Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-11-19
H YET SIGNED.
The Protocol of the Proposed vene-
zuelan Treaty
Still eubsee to Emeadation-A Continuous
Exchange of Gable Messages Being
Kept Up on Matters of Fetal be-
tween Washington and london.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE fact that
the protocol of the proposed Venezue-
Ian treaty of arbitration has not yet
been signed is made manifest by many
signs to-day. There has been con-
tinuous exchange of cable messages
on matters of detail between this city
and London. But that some general
principle of agreement has been de-
termined upon is undoubted as has
repeatedly been stated in these dis
patches. The question of whether or
not Venezuela is party to the agree
ment appears to be settled by the Off
cial correspondence and by collateral
facts When Secretary Olney on be-
half of Venezuela made his first
peremptory demand on Great
Britain for arbitration, Lord
Salisbury, after long delay, re-
sponded with two vigorous letters
One of them attacked the Monroe doc
trine, claiming that Mr.. Olney was
stretching it too far. The other at
tackled the Venezuelan demands, as
sorting that they were exOrbltant.
Then President Cleveland sent in to
congress his famous Christmas mes
sage, and Lord Salisbury, on May %
last, wrote to Sir Julian PauncefOte,
accepting for the first time the princi-
plies of arbitration, but only in par
tial form, and combining it to Great
Britain and the United States. He
asks Sir Julian to submit this PROPOSE
tion ito the government of the United
States, acting as the friend of Vene-
zuela in this matter"
sion to be created by agreement be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States to be composed of two British
subjects and two citizens of the United
states to investigate and report upon
the facts, without referring to infer
ences, but the finding of the commits
sion to be binding upon both govern
ments. In this letter he distinctly
specified the United States, and not
Venezuela, as the party of the second
part; but still there was con-
tanned proposition in Lord Sails
bury's letter to Sir Julian which
seemed to imply some necessity
for consent on the part of Venezuela,
inasmuch as it was provided that on the
report of the commission being issued,
the two governments of Great Britain
and Venezuela should ''endeavor to
agree to a boundary line" and failing
agreement, there should be arbitra-
tion by three, one of Great Britain, one
by Venezuela, and they to select a
third, with proviso that all settle
ments of British subjects prior to the
first of January, 1887, were to be ex.
empted.
On June 12, 1896, Secretary Olney &C.
cepted this challenge, but with most
important notifications, since acceded
to, providing that the commission
should be amended by adding another
member, so that it must reach a result,
and also provided that the commission
should have power to decide the
boundary question subject to the equi-
ties of each particular case of actual
settlers (since limited to so years of
undisturbed occupation).
Nowhere after this date doesi Veen-
zuela appear in the negotiations as a
principal or as having right to Sc
Icct an arbitrator.
In support of the idea that the
treaty is to be between Great Britain
and the United States, the latter act
ing as Venezuelas friend, it is pointed
out that if the formal assent of that
republic is required to any protocol on
:he boundary question, it could not
be obtained under the most favorable
considerations till long after the ad-
ministration of President Cleveland
will have expired by limitation
The constitution of Venezuela re-
quires 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
to be called it would take a five-weeks'
notice to get it together. Under the
usual methods of procedure, in Latin
American countries the summer of 1897
would be well advanced before the leg.
lslature would be ready to begin to
consider the question.