The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-04-04

Great Britain's Reply to Ambas-
sador's Bayard's Arguments,
BRITISH RIGHTS IN VENEZUELA

That Government Declares That the Con-
troversy Is One in Which Our Cover.
ment Is Not Interested-The Negotia-
tions May Drag Along for Months.
WASHINGTON, April 4-There is reason
TO believe that the British government has
given our ambassador, Mr.. Bayard, to un-
derstand, in response to his representa-.
tions in the Venezuelan boundary matter,
and his suggestion that it be submitted to
arbitration, that it must persist in regard
ing the subject as one in which only Great
Britain and Venezuela are concerned. OF
course the idea wa 1t out very diplomat
icaliy and courteously, 30 as TO avoid Civ
ing offcnse, as far as possible, while still
making it plain that the United States
could not be regarded as having any proper
interest in the matter
Sofas it stands the British government
still insists upon its absolute right TO oc
cupy all of the territory to the eastward of
the Sohomberg line, while protesting a
willingness to submit to arbitration its
claims to the lands lying west of that line.
This, was the offer made to Venezuela
years ago, and it has not been modified in
NAAJ ANoPNfN oiAAOty HhbuMAbAlsbttllAAAE WI
Bayard s efforts,
1t has been intimated that the United
States might acquire right to intervene
in behalf of Venezuela by declaring pro
tectorate over that country, with the as
sent of its people, and behind this sugges-
tion is at least one of the great European
powers, who would be glad to have its re-
lations with the disturbed countries of
South and Central America placed on
stable basis, so that it might look TO some
| thoroughly responsible highly civilized
government to insure the permanence of
trade and prevent frequent revolutions.
But to conCede the necessity for such
protectorate as requisite to interior
| ing TO prevent the acquisition of AmeTi-
can territory by n European power would
amount to a renunciation of the Monroe
doctrine by the United States, and this
/ cannot be contemplated by the admins
| tration.
There are indications that the British
| foreign Office officials are willing to dis
cuss this feature of the case with Mr.. Bay
ard at length, and so the negotiations may
drag along for many months unless col
lision occurs between the British and Ven
ezuelan forces in the disputed territory or
the new Minnesota company forces an is
sue by beginning operations under the
large concessions it has obtained from
| Venezuela of lands in that section.
| 1t is apparent here that the progress of
| Mr.. Bayards efforts are being watched
| with the most intense interest by all of the
| diplomatic representatives of the South
and Central American countries stationed
in Washington, for they realize that the
issue may be of vital Importance to all OF
them in the future. They had expected
that the administration would be called
upon to assume definite position in re
spect to the extent it would permit the
European powers to interfere in the affairs
of the American republics in the recent
San Dominican affair, but the United
States was enabled to avoid the issue, ow
ing to concessions on the part Of Franco
resulting in an amicable adjustment o.
her differences with the Dominicans.
One of these diplomatic representatives
in speaking upon this subject, remarked
that the majority of the southern repub
lies were staggering under foreign debt
and were unable longer to meet their oh
legations They could not meet the in
terest on these debts much less could the.
pay off the principal owing to the terribl
commercial depression Some of thes
| tOuIlbIlbh uthNl hNAtbllu1h Oll OlANAA hSo
on foreign debts and in others, notabl
. Costa Rica, it was now proposed to repudi
ate at least half of the debt. The question
confronting these countries is whether tn
United States will stand by and permi
G the creditor nations of Europe to collec
these debts by force
Meanwhile, to strengthen their claim
b for protection upon the United States
: there is in progress among the smaller an
weaker republics movement to entangl
8 their interests with our own, so as to max
it a matter of deep concern to our peop
should any European power attack then
The first indication of this policy was see
h in the claim of San Domingo to exemptio
from the French demand upon her rev
nues, on the ground that these had a
b been farmed out to an American corpor
o ton, which would be ruined by compliani
with the French demand Then there
~ the recent concession made to an Anne
n lean corporation by Venezuela, to for
~ the United States into the issue betwe6
her and Great Britain by motives Of dire
q self interest and in other countries thel
d has been adopted policy of farming OF
to syndcates certain privileges, such
'' the right to import tobacco and opium
ID and the collection of customs duties.
, vp,t.T U,TV aF On VgIaUafnr