
their debts had been quite strenuous,
they thus far had committed no in
fringement Of the Monroe doctrine
and therefore had done nothing to
which the United States could take
exception.
This was the position OF Senator
CuIlom, as It was OF other senators
who spoke Mr.. Cullom said that
much light as to the attitude Of the
administration could be obtained by
consulting the correspondence be
tween the state department and the
German ambassador year ago. He
then called attention TO the fact that
on December 10, 1901, the representa-
tive of Emperor William had brought
that matter Of Nenezuela's debts and
her apparent Indifference to them tc
the attention OF the secretary OF
state.
GermRny'1 Position.
The German ambassador, In hi
letter, gave the department complete
information from the German stand
point Of the position Of his govern
ment. He said that for seven years
Venezuela had failed to pay interest
on u debt to German citizens Of about
$5,0O0,000 contracted In the construc'
ton of railroad, and that in addi'
ton there were other debts amount
ing to about Sl,700,0OO due German
citizens from Venezuela, which It had
proved impossible to collect lie ada
ed that every known peaccable mean
had been tried to secure the money
and that his government, feeling that
patience had ceased to be n virtue,
had decided to use cocrciyc means,
IL was desired, however, he said, that
II should be explicitly understood
that whatever steps might be taken
by his country, there was no desire
10 encroach ON or interfere with the
Monroe doctrine,
Secretary Hay replied December
10, 1901, saying in effect that the
Monroe doctrine was not intended to
shield any American nation from the
payment Of It's honest debts, and that
its purpose was to prevent the acqui
eition Of territory by old world ma
tonN 70 further clucidutc the posi-
ton Of the United States on the Mon
roe doctrine, he quoted from the frs,
annual message Of President Roose'
welt, which had been In the hands OF
congress for only few days, as fol
lows
nooscyeirs Interpretation.
"Thc Monroe doctrine is u decl0ra'
ton that there must be no territorial
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by any non'Amerienr
power nt the expense OF any Amerl
can power on American soil, II IL III
no wise intended M hostile to any
nation In the old world, Still less IL
Il intended to give cover to any az
Qression by one new world power a'
the expense OF any other, II is sim
ply step aud n long step toward AZ
suring universal peace Of the world
by securing the possibility Of pcrnia
men, peace ON this hemisphere,
During the pOst century other In
fuenccs have established the pcrmO
nence and independence of the small
er states of Europe, Through The
Monroe doctrine we hope TO be able
TO safeguard like independence Nnt
secure like permuncncc for the lesscl
among the new world nations,
"lhls doctrine has nothing 10 d'
with the commercial relations of any
American power, save Tint II IN trull
allows each Of them TO form such A.
IL desires. In other words, II lH real
~ guaranty OF the commercial In
dependence OF the Americas, We dc
not ask under this doctrine for any
exclusive commercial dealings with
any other American state, We Il,
not guarantee any state agaInst pun
iphment II II mlsconducts Itself, pro
vided that punishment does not take
thc form Of the acquisition OF terri
tory by any non.Amercsn power"
Not = Party Question.
When Senator Cullom had con
emded, Senator Lodge called c'ten
ZION 10 tho declaration attributed u
Lord i.ansdownt by tho dispatches