Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-02


Unusual. However-GOssip Con
cerning the Commission and it's
Probable Action-The British For
eiqn Once Expected to Present
it's Case.
Washington, January No commu-
n.caGon or suggestion Of any kind re-
garding the Venezuelan dispute has
come to the United States from Great
Britain since Lord sal.sbury's answer
to Secretary Olney and the question
stands entirely on the correspondence
uD to that time and the subsequent
acton of Congress. This dlsposes o.
several reports, including one t1al queen
Victoria has addressed personal CON-
mun.caGOn. similar I'm tone TO the one
sent by the Prince of Wales, expressing
the hope that the TWO Enslish-spe2hlAg
DsoDle would have no serious d-iier-
ences Such q direct communication
would be according TO the usage Oo-
served between the heads OF nations
but in the present case. Her Majesty Aas
given no expression on the SUBJECT. 1t
IS known. however, that President Cres-
DO has sent direct message 10 the eA-
ecuEve branch Of the United States.
Among officials and the representa-
t.vas of the foreign powers Interested
il is said no steps are contemplated Ior
the present beyond the formation OF tAe
Venezuelan commission. In unofficial
quarters the names of Messrs. Phelps,
| Lincoln and Brewer are most heard I'D
connection with the commission. ne
expectation is that the commission VIII
convene very soon after the names are
/ announced. select their secretaries,
translators. interpreters and executive
| officers and determine upon their course
! of procedure. There IS 100000 avail
/ able for expenses under the act creating
the body. A good part Of this Will be
expended i'm the salaries of the commits
! si0ners. which viii be commensurate
with their station and the Importance
of the work involved, except in the case
Of an official like Justice Brewer, al
ready holding q government position.
The policy which the commission will
adopt is being awaited with much inter
est by those most concerned. The act
makes the commission Independent Of
| the State Department and
ALL EXECUTIVE CONTROL,
so that It viii De for the body itself 10
decide on the method Of procedure and
whether It viii 90 abroad to search for
eign archives. Doubtless in such
matter the wishes OF the President and
Secretary of State would have much
/ weight. yet the commission is an inda-
| pendent Quasj-judicial body, which is
/ responsible for its own actions. Some
/ OF the international authorities say that
even the evidence TO be offered by he
State Department Will have the same
/ weight and treatment and no more, as
/ the evidence coming from other sources,
as g is pointed ont that the commission
viii not prejudice the case by assuming
| the correctness Of the attitude Of the
State Department.
On tie part of Great Britain there
| IS q growing imUress'o I'm nfio.ol quar-
tcls chst indirect participation ia the
work Of the commits son Will be secured.
The British attitude of ,a-e has been
/ favorable to an investigation by the
United States OF tle b9ais of The British
claims. for + fs fef fhqt -be fnouirv
had besn OK psr-a IN to -ba time Of
the action DIV Congress. There was
good reason TO believe when the commits
sion was first proposed tdat Great Brit
ain would not recognize stand might
rake oficnse at its creation. But the
names Of the mon mentioned as likely
constitute It. has changed this feeling
until the present .nocation is that The
Br.-ishWiG nc, be aveIsa to establishing
before such body The rights which
Lord Salisbury stated TO be incontest-
'b.e. This may not be done by direct
a2peanncs before the commission, but
/ by One submission of the British case
i'm response to the wishes of the COM
mission conveyed through Secretary Oh