The state herald., 1896-01-24
SEEK INFORMATION.
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION
WANTS FACTS.
Polite Note Sent to Great britain and
Venexueia Aiding for Evidence on the
Subject, but stipulating That They viii
Not Thereby Commit rhemsclveA

Iuht Aucy WI"
Not Thereby Commit Themselves
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 21.--The
Venezuelan commission has invited the
governments of Great Britain md
Venezuela to submit to 1t all Of the ev-
idence In their possession to further
the work of the commission, to be rep
resented before 1t by attorneys, and all
of this with the reservation that such
representation and appearance shall
not be deemed IN abandonment of any
rights or position heretofore assumed.
1t has done this In order that the pro-
ceedings of the commission may not
be said to be tx parte, that the truth
may appear and that time may be
saved In the inquiry with which the
commission Is charged. The invita-
tion goes In the shape of Il letter to Sec.
rotary Olncy, who has made response,
saying that he has transmitted q. copy
of the commissions Views to the two
governments concerned. Those facts
came out after the meeting of the COM
mission yesterday, although the letter
was drawn mp AMI sent to the secre-
tary of state ut Its last meeting, Janu-
AIRY IL. II cannot he said that the
commission IL confident of favorable
response from both parties to the
boundary controversy, although the
courteous terms In which the sucgcs-
ton Is couchcd and the wide latitude
Of reservation permitted each party
that may respond In the open spirit
which chaIncterizes the invitation lead
to the natural hope that 1t will be nc
ccpicd.
Meantime the commission will pro
coed on the original line of inquiry,
which promises to be n slow aud dill
cult task, trusting TO the abridgement
of the proceedings later on by the pro
duc,iou Of evidence by both parties
and the appearance of attorneys, when
the proceedings may at once take on
the form of judicial trial. and the at
tainments of n conclusion be CORE
spondingly fastened.
Yesterdays meeting took place for
the first time In the new quarters OF
the commission In the Baltimore sun
building on L street. Tie first busl-
ness was the selection of officers, and
first OF these chosen was =. Mnlet.Pro-
yosi, who has earned n high reputation
ut the New York bar and also In Wash
ington. Mr.. Nalct-provost was named
ms secretary Of the commission and will
lie IN daily attendance with the COM
mission. Mr.. Whitmorc OF Ithaca,
New York, was selected rs one Of the
stenogiaphers who Will he employed,
and Walter Mouthrop OF the District Of
Columbia was appointed messenger.
A few other appointments will he
made hereafter MS the need for further
help appears. II was ordered that the
rooms Of the commission bc kept open
every week day from until . o'clock,
and any person who has any suggcs'
poriunity 10 be heard, for AT least on,
Of the commission will undertake TO b,
present. besides the secretary. Ever.
Friday there will be n meeting Of thu
full commission, In order 10 trnnsac
routine business requiring the actor
OF all the members.
The members VIII not he Idle. for Il
each has been allotted "a particular lin'
Of Inquiry, which he Is expected 10 ~
port upon TO his fellow commissioner
AT intervals. For instance. Mr.. White
has been charged with the preparation
OF what may he likcncd To an abstract
of title. Mr.. Gilman has undertaken III,
preparation of all OF the maps and
charts required. and other member
have been called upon To collect from
the library Of the department OF stat,
nnd the library Of Congress NIL OF III,
documents and historical maps bearing
on the Venezuelan boundary. The cf
feet VIII be TO have these Inquiries pro
cc,,l simultaneously and apacc. and II
II felt that by adopting this order much
time Will he savcd, mn important con,
sldciutIon II the commission Is not aid
ed by Broat Britain and Venezuela.