The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-09
BRITISH HAVE SMASHED GERMAN LINE
IN AN ATTACK FROM ARRAS TO LENS
RICHARD OLNEY
PASSED AWAY
AT AGE OF 81
Pres. Cleveiand's Secretary of State on
His Deathbed Expressed Satisfac-
tion with Action of His Coun-
try in Declaring War.

Boston, April o. Richard Olney, sec
retary of state under President Cleve-
land, died at his home here last night.
He had been i'll for several weeks, al
though it was not until yesterday that
his condition became serious. Recently,
while unable to leave his bed, Mr. Olney
displayed deep interest in the interna-
tioDal situation. and it was said that he
warmly commended the action of the
government when the members of his
family informed him Friday that the
president had signed a proclamation of
war He was SO years old.
Richard Olney served successively as
attorney general and secretary of state
during the administration of President
Cleveland, and although at the head of
the state department for the short pc
riod of one year and nine months only,
he won reputation as a statesman of
commanding ability and force. His great
est triumph was his successful insistence
upon arbitration of the boundary dis
pute between Great Britain and Ven.
ezuela.
Imperturbably disregarding the warn
ings that a rigid maintenance of the
Monroe doctrine might plunge the Unit
ed States into war with Great Britain,
President Cleveland and Secretary Olney
carried out their own ideas of diplomacy.
In his famous message sent through Am
bassador Bsyard to Lord Salisbury, the
British secretary of state for foreign af
fairs, Mr.. Olney promising the inalienable
right of the United States to intervene
in questions affecting the territorial in
tegrity OF South American countries,
said in part:
"Great Britain both admits that there
is a controversy and that arbitration
should be resorted to for its adjustment.
But while up to that point her attitude
leaves nothing to be desired, its practical
effect is completely nullifed by her in
sistence that the submission shall cover
but a part of the controversy; that as
of arbitrating her right to a
part of the disputed territory, the re-
shall be turned over to her.
Upon what principle-except her feeble
ness as a nation-is Venezuela to be de-
ned the right of having the claim heard |
and passed upon by an impartial trl-
,unalf 1T is so, because ] will it to be
90 seems to be the only justification
treat Britain offers"
Although Lord Salisbury at first re-
used to submit to the American de-
nand, upon further representations he
eceded from his attitude and agreed to
he arbitration of the entire dispute.
Mr.. Olney's frmness previously had
become familiar to the American public
through his action in the great Chicago
abroad strike and subsequent riots,
vhen as attorney general he upheld the
light and duty of the government to
mploy troops to crush the disorder.
In refutation of charges that this atti
ude indicated his hostility to labor un-
ons. Mr.. Olney, in special brief filed in
federal court in Pennsylvania in the
ase of a railroad trainmen's strike on
he Reading railroad, only five months
fter the end of the Chicago strike, up
eld the right OF labor to organize and
rged that all labor troubles should be
rbitrated.
Mr.. Olney was born in Oxford. Mass,
n 1885. His father was a textile manu-
acturer ard banker. In the years fol-
owing his graduation from the Harvard
wv school in 1858. Mr.. 0lney won high
istinction in his profession and became
n authority on matters of probate,
rust and corporation law. His sole ap-
earance in public office before going to
was in 1875, when he served
ne term in the Massachusetts House of {
representatives.
When, in 1904, he permitted the pres
ntstion of his name at the Democratic
ational convention as a candidate for
ne presidential nomination, he received {
votes. including the solid support of {
he Massachusetts delegation. President '
Iilson urged him TO accept appointment /
ambassador to Great Britain and lat a
offered him the position of governor q
the federal reserve board, but in each 5
stsnce Mr. 0lney declined. {
His public utterances always COM a
anded thoughtful attention and at a
acted widespread comment. Long after i
Is retirement from his comparatively
lief career in public Office, Mr. Olney's a
'unscls were eagerly sought by mem t
RS of the Democratic party.