Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-27
WHAT IT'S ALL About.
The Cause of the Present InSurrectiOn
In Venezuela.
QUITE A COMPLICATED SYSTEM
OF Government Which is Made Very Much Worse
by Deadlock Which It Seems Impossible to
Brsak-A History of the Difficulty.
Palaco Has Secured Funds for War.

New YORK, March 90. Under date of
March Is a correspondent at Caracas, Ven
zuela, after cabling OF fight then taking
place. sends letter in which he says that
while he writes there is a fight rumored TO
be going on within three days march from
Caracas, and that more is sure 10 follow.
This being the outlook, American news
paper readers may as well understand at
the outset clearly what IL is ali about.
The National Legislature consists OF two
houses, one Of Senators and another of
Deputies. These bodies meet every year IN
the capital, Caracas, on the 10th OF t'eoru-
ary, and their sessions last seventy days
and may be prolonged twenty more. Each
house may be organized with two-thirds OF
its total membership; once IL has COM
menced to hold sessions IL can continue
with two-thirds Of those who opened them
provided the number OF members present
be equal at least to one-half their full num-
Der. Both houses discharge their func-
tions separately, having, however, the
power to meet in joint session in certain
cases, or when one of the two deems 1t ne
cessary.
The Federal Council is composed OF sew
enteen memb bers, and is chosen by Congress
every ten years. This election of Federal
Council takes place in the first and third
year of each term of Office of the legislative
body and within the first fifteen days OF its
meeting From its own members the Fed
eral Council elects the person who Tor the
next two years is TO be President OF the Re
public. Members OF the Federal Council
remain in office for two years, as does the
President of Venezuela, and the same per-
son who holds the last-named post cannot
be reelected for the term Immediately fol-
lowing.
rrLr rJo,,.o "a ,raeant yt,pe tho constitu-
tion of Venezuela. According TO it the
Federal Council should have been organ
lied and a President elected already, but
up TO this time this has not occurred. IL is
true that on February 20 the chambers Of
Senators and Deputies met, and that Drs.
MunOZ. Taber and Casanas were respect
iyelV elected directors thereof, but the
Senators were not long in closing their
doors, while the Deputies continued TO
meet until March z, when the opposition
members left in body, since which time
no meeting has been held nor is
there ary likelihood of such occurring.
The result has been that Congress has not
assembled, no Federal Council has been
chosen. and hence the non-election OF a
President of the Republic. In these cir
cumstances DR.. Andueza Palaclo retains
the reins of Office. The legislative bodies
have not exercised their legal functions,
because the necessary quorum could not be
got together in the Senate. The opposition
charge the Government party with absent
ing themselves from the meeting OF the
Senate, thereby preventing the formation
of legal quorum.
The opposition newspapers declare loud
lv against the government for this condition
of things, and boldly charge Palacio with
being an usurper. Forty-siX Senators and
L. ,,,l ,ov.ffa n
the government responsible for the present
deadlock. and the President has also issued
an address 10 the country in which be
skilfully defends the stand he has taken.
And here it is necessary to explain Just
what the difficulty really is between the
government and the Legislature. IL appears
that the last National Congress and the
Legislatures of the nine States or the
Union sanctioned the reform Of the con-
stitution in several important particu-
lars, including the extension Of the term OF
Office Of the President from two TO four
years President Palacio now insists That
the first act Of the present Congress snail
be to declare the reformed constitution IN
force, then next TO elect President aud
Vice-President for term to be named by
him. The opposition decline 10 agree with
this. and say that the first act of Congress
shall be the election Of President and
Vice-President, then shall follow the de-
claration of the reformed constitution be-
ing in force. Neither party will give in, and
hence the deadlock.
The President declares It TO be his duty
and in this he is supported by large
party-to see that the reformed constitu-
ton is in force before anything else is done.
He SAYS that he is responsible TO the coun-
try for this. The opposition, however, do
not view the matter in this light, hence all
the trouble. An appeal TO arms is certain
10 follow. The government is determined
to face the situation. The Bank OF Caracas
has advanced it 3, ,0OO, 900 OF bolivares about
$50. .0OO), and the National forces at It's dis
position are said to be in condition Of
thorough preparation to meet the revolu-
tionists.