Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-12
Executive Mansion, January H. 1897.
Swcden's Sovereign VIII Help TO Set
tie the Venezuelan Matter.


tie the Venezuelan Matter.
WASHINGTON, Jan. lit is expected
that the final draft of the treaty be-
tween Venezuela and Great Britain for
the submission of the Venezuelan bound
AIRY dispute to arbitration will be made
some time this month, and mailed promptly
to Caracas, The general outlines of the treaty
have been agreed upon and outlined to The
satisfaction of the United States, Great
Britain and Venezuela, and have been evil
denced in an agreement between the two
nations first named, but ii was necessary
to elaborate these in a general treaty be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela. Progress
is making on these details, and an important
step has been gained in the formal assent
OF King Oscar of Sweden to act as the final
arbitrator in this as well as in the general
arbitration court.
The principal efforts of Sir Julian Paunce-
fote and Senior Andrade are now directed
toward the completion of the treaty in season
to admit of its being laid before the Vene-
Zuelan congress as soon as it convenes. Under
conditions this date would be February
20, but 1t is as good as settled that Presi-
dent Crespo, taking advantage OF the law
which permits the legal sixty days session
to be extended twenty days will advance
the date of meeting by that number OF
days, and the congress Will assemble Feb
ruary /. In this case, if the treaty is to
be submitted at the opening of the session, it
must be dispatched from Washington not
much later than the 2Oth inst, 80 that only
ten days are available to close up the nego-
tiatiOns.
Just what points remain to be adjusted
cannot be learned at present, but II is known
they do not touch questions of vital i'm
portance, but relate to details, important, but
not likely to give rise to serious controversy.
1t can be stated for one thing, that Vene-
Zuela has accepted that provision of the
agreement between the United States and
Great Britain which leaves to those two
countries the selection of the arbltratOrs.
Some difficulty was expected to be encoun-
tered on this point, but apparently Venc-
zuela is content to rest her case In the hands
OF the United States, leaving II TO the dis
cretion Of the United States supreme court
to name either citizens Of the United States
or Venezuela, or even OF third country, as
the arbitrators. 1t is possible ,lat some un-
derstanding on this point has already been
reached between Senor Andrade and Secre-
tary Olney, but II is not possible to con-
firm this view though II gains color from
the frequent conferences, even as late as to-
day. between the secretary, Chief Justice
Fuller and Mr.. StorrOw, attorney for the
Venezuelan government.
The Intervention OF the United States 10
adjust the dispute has had one result not
foreseen nor contemplated at the time, viz:
The drawing closer together OF the two
great representatives Of the Enslish-Gpeaking
standing effected in consiGueaGe OF their
races. As a result OF the mutual under
negotiations over VeneZuelB the United
states and Great Britain at this time prob
ably are more nearly in accord in their
diplomatic relations than ever before in our
history and II Is expected that the result will
bo an agreement on a great scheme of arbi-
tration Of all disputes between the two ma
tlons save thcGe In which national honor Is
involved II Is probable also that closely
following the eOnsummation Of the agree
ment as to the Venezuelan boundary dispute
there will be a resumption OF the diplomatic
relations between Venezuela and Great
Britain, which have been severed for some
years as the result OF this dispute and that
the United States viii be the intermediary
in bringing this about. The selection OF
King Oscar OF Sweden as the final arbitrator
was announced exclusively by the Associated
press, as has every important phase Of the
dispute. His selection Is regarded 90 =
fortunate one because Of the high regard
In which he is held