The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-01-21
INVITATIONS EXTENDED
To England and Venezuela by the
Venezuelan Commission.
THEIR EVIDENCE is SOLICITED.

Should the Governments Send Representa-
tives TO Present Their Claims to the Dis
puted Territory Our Commissioners VIII
be "GratefuI for such Evidence of Good
WILL"
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2t-The Venezuelan
commission has invited the governments
of Great Britain and Of Venezuela to sub
init to it all of the evidence in their pos
session to further the work of the com
mission, to be represented before it by at
torneys, and all of this with the reserva-
tion that such representation and appear
ance shall not be deemed an abandonment
OF any rights or position heretofore as
sumed 1t has done this in order that the
proceedings of the commission may not be
said to be ex parte, that the truth may APP
pear, and that time may be saved in the
Inquiry with which the commission is
charged.
The invitation goes in the shape of a
letter to Secretary Olney, who has 'Iade
response, saying that be has transmitted
copy of the commissions views to the two
governments concerned. The letter to
Secretary Olney, which is signed by Presi-
dent Brewer, was drawn up at the meet
ing held on "Wednesday, Jan. 10, and is in
part as follows:
ut must have suggested itself to you, as
it no doubt has to the president, that this
commission bears only remote resem-
blance to those tribunals of an interna-
tional character of which we have had
several examples in the past. They were
constituted by or with the consent of
the disputants themselves, and We're au-
thorized by the parties Immediately con
cerned to pronounce II final Judgment.
Their functions were, therefore, confined
to the exercise of judicial powers, and they
might fairly expect to reach result sat
isfactory to their own consciences, while
1t commanded the respect of those whose
interests were directly involved.
"The present commission, neither by
the mode of its appointment nor by the
nature Of its duties may be said to be left
60 tribunals of this character Whatever
may be the conclusion reached no terri
torial ACKNOWLEDGMENT, nor material gain
In HrY form, can accrue to the United
States. The sole concern of our govern
lnent is the peaceful solution of a contro
versy between two friendly. powers, for the
Just and hoSorable settlement of the title
to disputed territory, and the protection of
the United States against any fresh acqui-
sitions In our hemisphere on the part Of
any European state.
''It has seemed proper TO the commits
sion, under these circumstances, to sug
gest to you the expediency of call lg the
attention of the governments of Great
Britain and Venezuela to the appoint
ment of the commission, and explaining
both its nature and object 1t may be
that they will see a way, entirely consis
81 ,,I
propriety, to give the commission the aid
that 1t is no doubt in theirpower TO furnish
in the way of documentary proof. If either
should deem it appropriate to designate
an agent or attorney, whose duty it would
be to see chat no such proofs were omitted
or overlooked the commission would be
grateful for such evidence of good will,
and for the valuable results which would
be likely to follow therefrom
"Any act of either government in the
direction here suggested might be accom-
panied by an express reservation as to her
claims and should not be deemed to be an
Abandonment or impairment, of any po-
sition heretofore expressed. The purposes
of the pending investigation are certainly
hostile to none, nor can it be of advantage
to any that the machinery devised by the
government of the United States to secure
the desired information should fail in its
purpose"
The secretary's reply was short and
formal, merely an acknowledgement of
the receipt of the letter and statement
that he had caused copies of it to be sent
to the British and Venezuelan govern
ments. 1t cannot be said that the COM
mission is confident of favorable re-
sponse from both parties to the boundary
controversy, although the courteous terms
in which the suggestion is couched, and
the wide latitude of reservation permitted
each party leads to the natural hope that
1t will be accepted.
Meanwhile the commission will proceed
on the original line of inquiry, which
7 promises to be a slow and difficult task
trusting to the abridgement of the pro
ceedings later on by the production of evi
dence by both parties, and the appearance
of attorneys, when the proceedings may al
S once take on the form of a judicial trial
+ and the attainment of a conclusion be cor
: respondngly hastened
The first business at yesterdays meet
ing was the selection of officers, and first
y of these chosen was S. Malet- Provost, sec
b retary of the commission. Mr.. Whitmore,
r of Ithaca N. Y, was selected as one of the
| stenographers, and Walter Moulthrop, OF
the District of Columbia, was appointed q
messenger. A few other appointments
will be made hereafter as the need for fur