The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-11
UNCLE SANS COMMISSION.
1t Will Formulate No Decision at
Present-SaIisbury's Concession.

WASHlNGTON, Nov. 10.-The venezuela
commission met to-day before the an
nouncement was made that an arbitration
treaty had been agreed on. There was a
general discussion of the boundary dis
pute in the light of Lord 'Salisbury's an
nouncement, and it was decided that the
commission practically should suspend it's
labors, aside from putting. into form docu-
ments already gathered, and that the fol-
lowing official statement should be given to
| the public:
'The statement of Lord Salisbury as
| reported in the morning papers. makes it
probable that the boundary dispute now
pending between Great Britain and Ven
| eZuela will be settled by arbitration at an
| early day. Under these circumstances the
| commission, while continuing its deiibera-
uons In the preparation and orderly ar
| rangement of many valuable maps. reports
and documents which have been procured
| ana used in the course of its labors. does
not propose to formulate any decision for
the present of the matters subject TO its
examination. 1t will continue its sessions
from time to time, but with the hope and
| expectation that friendly and just settle
| ment or all pending differences between the
| nations interested will make any final de-
| cision on it's part unnecessary"
Secretary Olney refused to make any
statement whatever touching the boundary
| dispute, but it is known that certain de-
| tails yet remain TO be adjusted before the
4 II
| accomplished fact. Moreover, it must be
borne in mind that any such treaty. be-
fore becoming effective, must be submitted
to the United States Senate for it's approx
| al and this at least involves a delay of
weeks, aside from the possibility of amend
| ments. AS by common understanding the
| limitations to be placed upon the arbitra-
| ton in the consideration of vested British
ciaimS nave been agreed upon, il is prob
| able the more important OF the details re-
naming 10 be adjusted relate to the per-
sonnel of the arbitration commission and
| particularly TO the means to be adopted TO
| give effect to the decision. The latter al
| ways has proved a difficult phase in the
| negotiation of arbitration treaties and may
be expected to require especially delicate
| handling in a controversy involving the
! fortunes OF many individuals as we'll as
| important corporate interests and the ma
| tionality of subjects.
| From the Venezuelan standpoint the
| hnal agreement for any kind of arbitra ton
| Is in itself a distinct victory. Venezuela
| has asked arbitration for forty years
| Great Britain's reply has always been uni
| form. name iy-that, while arbitration was
desired, yet the settled districts. which
| were not open to arbitration. BY Lord
Salisburys statement last night. the arbi-
tratlon will proceed on acceptance of the
| old common law rule of prescription
The understanding here is that the entire
| Venezuela-Guiana boundary will be thrown
! open to arbitration, it remaining for Great
/
| been occupied by her subjects so long,
| peacefully. uninterruptedly and publicly as
| TO make a conclusive territorial presump-
| ton. The country which it is understood
| this will open to arbitration embraces all
| or the vast tract west of the Essequibo
| river including the Orinoco river on both
| banks and at the mouth. and the stretch
| Of land on either side; also, the Barima
| country, in which are located the god
| the country. East of the Essequibo river
| lies the British colony of Demarara, with
its capital, Georgetown, and lesser settle
| east of the Essequibo is, from the Vene-
| Zuelan standpoint, about the only territory
| to which the doctrine of prescription, or
| long-continued possession applies There
| are scattered English settlements in the in
| terror. and 10 them, il is said. it will be a
| question of fact before arbitrators TO de-
| termine whether the British occupancy has
| been open and notorious for a long term
of years.
| Lord Salsbury's acceptance of this COM
| mon law doctrine of prescription as applica-
| BILE to an international dispute is said to be
| i'm line with the views laid down by inter-
national writer's. who have differed only as
| to the length of occupancy essential to es-
| tablish title. Most of our States have
adopted from ten to twenty years. The
| original English rule was that the occu-
| pancy should be so long that 1.-The memory
of man runneth not TO the contrary" The
! international writers have fixed twenty,
| thirty, and, in some cases. high one
| hundred years as the period necessary to
establish title. No international writer has
| placed the period below twenty years.
| Among diplomats tx is felt that the efforts
| of the Venezuela commission have not been
| in vain. 1t is regarded as the moral force
| which has helped toward the present re-
| suit Moreover. the commission has accu-
| muated a mass of evidence bearing direct
| ly on the facts of British occupancy. which
| is now the test of settlement. The fullness
| of this information gained by the commits
| sion leads to some general comment as to
the probable choice of Justice Brewer or
| others of the commission as arbitrators,
| but this Is purely speculative Mr. Freder-
| ick r. Coudert, member of the commis-
| sion said to-day that it would be much
| better for the boundary to be determined
| by arbitration than by a decision of the
commission. The report of the commission
| however If 1t should be made. would be or
much value in determining the matter in
! dispute Mr. Coudert when asked concern
| ing the subject of the statutes of limta-
| tions referred to in Lord Salisbury's ad-
| dress. said that the statement was not SUI
| ficientIy definite to enable any one to say
| what length of time would be fixed as CIV
| ing a good title. He was of opinion that
| the circumstances of individual cases Will
be taken into consideration. Mr.. Coudert
| expressed the opinion that moral as well as
| bitration. When asked If the commission
| had been apprised beforehand concerning
/ the announcement that would be made in
| the Guild Hall speech. Mr.. Coudert SAID he
| had no prior information that Lord Sails
| bury was to make the announcement of the
| near approach of the settlement or the dis
| pute.
| COMMENT OF THE PRESS.