Evening journal., 1896-02-20
THE JOINT COMMISSION
For the Adjustment of Anglo
American Disputes.
LAST OF THE VENEZUELA TROUBLE

~Ho Sohtfof"fAJ AiAotichiiI ocebAeus Tx
oePt the Final Detans--rhe London
Times Says General Arbitration Has No
Terrors For England.
LONDON, Feb. 20.- "A Washington dis
patch 10 The Times, with reference to the
editorial in that paper, which was cabled
70 the United States, says, 1T Is agreed
here that the governments would only be
bound by majority OF the original mem
bers OF the joint Venezuelan commission" "
The Times editorial referred to express
I'd the conviction that a proviso to this eff
feet would have to go with the plan for
the appointment Of joint commission.
With reference TO the growing agitation
In America in favor OF a board Of interna-
tional arbitration. the Washington dis
patch to The Times says: "The movement
here will lend strength TO the movement
In England and Lord Salisbury will snd
himself face TO face with an organized ef-
fort, we'll led and formidably supported,
with unusual means Of securing such at
tention and support as will enable Presi-
dent Cleveland to renew aud press his pro-
posal All this might die peaoeably away
II Lord Salisbury consented to the com
plete arbitration of the Venezuelan dis
pute. Otherwise he Is likely TO find him
self confronted with the necessity of say
ing yes or no 10 some such scheme as
that now pigeonholed in Downing street.
He knows well that the American exec
utiye will welcome any good occasion TO
revive his plan. He will see that that plan,
backed by the executive alone, is one
thing, but backed by both houses Of con-
gress and strong public sentiment, is an
other, and a harder to put aside. 1t rests
with Lord Salisbury TO choose between a
guarded, guaranteed arbitration confined
TO Venezuela or an unlimited arbitration,
opening the doors to infinite mischief in
the future"
Comments Of the Times.
In an editorial commenting on the fore
going The Times contends that the meth
cd Of procedure now suggested does not
favor a rapid disposal Of the disputed ques-
ton, hut would rather deal with a detail
ed investigation of different districts,
which would be work Of time. "As to
an acceptance of the general principles, "
the editorial continues, "the regular course
would probably be that the United States
should formulate them for the considera-
ton Of the queens government which
cannot be blamed for waiting for some
more authoritative presentation than has
yet been made. Nothing Is more harmful
than to assume more exact and defined
agreement than really exists. What Is
wanted now Is an exact understanding as
basis for the conditions on which an ar
bitratiou ought 10 proceed. On the other
hand, it is not necessary TO wait until we
can formally ratify an agreement on the
whole question.
lit is highly probable that II the pro-
posal for a joint commission were official
ly submitted England would accept forth
with with little or no modification. This
would save time and would draw the two
governments closer.
sit Is quite mistake to imagine, as
they seem to do in Washington, that gen
eral arbitration has any terrors for the
British government Mr.. A. J. Balfour's
recent remarks I'm parliament ought TO dis
pose of that idea. But general arbitration
could never any more than partially In
duce either England or the United States
to forego the right Of sovereign states To
define by negotiation the case to be sub
mitted to the arbitrators.
A letter to The Times from Georgetown,
British Guiana, says that II IS understood
thae as an outcome of an official visit to
the frontier in the Uruan district, begin
ming In February, an important dispatch
has boen sent TO Colonial Secretary Cham
berlain The British residents, Il is fur
ther said, are cooperating with Consul
Patterson in collecting data for his gov
ernment on the boundary question.