New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-02
THE VENEZUELAN CLAIMS.
THE NEW COMMISSION WILL BE ORGANIZED
BEFORE TOMORROW.

THE NEW COMMISSION WILL BE ORGANIZED
BEFORE TOMORROW.
Washington, sept. (SpecaD.-In accordance with an
article Of the convention for eopening the Venezuelan
claims the new Commission must be organized nor
later than next Tuesday. The Commissioner on Lle
part Of the Venezuelan Government has aready been
appointed in the person OF Senior Don Francisco
Antonio Silva the Venezuelan charge daffaires. The
Commissioner for the United States has not been
named nor mas the third member of the Commission,
who must be selected by the other two. The third
article OF the convention spulates that The Commits
soners so appointed shall meet In the city OF wash
ngton at the earliest convenient time, within three
months from the exchange Of tho ntifcatons OF this
convention" This convention was concluded az WASH
ington on December 81 1885. 1t was ratified by tue
President of the United States on August T. 1858,
and by the President OF Venezuela August 2, 1883.
The ratfcatons were exchanged in this city June D.
1ssg and proclaimed by President Harrison on the fol-
lowing day. The three months from the date Oh eA-
change If rafcatons will expire Tuesday, and before
that time the Commission must be completed ana
organized
Pres dent Harrison had the matter under consders
or Yesterday and Il is probable that the appointment
of the commissioner for the United states VIII pe
announced tomorrow 1t is understood that tho place
will bo offered TO ex-Congressman John r. Thomas,
of Illinois although some doubt Is expressed bore as
IN vbether he viii accept Perhaps no better selec-
tlon could DO made for he is lawyer OF aDuty' @nu
IL entirely familiar with the history of the Venezuelan
claims and the legislation which at VARIOUS umoS
has been enacted by Congress concerning them
The original Commission for the settlement OF the
Venezuelan claims appointed, on the part OF inc
United States by President Johnson In 1857 anu uier
convention concluded at Caracas, Venezuela IN April
1896 Z. D. Culver, then American Minister TO Vehe-
zucIa became the member Of the Commission for the
Tinted States and ex-COngrcssman Shlwen OF indiana
shornv ,fterward succeeded to membership on To
Con,nrission on behalf Of the Government Inc result
of he CommIsson's deliberations was an award OF
over - 600 600 the majority OF the claimants Delns
SayoroJ m "a liberal degree. lNterWaru DflDefy was
abaryed and the Venezuelan Government aSked fof a
ncy Commission. However. they paid numDer OF
the claims ~ the amount OF over @lOo,VOO'
parties who seemed 10 nave an uluoI
standing with the Commission Issued Oonus on q
ni,,nher ~ claims and they were sold TO innocent
nuip. ~ ~ nincIDaly I'm Newlork and Indiana, and
f,w in Kew England. The Veuezuelan Govern.
nont bas con nued to pay at intervals various
rony,ts for the claimants 10 the state department,
but aIwavs under protest. alleging crookedncss IN the
rarJs Nv tho Commission The money mas Deen
1rJ,bbo "a Intil new COmmi sion could DE Secur'd
onJ 10 claims reopened. Negot atons TO that end
have been I'm progress for many years, put IL was not
rntII 1855 that anything definite wa, accomp she;
T uorcb ~ that year Joint resolution was passed
~ CongreSs and approved by President Arthur at
,Ror51jn the convection subsequently, cOnclude1 IN
,lnoan,her 1885 between the two countries As a
nIs'I, ~ ia expected that tomorrow the President
In Dar'e Comm ssionnr for the United states and
-, ,be Commission will be at once competed ana
orSanized and the long pending claims reopened'