The Washington herald., 1908-08-21

When Germany or France. or the {
Netherlands. or any other European na-
ton has an account against Latin
American republic and threatens 70 send
war ships instead OF cOnstables 10 collect ,
the bin there is always talk about the
Monroe Doctrine. This talk IS generally
10 the effect that the United States VIII
NOT permit any effete Eastern monarchy
or any efreta Eastern government Of any
kind. 10 be rude enough 10 shoot az any
OF our dark-eyed sisters OF the South
More especially Is this true II me war
cloud hovers over VenezUela-
Thirteen years ago the United States
government IN behalf Of Venezuela and in
support OF the Monroe Doctrine. did in
vire q third war with England Remen-
bering how much the United states risked
upon that occasion Americans are inclined
70 be more than impatient with the atJi-
tude Of the Venezuelan government under
Castro-an attitude showing rather more 4
OF contempt for the piss Of North Amer
leans" than Of gratitude TO the protecting 4
elder sister among Western republics
While the United states viii never aban- /
don the Monroe doctrine as long as It /
has power and influence enough to enforce /
~
will interfere in every quarrel between
Latin-Auerican republic and a nation Of /
Europe. The Monroe doctrine IS that
settled principle which binds the United
States TO resist the efforts Of any Euro
pean country 10 acquire or extend ter
ritory in the Americas II the Neither
lands. in the present inscar1e, desires 10
shoot CD one Of M CaStro's ports as a
punitive measure. the Monroe doctrine
does not apply But i the Dutch should
take advantage OF that act OF war TO ex-
tend their territory u South America
that would be a different matter, and the
United States would be certain 20 inter
1ere-
Nobody has seriously considered the
possibility Of war between the United
states and the Netherlands. But Ven
ezuela and Brazil have been the bases Of
more than one war with Germany, fought
in vardrooms Of American battle ships
and in officers clubs Of American navy
posts IN fact. until Japan lOomed large
over the western horizon the jIng0ists
fresh from Annapolis and West Point ex-
pected q brush with the Kaiser every
morning on account Of some German
Latin quarrel on this side Of the Atlantic
Smile as we may at these rum0rs OF
wars. the Venezuelan boundary question
presented O. very real and extremely grave
situation. II which var with Great Brit
ain was actually imminent In that case,
the British empire was attempting 70 ex-
tend the limits Of its territory IN South
America without regard 70 the insistence
Of the claims Of NeneZuela- The question
Of territory was involved. and Il Ar
Cleveland had pursued any other Course
than that which he did the Monroe doc
u-ins would ROW be dead as the 1IissoUr
compromise OF the alien and sedltOn laws
Venezuela became independent Of SPAR
n ISL. and twenty years later was or
Ezlizsd under its present form. with sp
pr0xinaJeIy lis present boundaries A
the beginning. IT'S territorial limits -wer'
described as those Of the old Spanish
captain gene-alcy Of Caracas-an extreme
u vague description IN 1s1s England be
came possessed of what is now the col
ony OF British Guiana. adjoining Vene
zueIa on The east Ergiald's title was de
rived from the Dutch. the transfer beln
made al the same time as that OF th
Cape Of Good Hope The limits Of n
Dutch possessions were but vaguely de
re-mined- The boundary dispute Wit
Venezuela began ii ISL. when B-t-is
troops occupied positions claimed by Ee1
ezleIa- That was the beginning Of a Ion
series OF disputes. in which the B-.tis
lines were extended from time 10 tint
until az last the English laid claim 10 q
exponse OF territory as large as Obi
which was not included in their O-ig-al
claim
venezuela frst appealed 70 the Unite
States il $50. when Hamilton Fish va
Secretary O. state All Efforts 70 induJ
Great Britain 10 submit the question
arbitration were futile Again IN ISL. L
Venezuz-an government appealed
Washington for protection from Brttil
ships at the mouth OF the OrOnoco. pr
s--ably there 70 enforce the BriU
boundary claims William II EvarIs "
tasn Secretary Of State. and he wrote
the British government that this 80
ernueu- cannot look with ild5Eereu
upon the forcIbls acquisition Of such te
rltory by England, Z the mission OF Z
vessels now at the mouth or the OT-no
should be found 10 be for that enc
Other Secretaries Of State who inJerven
with appeals 10 England 10 grant Ne-
zueIa's requests for arbitration We
James G. Blaine. in ISL, Frederick
FrsIinghUysen. in 1Ss2, and Thomas
Bayerd. fl 1856
The quarrel was becoming more Bit
each year. and in ISs1. during the Il
Cleveland administration. the British
ritICe was so aggressive as 70 give ?
20 grave fears. The American govsl
ment made formal tender OF its 60
ofsces IS . mediator in the dispute. I
this friendly advance was repelled by
British government IN 1884 Venezu
again appealed TO Secretary OF ST
Walter Q. Gresham. Mr.. Cleveland Z:
ing come 70 -the White House again @
ditious were assuming the aspect OF
crisis when lIr- Gresham died and '
succeeded at the head Of the Departmt
q State by Richard Olney- Mr.. Clevela
and Mr.. Oiney reached the conclus
that Great Britain would never adj
that the United States had a right 70
concerned in The dispute with VenC=U
so long as the American government C
t.uUed TO act n the capacity Of q frien
mediator
Therefore. On July q. 1885. the AneriC
government dispatched a note 20 Engls
declaring that the United States
taken venezuela's place in the cont
versy. The note outlined again the Mon
Doctrine. and called attention to the T
that England was attempting 70 acqJ
territory claimed by an American repul
and had refused 10 submit its claims
an impartial tribunal for adjUdicat
There wasn't anything uealy-nout
about thzr note. for II ha-ked back TO
DAYS OF I776 and said some grossly
.7,---~ ---~-a--HT~a1 ezre~s