The herald., 1896-01-03
Will Not Be Restricted by Tech.
nieaIitieS
THE GOVERNMENT WILL AID
But Will Occupy q Status Of Strict
Neutrality
The New York Chamber Of Commerce Passes
Resolution Earnestly Deprecating
War and Asking Arbitratlen
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2.-It 10 authorits.
lively stated on behalf of the administra-
ton that the Venezuelan commission will
be absolute master of its own procedure.
fixing the time and place of it's meetings
and determining for itself whether or not
1t shall visit foreign countries. what class
of evidence may be taken into considers
ton. and how interested governments may
be represented before the tribunal.
This independence of action 10 deemed
necessary to secure to the commission's
findings that degree of weight and respect
among other nations that can be attained
only through the knowledge that the body n
free from any restraint or obligation 10 the
United States government. Our govern
ment will occupy a status of exact neutral
ity in the proceedings.
The state department will lend such ~
sistance as may be required to facilitate
the work of the commission in procuring
transportation for it on q United States
warship, if that is desired, and in supply
ing any records in it's possession that may
be called for. But it will not allow itself
to be placed in the position of taking sides
as to the merits of the controversy between
Great Britain and Venezuela; it will not
undertake to present the Venezuela case,
nor will it even endeavor to Offset
any evidence that leans towards the Brit
ish contention. Therefore the various sug-
gestions that have been made to the de-
partment by individuals in this country as
to where evidence can be secured have
been ignored. Such matter is regs 7ded as
proper for the consideration of the COM
minis htIt ia ,ot for ft,a otofn dnv~n NJ
ment. 1t is pointed out that in this atti-
tude the department is exactly consistent
with the course in the past. From the be-
ginning of the negotiations with Great Brit
ain touching the Venezuelan boundary, the
United States government has expressly
refrained from committing itself to a recog-
milton of the justice of Venezuela's claim
and has limited itself strictly to the conren-
tion that there was proper matter for set
Element by arbitration. Moreover, the at.
titude which the department has assumed
toward the commission itself is regarded
in Europe that the United States govern
ment proposes constituting itself the arhi-
traitor in this dispute, for the comnii son
will be as Independent of the United stare,
government as it will be of any other gov
ernmeut.
Justice Brewer, who heads the Venezu-
elan commission, was seen at his residence
today by a representative of the Associated
Press. The justice he'd not received official
notification of his appointment, and in the
absence of this he was in some doubt as to
his course in accepting the unofficial an
nouncement and communicating with the
executive authorities. Until this is done he
is loath to discuss the commissions plans.
In response to inquiries Mr.. Brewer said
he had no doubt the sessions of the COM
mission would be held in Washington, a.
it was the most accessible point and, more
over, much of the documentary evidence,
maps, etc., which would initiate the in
quiry, were here. For the present the
inaries of the organization and the as-
sembling of evidence may continue through
the present month, iet wing the more seri-
GUS work of examination by the commia.