Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-29
A WAR OF THEIR OWN.
California Capitalists to Send an Army
to Venezuela.

to Venezuela
New York, Feb 25.-The World this
morning says the clarion tones of the
trumpet of war are at this moment, if
report is to be believed, awakening re-
sponsive echoes in the martial breasts of
at least 100 hitherto peaceful New York
ers and of 800 other American citizens
scattered through various parts of the
United States, noticeably in the
South. It is from the window of
an office on Broadway that the
bugle call to arms is being sounded and
Col. George w, Gibbons is said to be at
the little end of the trumpet. He has
not, however, begun to make the noise
which will be made when, at the con-
clusion of a great commercial confer
ence which is TO be held in New York
within the next sixty days. it is found Gas
it no doubt VIII be) that the American
government refuses to take up the war
trumpet and blow it on its own account.
1t means that American Industries in
Venezuela must be protected from Brit
jsh interference whether President
Cleveland and his cabinet say SO or not.
It may not, perhaps, be generally
known that an American syndicate, rep
resenting at least $40, 600. 900. and head
ed by the well-to-dO Californian banking
firm of Mackay, Flood q OBrlen, hav-
ing had it's eye for many years on the
trail running between the Orinoco
River and the absurdly rich mineral
district of Caratal, Venezuela, just as
Jacob Sharp used to have his eye on
Broadway, attempted some time ago to
establish steamship line between New
York and the mouth of the OrinocO
River, with a rail connection of 400
miles thence to Caratal.
The difficulty about the little railroad
and seni-monthly steamer scheme
arose, says Col. Gibbons, through the
objections of the British government,
| whose policy OF aggrand1zement is clear
ly and plainly labeled in Venezuelan at
fairs. Associated with Messrs. Mackay,
Flood and O'Brien in the above-men-
such comfortably fixed landlords
as r. w. Taylor, of California;
| George w Roche, of Savannah, Ga. !;
| B. A. Whitman, Peter G. Doremus, Hen
ry Seifke and Peter Ashton, OF New
York; Charles L. Bull, of Charleston, s..
| c., and several others. In connection
with the steamship and railroad these
gentlemen also organized land and
emigration company. All those inter
ested in the scheme were Americans
and the Venezuelan government made
/
There are now 1000 Americans in the
mining district of Venezuela-many OF
them from New York-who were sent
thither by this syndicate. They think
that the United States ought to protect
them and their interests and if it does
not they propose to fight. There is
about $1,000, 600 of New York capital
invested in Venezuela and it is in jeop-
ardy i England persists in her scheme
of territorial aggran dizement.
That Col. Gibbons is satisfied with the
warlike outlook is abundantly proved
by his own statements. Ii 1t were
necessary" said he, 81 would raise al
army of 100000 Irishmen in this coun-
try to resist Great Britain. They are
ready at all times to strike blow at the
English government and are heartily in
sympathy with us in this Venezuela
movement" He says that he has re-
cruited 5000 Americans of undoubteo
courage who will proceed to Venezuela
under his leadership and take positions
as commissioned and non-commissioned
officers in the inevitable conflict with
Great Britain. And when they get there
they will not, according to his state
ments, be in defenseless condition
for within the past month, 10000 stanc
of improved firearms have beer
|
dictate and shipped to Venezuela
to be used in the war
The same syndicate, by the way, vii
also guarantee, SO the Colonel says, al
soldiers who go from this country 500 {
Month during their term of service. TX
evade the neutrality laws, the army
(big or small, as the case may be) will
be shipped South, labeled, every
mothers son of them, as emigrants; but
their kits will consist of Colt revolver
and other likewise peaceful agriculture
implements.
It must not by any means be supposed
that the Venezueldns are sitting idly b,
waiting for Col. Gibbons and his warlik'
companions to arrive. If this govern
ment refuses to interfere, an army of de
termined Venezuelans, 10000 strong
which was organized and has beer
drilled for the past year under the lead
ership of Gen. Millen, an old soldier o
fortune and former New York journal
list, and Gen. Gordon, South Carolini
an, late of the Confederate army, will b.
put in the field to resist Great Britain
contemplated encroachnent.