in the affirmation of a conservative statement of the Monroe doctrine, as nearly as it could be upon any matter short of res ance to actual invasion of national terri tory. It goes without saying that there are dissentient voices; that there may be variance of opinion as to the wisdom of such an afirmation; that abroad it may be termed presumptuous, indefensible, impossible. Nevertheless itis true that for any deliberate and manifest infraction of the Monroe doctrine the States would enter upon war with any Power as unhesitatingly and as unanimously as Great Britain would opse a Russian invasion of India. Mr.
enry Norman deserves the thanks of both branches of the English-speaking people for letting in the clear light of truth (in this matter) upon the all but hopeless obfuscation that had prevailed in a large section of the English Press. The editor of the American edition of the Reviewo of Reviews had long ago pointed out—in answer to some strictures of Mr. Stead's—the existence in this country of a genuine sentiment of devation to the Monroe doctrine, of a sensitiveness to any disturbance of existing relations in South America, only paralleled by England's sensitiveness regarding Constantinolo, Whether or not this sentiment is just-ifed or justifiable is another question which those who care to do so may argue upon to rep it as mere political clap-trap, is a ad libitwm—but to ignore its existence, or
blunder that is certain to result in offence and international entanglement. It is much to be doubted whether Lord Salisbury, if he had had any idea of the strength and unani unity of public fealing on the matter in America, would have chosen to bring the Venezuelan question on to the extremely delete and precstious footing that he did. Having a free hand in the difficulty, and with no more serious question involved than. the one of expediency and ease of settlement, it would seem at best impolitic to commit the government to a blank refusal from which there could be no retreat without dishonour, and which would to a certainty rouse public feeling in America to a dangerous degree.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.