The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-03
TO BE AN INDEPENDENT BODY
ITS PROCEEDINGS NOT TO BE IN
FLUENCED BY SECRETARY OLNEY.
Gossip About the Taking OF Evidence
and Possible Visits to Europe
and the Disputed Territory.

the time and place of its meetings, and de-
termining for itself whether or not it shall
visit foreign countries; what class of evil
dence may be taken into consideration, and
how interested governments may be rep
resented before the tribunal. This indie
pendence of action is deemed necessary to
secure to the commissions findings that de-
gree of weight and respect among nations
that can be attained only through knowl-
edge that the body is free from any re-
straint or obligation 20 the United States
government, which has created 1t. Our gov
eminent will occupy the status Of an exact
neutral in the proceedings. The State De-
partment will lend such assistance as may
be required to facilitate the work of the
commission in procuring transportation for
it on a United States war ship, If that is
desired, aud in supplying 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 Venezuelan case, nor will it even en-
deavor to Offset any evidence that leads to-
wards the British contention. Therefore,
the various suggestions that have been
made to the department by individuals in
this country as to where evidence can be
secured have been ignored. Such matter is
regarded as proper for the consideration of
the commission, but it is not for the State
Department. 1t is pointed out that in this
attitude the department is exactly consist
ent with its course in the past: From the
beginning of the negotiations with Great
Britain touching the Venezuelan boundary
the United States government has express
ly refrained from committing itself to
recognition of the justice of venezuela's
claim, and has limited itself strictly to
the contention that this was proper matter
for settlement by arbitration. Moreover.
the attitude which the department has as
sumed towards the commission itself is re-
garded as a sufficient negative to the as
sumption in Europe that the United States
government proposed constituting itself the
arbitrator in this dispute for the commits
sion will be as independent of the United
States government as it will be Of any
other government.
MAY MEET SATURDAY.
The present expectation is that the first
meeting of the Venezuelan boundary COM
mission will be held at the State Depart
ment next Saturday. All the members of
the body, with the exception of Commits
be here by that time. The latter will not
reach the city before Tuesday, and there is
a possibility the first meeting may be de-
ferred until that day, though this is not
likely. There are a number of questions
arising in connection with the work of the
body, such as the selection of quarters,
etc, besides other preliminary matters not
affecting vitality the questions at issue, that
be passed on by the majority of the
commissioners. The members have not yet
received their commissions and hence it is
not positively known who will be the chair
man, although the presumption is that
Justice Brewer, having been the first named,
will have that honor Justice Brewer has
heretofore met his fellow-commissioner
and he is anxious that the work which the
commission was appointed TO perform be
commenced at as early date as practi-
cable.
What needs to be determined first by the
commission, the Justice thinks, is a dis
tinct and definite understanding of just
what facts are desired, and the body can
then so ahead and prosecute it's work in
tellgently. He realizes what an effect
the commissioners will have, what their
significance will be, and how they must
carry conviction. The investigation, he says,
must be thorough one or none ar all.
Justice Brewer called on President Cleve-
land to-day and thanked him for the honor
conferred upon him. Mr.. Brewer also had
Earlier in the day, in response to in
quiries, Mr.. Brewer said that while he
could not speak with full information, yet
he had no doubt the sessions of the COM
mission would be held in Washington as
ii was the most accessible point, and. more
over, much of the documentary evidence,
maps, ETC., which would initiate the inquiry
We're to be found here. For the present
the Justice will continue his work on the
Supreme Bench, as it is felt that the pre-
liminaries of organization and the assemb-
in Of no
present month, leaving the more serious
work of examination by the commission to
Court takes a months recess. This will
permit the Justice to hear pending cases,
and thereafter give his exclusive time to
the commission. If however, the commits
sion's labors begin earlier than anticipated,
Mr.. Brewer is ready, at any time, to join
his associates
MAY GO ABROAD.
Justice Brewer, when asked if the COM
mission was likely to go abroad to pursue
its investigation, said it might be that the
State Department had prepared certain fea-
lures of evidence regarded as essential and
which would serve as groundwork for the
investigation. In hat event. doubtless, this
would be gone over, and then the commits
sion would determine what further steps
were required to ascertain the facts. 1t
might be that Venezuela and England
would be asked TO present their respective
cases. Certainly. in a question of this
character there would be the desire for the
fullest information from all available
sources. When this documentary evil
dence was all in hand, the question
might then arise as to the desirability OF
verifying certain features of it by a per-
sonal inspection Of the originals of the
documents in the archives OF SPAIN Hol-
land or other countries. This would involve
a trip abroad, and there was the possibility
that ii might become desirable personally
to view the locality Of contention along the
Guiana-Venezuela line. Justice Brewer il
Illustrated this by referring to some of the
boundary contests over Mexican lard
grants, a number OF which have been de-
cided by him. including the Maxwell land
grant case The Justice says he has not
given thought to the executive staff OF the
commission, and as yet no names have been
tors, both In Spanish and Dutch, as dis
tinguished from German, will be required
to examine the originals of the old Spanish
and Dutch grants, on which the respective
claims are based. The Justice does not feel
that the appearance of his name at the
head of the list announced confers upon
him any suggestion that he will initiate
the work of the body. as the commission it.
self may select its chairman.
Minister Andrade, of Venezuela, notified
his government by cable to-day OF the ap-
pointment of the Venezuelan commission
The case OF Venezuela Is ready to present
at any time, although the Venezuelan an
thorities VIII take no steps toward offering
evidence until the rules governing the COM
mission are announced. So far as Is known.