The evening times., 1896-11-12
PROTOCOL NOT YET SIGNED
Cablegrams Going and Com
ing en- Venezuelan Question.
OLNEY CARRIED HIS POINT
Insisted That Venezuela should He
Represented in the Arbitration
Proceedings, to Which Salisbury
First Objected-Final Treaty BE-
tween Britain and United States.

The factthat the proc tocol OF the proposed
Venezuelan treaty of arbitration has not
yet beensigned was made manifest by many
signs yesterday.
There has been continuous exchange or
cable messages ON matters of detail be-
tween this city and London But that some
general principle Of agreement has been de-
termined upon is undoubted.
The question of whether or not Venezuela
is party to the agreement appears to DE
settled by the Official correspondence and
by collateral facts. When Secretary Olney,
OH behalf of Venezuela, made his first per-
emptury demand on Great Britain for ar
bitration Lord Salisbury, after long delay,
came back with two vigorous letters
One of them attacked the Monroe doctrine,
claiming that Mr.. OlDey was stretching 1t
too far. The other attacked the Venezuelan
demands, asserting that they were eXorbit-
ant
ARBITRATION ACCEPTED.
Then President Cleveland sent into Con-
gress his famous Christmas message, and
Lord Salisbury, on May 22 last, wrote
to Sir Julian Pauncefoie, accepting for the
first time the principles OF arbitration, but
only in n partial form and confirming ii to
Great Britain and the United States. He
asks Sir Julian To submit this proposition
Ito the government OF the United States,
acting as the friend OF Venezuela in this
matter"
His proposition was for a commission
to be created Dy agreement between Great
Britain and the United States, to be COM
posed of two British subjects and two
citizens of the United States, to iIvcsti-
gate and report upon the facts, without
reference to interference, but the finding
of the commission to he binding upon both
governments.
Ia this letter be distinctly specified the
United States, and not Venezuela, as the
party OF the second part. but still there
was contained a proposition in Lord Sails
bury's letter to Sir Julian which seemed
10 imply some necessity for consent on the
part of Venezuela, inasrnuch as IL was
provided that on the report of the com
mission being issued, the two governments
OF Great Britain and Venezuela should ZEN
deavor TO agree to Il boundary line" and,
failing agreement, there should be arbitra-
lion by three-one by Great Britain. one
by Venezuela and they to select third,
with a proviso that all settlements OF
British subjects prior to the LIST of January,
1887 were to be exempted.
OLNEY'S NOTIFICATIONS.
On June IL, 1896, Secretary olney &C
cepted this challenge, but with most i'm
portant IN odificationS. since accedcd to
providing that the commission should he
amended by adding another member, so
tIuI II HI ust Etdtil ii i'Suit, anu diSb Pi
vided edthatthecommission should havepower
to decide the boundary question, subject
to the equities of each particular case OF
actual settlers tsince limited to fifty years
of undisturbed occupationp.
Nowhere after tins date does Venezuela
appear in the negotiations as a principal
or as having right to select an arbitrator.
In support of the idea that the treaty Is TO
be between Great Britain and the United
States, the latter acting as Venezuelas
friend, it is pointed out that If the formal
assent of the republic is required 10 any
protocol on the boundary question, it could
not he obtained under most favorable con-
tiitions till Ion. after the administration of
President Cleveland Will have expired by
limitation.
The constitution ~ Venezuela requires all
treaties to be ratified by vote OF both
houses of the legislature in joint session.
The legislature of Venezuela does not con-
vene in regular session till February next.
Even If an extra session were called 1t
would take five weeks notice to get it to-
gether