Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-23
WAITS ON SALISBURY
Acceptance of smalley's Proposal for Set
tlement with Venezuela.
TENTATIVELY ENDORSED BY THE TIMES
Thunderer Gives Its Tacit Approval to the
Suggestion from New York.
PREMIER MAY BE FORCED TO CONSENT
Pressure Within His Cabinet is Becoming
Strong and Direct
PREMIER MAY Be FORCED TO CONSENT
OUTSIDE AFFAIRS TANGLED UP AGAIN
OLD world Complications ana Conn
binntions Look BAD for Great
Britnin-Cccil Rhodes Still
a Dangerous Factor.

copyright. 1896. by Press Publishing Company
LONDON, Feb. 22.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram)-The PROPOSE
tion communicated to the London Times of
last Tuesday by its correspondent. Mr.. Small
ley, cabling from Washington, is practically
declared by him to be that Of President
Cleveland and his cabinet. 1T is neither
the proposal of the Times he says, NOR
mine. The plan which l sketched is one
which this Ghe Amerlcan) government is
ready to propose officially as soon as 1t has
reason to believe IL would be accepted by
the British government, or to accept at once
IL proposed by that government"
There being no denial of any sort that Mr..
Smalley spoke with authority on this point,
the proposition is accepted here as the Of
fetal, II informal, statement of the United
States government for the settlement of the
Venezuelan controversy. 1t has. as the press
dispatches doubtlessly have reported, been
accepted by the Times as satisfactory to Great
Britain, except, as at first understood here,
II did not admit the Salisbury contention of
last summer--that arbitration should not ex-
tend TO the districts settled by British citi-
zens. But after Mr.. Smalley had cabled and
the Times had accepted his assurance that
the Washington government was willing to
consent to preliminary agreement by nego-
taion upon some definition of settled dis
tricts, and upon some definite rule in ac-
cordance with which all questions relating to
such districts should be determined" other
cable dispatches have reported that the World
and other New York newspapers opposed this
concession on the part of the Washington gov
ernmeDt In yesterdays letter. quoting the
Worlds editorial probably Of Thursday morn
ing, Mr.. Smaley says: II need not remind
the readers of the Times that the New York
World has always been opposed to jingoism.
1t is now. 1t urges in the same article that
to forbid Venezuela to concsde the British
claim, or any part Of 1t, is not an accept
ance but a denial, of arbitration" The
Times has this morning no further communi-
cation from Mr.. Smalley, nor editorial refer
ence to the subject.
HOLDS TO IT'S TENABILITY.
am told that the statement of the
British case which Sir Frederick Pollack has
been asslduously preparing, will be issued on
Monday. The (Tory) Standard declares that
1.-The government regards the British case as
historically unassailabe, although the Dip
lomatic aspect Of the matter is by no means
free from confusion
The London press, possibly from jealousy
OF the Times, has had very little to say on
such an important proposition, made through
the medium of it's correspondent, except that
the QiberaD Chronicle says this morning:
I'VE need not assume that the American
proposal has in its entirety been rejected by
Lord Salisbury, but our present information
is that matters have reached a less hope
full and final stage than is in some quarters
assumed. Indeed, we are not sure that
any decisive action will be taken by our own
government until after the report of the
present commission. II that report were
favorable to the British claim our govern
ment would be inclined to say that the case
was ended and that the only further step
to be taken was for America to bring pres
sure to bear on Venezuela. But it is un-
likely that the commission can come to
any authoritative conclusion. It's report is
likely to be delayed and to bring us peril
ously near to that great rock ahead-the
American electons-while this question,
fraught as II Is with nnumerable dangers
Is left open.'
The Times, believe, opposes Mr. Smalley's
plan for speedy action or decision by Lord
Salisbury and deprecates anything like haste
1t add the suggestion that all the negotia-
tiOns be transferred to Sir Julian Pauncefote
and the Washington government, so that in
default of any direct diplomatic relations
between Great Britain and Venezuela, the
Venezuelan minister to the United States
may be on hand in case of need.
As to the Chronicles statement above
quoted. ! recall to you that the Worlds
cables for some weeks back have iterated
the fact, which ] have had on substantial
authority, that the prime minister has been
obstinate in his opposition to any conces-
son or, indeed, to any retrocession, barring
the necessarily abandoned Schomburgk line,
from his reply to Secretary oney.
l have today further confirmation which
all goes to explain the almost about face OF
the Times this week from its previously rigid
sustentation of the attitude Of Lord Salisbury
inspired by him Heretofore.
CHAMBERLAIN AND BALFoUR.
II may he that the present conservative
advice Of Mr.. Balfour and Mr., Chamber
lain has proved more potent than the reac-
tionary obstnacy of their chief. | have shown
you how difficult the prime minister is to
move when persuaded Of his own view Of
any question. how little he exposes him
self, indeed. to outside counsel, and how
caamitous has frequently been his bad judg-
ment to England, as Just now illustrated by
the bloody failure of his Armenian policy
dating back to the treaty OF Berlin. My
present confirmation is the statement made
yesterday by former cabinet minister, than
whom no man in Great Britain is better in
formed on American affairs. or upon whose
statement Of facts more reliance would be
placed. | cannot name him, but | give his
remarks textually:
"Balfour and Chamberlain would jump at
proposal for Joint commission, and George
curzcn, the under secretary Of the foreign
Office, is OF the same way OF thinking, but
Salisbury Is supreme in his own department
Being premier In addition to being foreign
minister. there Is no one to call him to account
In the government. His cabinet policy has
always been to give his colleagues q free