482
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
VENEZUELAN QUESTION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[December 25, 1895.
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1814. It is is bounded on the West by the claimed as indisputably British. As Mr. Republic of Venezuela. The line of demar- STEAD said recently in an article in the cation between the two has never been Westminster Gazette:-"Considering the dis- clearly defined, a large tract of un- reputable character of the Venezuelan settled country having always been in Government, it seems extraordinary that dispute. The following concise suniniary" any civilized power should contemplate of the present position is given in the "such a crime as trusting a peaceable region last issue of the Review of Reviews:- "under the rule or government of Spanish- "The whole question in dispute turns found "American adventurers, whose only claim
a very narrow point-viz., whether the
"to the sympathy of the United States is debatable land Between British Quiana "that they call their anarchy a republic and Venezuela begins at the Essequibo "and fly a flag which (loes not fly outside the River or at the Schomberg line, which lies "Western Hemisphere. We do not fear about half-way between the Essequibo and arbitration, but, before it begins, repara- "the Orinoco. We are willing to arbitrate "tion must be made for the high-handed upon everything that we consider to be "violation of the territory governed by fairly in dispute, but we hold that the England." The affair, however, region between the Schomberg line and admirably adapted for the manufacture of the Essequibo River, which has never been political capital in the United States. The occupied by the Yenczuelan Government, Republican press was crying out about the but which we live occupied and adininis alleged weakness of President CLEVELAND tered, and claimed ever since it was ceded in tolerating England's claim, à cry calcu- to us by the Dutch, cannot fairly be related to materially affect the Presidential garded as a region whose ownership can election next year. President CLEVELAND, he disputed, any more than we could dis-in the interests of his party, if not of himself, pute the title of the United States to the has now gone one better than his opponents State of New York. On the other hand, and proposes that the United States should the American friends of Venezuela main play the combined role of policeman and tain that old maps show that Venezuela judge and kick England out of whatever when a Spanish colony claimed the terri-territory the American Commissioners may tory up the Essequibo River, and there deride does not belong to her. The position fore, they say, no matter what has hapis unpleasant, but it is incredible that the pened in the last hundred years our colonists and administrators must be cleared out of all territory west of that river. Clearly, here is a question not for one arbitration, but for two, The prior question that has to be decided is as to what territory should form the subject of arbitration. After that preliminary de cision has been given, then the question so limited would come up before the Court, which would go into the Whole matter. This, | or some other solution, certainly does not lie beyond the scope of sante statesianship.” In addition to the dispute as to territory, however, another incident has arisen, which, in fact, has brough the whole matter to a head, namely, the seizure of certain British
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two great Anglo-Saxon nations should go to war about such a trifle. So far as Eng- land is concerned the territory in dispute is not worth fighting for and the upshot will probably be that for the sake of peace and quietnesswe will consent to submit to arbitration more than we think is fairly in dispute.
THE PRESS, COMMERCE, AND WAR.
President CLEVELAND, we regret to note, is not above resorting to that stale device of embarrassed rulers, endeavouring to pick a foreign quarrel in order to divert attention from domestic troubles. The financial con- dition of the Great Republic has, owing to the gross incompetency and extravagance of its rulers, been gradually declining from an almost unexampled pinnacle of prosperity to the slough of insolvency, until this year the budget slows a deficit, according to Reuter, of seventeen million dollars. It is rather remarkable that svuchronously with this revelation comes a wild assertion by the President of the Monroe doctrine in the shape of a most overbearing threat to Great Britain in the event of that Power having the audacity to insist upon her rights in the dispute with Venezuela. Lord SALISBURY has, it appears; confident in the justice of his cause, refused to refer the frontier dispute to arbitration until repara- tion has been made by Venezuela for her high- handed violation of territory governed by England, and Mr. CLEVELANDSvizes upon
the opportunity to intervene. He is determined to play to the gallery by twisting the lion's tail, à pastime, we trust, that will prove fatal both to him and to his party, for we Cumot believe that the great American nation will for one moment endorse such a policy of uncalled for interference. If the United States is prepared to act policeniu for every rutten little Spanish republic in America -he will have her hands full. In that case civilisation would profit and Great Britain would not dream of interfering. But while Uncle Sam sits quietly looking on at all the lawless doings in these misgoverned states, he cannot expect other Powers who have sustained injury at their hands to caluly porket all affronts simply because
One of the most powerful factors making they are committed on a portion of the con-
for peace between the nations in the present tinent where waves the stars and stripes,
age is the growth of international commerce. This is peting the part of the dog in the
Year by year the exchange of commodities manger with a vengeance, and is assuredly
between the various countries goes on in- not in consonance with the spirit or practice igers by the Venezuelans on what is Lereasing and has reached such stupendous of the authors of the American constitution, claimed as British territory. The United | proportions that the immediate cost of a Even, however, if the constitution or the States stop in with their Monroe doctrine, great war would be a mere bagatelle as Monroe doctrine stretched to its utmost
which is that n Europe state shall compared with the loss it would cause by limit- sanctioned such an interference as i
acquire territory beyond what it already the stoppage of trade. Reuter informs us that of President CLEVELASH between the possesses on the American continent. Eng-that the Venezuelan dispute has caused a wronger and wronged, there is, as hand does not want to acquire new territory, į semi-panic on the New York stock market, eminent American state-man has truly said, hers and to exact reparation for the vidIf the panie develops it will no doubt but to assert her right to what is already resulting in several prominent failures. “ a higher law than the constitution.” The tie of blood, moreover, should preclude alllation of her territory. The United States make people realize more keenly the pressibility of a quarrel over trifles between fully admit the right of a European power difference between tall talk and actual the two great Anglo-Saxon nations, and having a grievance against an American fighting. Nations sometimes in their con- weighty indeed will be the responsibility of power to settle it, if necessary, by a resort duct resemble the braggart of the public those who, for a mere electioneering advant to force of arms, always provided that the house bar who wants to fight but is age, risk, the chances of creating a rupture cession of no territory, be exacte The restrained by his friends; he talks very between them. Happily for the interests punishment of Venezuela would therefore loudly and makes violent struggles to of peace and progress, the British Govern-
hot he objected to if the territorial question break away, exclaiming "Only let me get ment are not likely to lose their heads or
were not mixed up in the matter. But the at him; but when his friends get tired of their tempers under this provocation. It is
Venezuelans claim that the seizure of the trouble of holding him, let him go, and of a piece with Mr. CLEVELAND'S action to British officers took place on Venezuelan say "get at hing then," a remarkable change wards the British Minister at
territory Washington
and was
therefore law-eomes over his demeanour, and, picking up. some years ago, when nearing the close of ful act, just as lawful as the seizure his hat and shaking his head, he is content
of Chinese his first presidential term. That incident
officers fiolating British to observe that "Be," meaning the other
If, then, man, was well nigh forgotten, but the attitude territory in Hongkong would be.
had better not say it again." now assumed by the President shows that the United States stood by while reparation do not mean that this represents the attitude he is still ready to pander to party clamour for the alleged outrage was exacted by of the United States any more than of Great or catchpenny cries.
England they would admit the teritorial | Britaiu, but it represents the attitude of claim of the latter up to the point at which large parties in all nations and the seizure took place and that they are particularly that of the fire-eating journalists Now that the United States and Great not inclined too. The attitude of the who are always breathing threatenings and Britain appear inclined to quarrel it may be United States would not appear unreason- slaughter. Mr. STEAD has a violent dia- of some interest to briefly recapitulate what able if it applied to territory fairly in dis- tribe in the last number of his Review of Re- the trouble is all about. British Guiana ispute and Great Britain admits that there eieres against these gentlemen.
"Unfor- a colony in South America, extending from
"tunately," he says, "experience proves that 9 deg, to 1 deg. north latitude and from
The men who wield the pen are far less 57 deg. to 62 deg. west longitude, and was
weighted with responsibility, and far more ceded by the Dutch to Great Britain in
"reckless in inciting to international quar
II.
an
is certain territory as to the ownership of which there may be a question proper for arbitration-but the particular spot at which the seizure of British officers took place is
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