The record-union., 1897-03-01
Though Lacking the Interest Which
First Attached to It.
Vast Amount of Evidence
Which Throws a Flood of Light on
the Subject, But the Commission
flakes No Report on the Boundary
Line, That Being Left to the Arbi-
tratiOn Board to Determine.
Accumulate a Vast Amount of Evil

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-The report
of the Commissioners appointed by the
President to determine the true divis-
ional line between Venezuela and Brit
ish Guiana, though a voluminous docu-
ment, lacks the interest which might
have attached to It, owing to the fact
that the commission did not make a re-
port of the boundary question, leaving
that to be determined by the arbitra-
ton decided upon between the two
countries most interested Great Britain
and Venezuela.
The report speaks of the difficulty it
encountered at the outset on account
of the novelty of the work to be taken
because the commission had no prece-
dent to guide it, and as its results We're
a matter of deepest Importance, espe
cial reference is made to the evident
desire on the part of the two Govern
ments directly concerned to aid the
commission in its investigation. Every
call for information or documents was
promptly responded to. The eulogistic
words spoken of the individual citizens
of this country for proffering and fur
nishing books and papers or other doc
seem to have aided in reaching an
ultimate determination of the problems
they have before them are many
In conclusion the report says: May
We not properly advert to the fact that
while in consequence of the recent
treaty between the two nations special
ly interested, which was brought about
by the active demand of this Govern
ment, our own work has been termin-
ated, the commission has been a factor
of no inconsiderable Importance in the
solution of the problem. 1t may be in
appropriate for us to enter into any
defense of the action of Congress in au-
thorizlng its creation, and yet it may
not be amiSs to notice that at that time
there had been developed and was ex-
listing no little bitterness of feeling
between the people of Great Britain
and of the United States. Talk of war
was abundaasknsn the business inter-
ests of both nations were affected pre-
judicially by the possibility of con-
flict.
''The commission, while it had no alb
solute power of determining the ques-
ton at issue, was accepted as affording
a means for an ascertainment by gem
tlemen impartial and disinterested of
the facts respecting the controverted
boundary. The general belief that a
full disclosure of the facts in respect to
this troublesome question would open
the way to some peaceful solution of
the dispute promptly allayed the appre-
tensions Of war, and all waited until
this commission should have completed
its examination. Not only was this
apprehension of conflict allayed, but
each nation seemed to feel that the
creation of the commission was equiva-
lent to an invitation to the two con-
testing nations to appear before the
bar of public opinion and make each
its showing as to the merits of It's
claim.
TT is not strange that under the in
fuence of this each nation proceeded
not merely to state its contentious. but
to examine the various repositories
of evidence in Spain, Holland. Rome,
London. Georgetown and Caracas for
proof of facts to sustain such conten-
tions, and many volumes of original
matter taken from these repositories,
which since the appointment of the
commission have been printed, have
thrown a flood of light upon the ques-
ton. More than this, as each nation
has made thus Independently it's exam
ination of historical and other facts, it
would appear that each has become
impressed with the conviction that the
question is one of such nature as to
justify reference to an arbitration
tribunal; that there is no such abso-
lutte certainty of right on the part of
either as to justify a more forcible as
sertiOn thereof and the question
is really one calling for judicial exam
ination and determination.
"A wise and just view of the case
is that the commission has been a po-
tent factor in bringing the two nations
into a consent to submit the matter in
dispute to an arhtral tribunal Wa
are not blind to the fact that the air to-
day is full of arbitration as just and
proper way to settle international dis
putes, and we cannot but hope that
this commission has helped to the con-
summation of such a happy result gem
orally as well SIS in respect to this par
ticular dispute"