Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-11-13
WILL ARBITRATE,.
The Venezuelan Dispute Certain
Of Speedy Settlement.
TERMS OF TREATY BEING ARRANGED.
Its Basis Has Already Been Agreed Upon,
anu Is Considered to BE a Concession
by Great Britain-Commission to
BE Chosen.


of the Venezuelan dispute is settled
fact. All arrangements have been COM
pleted and all details of the arbitra-
ton treaty between the United States
and Great Britain arranged. The final
terms of the treaty of arbitration were
arranged in this city Monday night,
The terms were cabled to London and
have been accepted. The treaty
does not include a general treaty
of arbitration of all future dis
putes between the two great Eng
disappearing nations. This treaty
ia to be arranged later by future ne
gotiations. The Venezuelan arbitration
commission will consist of five arbi-
traitors, two to be named by the United
States, two by Great Britain and these,
four to select the fifth arbitrator.
Venezuela will not be directly repre-
scented in the commission.
Basis of the Treaty.
The proposed treaty will include with
in it's provisions method of arbitrating
the boundary line between Venezuela
and British Guiana. The exact terms
Of this important convention are not
yet definitely settled-far less signed.
On the contrary, verbal changes are
continually being suggested and agreed
upon or modified by cable messages be-
tween the plenipotentiaries and the
British foreign office. But that the es-
sential basis of the treaty has been
agreed upon is made clear in the cor
respondence which Secretary Olney
felt justified in making public after
Lord Salisbury's significant speech at
the London mansion house Monday
night. The basis agreed on is that i'll
the Settled districts" term of so years
of undisputed residence shall be con-
sidered as giving the right to posses
sion.
Distinct Concession.
The acceptance of this condition by
Great Britain is regarded as distinct
concession, inasmuch as it brings under
the award of the arbitration tribunal
(Which is to consist of five distinguished
persons not citizens of any American
Etate) all the districts which have been
settled since the celebrated Schom-
burgk line was drawn in 1910.
1t may take some days further to
arrange details as to time and place of
meeting of the tribunal and as to the
selection of the arbitrator, but there
is every reason to believe that the pres
ident may be able to announce to con-
gress when it meets in December next
the signing of the preliminary protocol
and to submit it to the senate for rati-
fcation.
That this is a strong probability is
made clear by the announcement au-
thorized by the Venezuelan committee
Tuesday afternoon that it will suspend,
the preparation of it's report for the
present, but will proceed with the COM
pilation of the important data it has
collected.
The term of occupancy necessary to
exempt British settlement in the dis
puted territory from arbitration is fixed
at 60 years, according to additional cor
respondence on the subject which mas
Just been discovered. In other words,
the British government has agreed to
unrestricted arbitration of all the ter
ritory in dispute with the period for
the acquisition of title by prescription
fixed by agreement of the parties in adj
vance at 60 years.
Secretary Olney refused to make any
statement whatever touching the
boundary dispute, but it is known that
certain details yet remain to be ad-
justed before the arbitration treaty can
be regarded as an accomplished fact.
Moreover, it must be borne in mind
that any such treaty, before becoming
effective, must be submitted to the
United States senate for it's approval,
and this at least involves delay of
weeks, aside from the possibility Of
amendments.
Victory for Venezuela.
From the Venezuelan standpoint, the
final agreement for any kind of arbitra-
ton is in itself distinct victory. Vene-
zuela has asked arbitration for 40 years.
Great Britain's reply always has been
uniformly, viz: That while arbitra-
ton was desired, yet the settled dis
tricts, which were regarded as "sov-
ereign British SOIL" were not open to
arbitration. By Lord Salisbury's state
ment Monday night the arbitration will
proceed on acceptance of the old COM
mon law rule of prescription" The
understanding here is that the entire
Venezuelan boundary will be thrown
open. to arbitration, it remaining for
Great Britain to show that certain por-
tons have been occupied by her sub
1ects SO long, peacefully, uninterrupted
" and publicly, as to make conclu-
sive territorial presumption.
The Country In Dispute.
1.-THE country which 1t is understood this
will open to arbitration embraces all of tho
vast tract west of the Esquibo river includ-
the mouth and the stretch of land on either
side; also the Barima country, in which are
located the gold fields, the most valuable
resources of the country. East of the Es-
GUIDO river lies the British colony of DEM
srara, with its capital. Georgetown, and
This portion east of the Esqubo is. from
the Venezuelan standpoint about the only
territory to which the doctrine Of pre-
scription, or long-continued possession. APP
plies There are scattered English settle
ments in the interior, and to them, 1t is
arbitrator. to determine whether the Brit
ish occupancy has been open and notorious
for q long term of years.l
Bankers Predict Prosperity.
Atlanta, Ca, Nov. 11.-Capt. R. J.
Lowery, president of the American
Bankers association. Is deluged with
letters from bankers In all parts of the
nnion, predicting renewal of business.
Alabama Legislature Meets.