The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-09
THE CASE OF VENEZUELA.

The conclusion by Venezuela Of a reci-
procity treaty with the United States draws
the two countries closer together and may
be followed by important Results. Vene-
zuela is now and has been for many years a
sufferer from Great Britain, whose province
of British Guiana is coterminous with the
republic.
Some fifteen OF more years ago gold began
to be discovered in the streams which empty
from the south into the Orinoco. 1t was
found in the gravel and on the sand-bars,
and it was traced back to quartz-veins in the
mountains. No exact records of the amounts
found were kept, but the average annual
yield from 1880 TO 1885 is believed TO have
been something like S3,5O0,O OO. Upon these
gold fields Great Britain, as the owner of
the colony of British Guiana, cast a covet-
Gus eye. The boundary line separating Ven
eZuela from British Guiana has never been
accurately surveyed. The English assumed
to delimit the frontier according to their own
notions, so as to transfer to British Guiana
the best gold fields and to take from Vene-
Euela the bulk of the large States and Terri
tories of Caura, Alta OTinOco, AmaZCnas,
Yurdari and Armistieio, altogether some
100000 square miles in area. Venezuela pro-
tested. The English met the protest by
moving troops into the disputed territory
and held it by force Of arms. Long negotia-
tons eBsued. in which Guzman Blanco, on
behalf Of Venezuela, vainly besought the
British Government to leave the dispute to
arbitration, offering to accept as arbitrator
the King of the Belgians, who might be sup
posed to be biased in favor of Great Britain.
But the English Government maintained
Stolid reserve and would do nothing 1t
would not agree to a joint commission TO
delimit the frontier; il would not submit
TO arbitration; it would not discuss the SUBJ
jeet with Blanco; it ould hold the gold ter
ritoTy with troops until Venezuela declared
war, when the fate of not only the disputed
section but of all Venezuela would be de-
termined by the fortune of war. Worn out
by long waiting and disappointed hopes.
Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations
with Great Britain in 1887, and so the case
stands to-day.
This would appear to be an imbrGglio
which would justify at any rate friendly
remonstTauce by the United States. Under
the compact which grew out of the Pan
American Conference, and the commercial
treaty between the United States and Vene-
Znela, the tie which binds the Two conn
tries is close enough to warrant our taking
an interest in a controversy which menaces
the integrity Of Venezuelan territory A
new annexation of that territory by Great
Britain would probably be barred by the
Monroe doctrine; at any rate, England
would be 10th to raise the question whether
it was or no. But the present occupation by
English troops of soil to which the South
American State offers TO demonstrate her
title is a wrong which an ally ray fairly
call upon the United States to aid her in re-
dressing. Mr.. Blaine would not travel out
of his province if lie temperately urged upon
Great Britain the expectancy Of accepting
VeneZuela's offer Of arbitration without
further delay. In case a respectful remon-
STRANGE were not needed, it would be in or
der for the Government at Washington to
consider what Interior steps its new rela-
tions with Spanish America appeared to die
tate.
Venezuela is a State with future. With
territory of $4,000 square miles, it con-
tains a population Of 2,344,000, only 326, 900
Of whom are Indians. 1t is a large producer
Of coffee, cocoa, cattle and gold the bulk of
its exports come to this country, but il gets
most of its imports from Great Britain. It's
system OF Government is free and liberal.
Though ii lies in the tropics, its southern
boundary being on the equator, it is so
abundantly supplied with mountain ranges
and rivers that the country is admirably
situated for agriculture; almost all tropical
plants and large number Of the products