Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-03-05
VENEZUELA COMMISSION REPORT.
COngratulates the World on the
Stride Toward Arbitration.


Washington, Feb. 28.-The report of the
committee appointed by the president TO
determine the true divisional line between
Venezuela and British Guiana. though a
voluminous document, lacks the interest
which might have attached to 1t owing to
the fact that the committee did not make
report of the boundary question, leaving
that to be determined by arbitration. de-
cided upon between the countries most in
terested-Great Britain and Venezuela.
The report speaks of the difficulty 1t en-
countered at the outset on account of the
novelty of the work to be taken, because
the commission had no precedent to guide
it, and as its results were a matter of
deepest Importance especial reference is
made to the evident desire on the part OF
the two governments directly concerned to
aid the commission in its investigation.
Every call for information or documents
was promptly responded to. Eulogi3tic
words spoken of Individual citizens of this
country for proffering and furnishing
books and pamphlets or other documents
in their possession which might seem to
have aided in reaching the ultimate de-
termination of problems they had 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 specially
interested, which treaty was brought
about by active efforts of this govern
ment our own work has been terminated,
the commission has been a factor of no
inconsiderable Importance in the solution
of the problem. 1t may be inappropriate
for us to enter into any discussion of the
action of congress In authorizing its crea-
ton, and yet it may not be amiss to notice
that at that time there had been devel-
oped and was existing no little bitterness
of feeling between the people of Great
Britain and the United States. The ap-
pointment of the commission. though it
had no absolute power of determining the
question at issue, was accepted as afford
ing means for a full investigation of the
question in dispute and for the ascertain
ment by gentlemen impartial and 1isin-
terested of facts respecting the contro-
verted boundary. The general belief that
full disclosure of the facts in respect to
this troublesome question would open the
way to some peaceful solution of the dis
pute promptly allayed apprehensions of
war, and all waited until this commission
should have completed its examination.
Not only was this apprehension of con-
f1ict allayed, but each nation seemed to
feel that the creation of the commission
was equivalent to an invitation to two
contesting nations to appear before the
bar of public opinion and make each its
showing as to the merits of its claim.
sit is not strange that under this :nfltl-
ence each nation proceeded not merely to
state its contentious, but to examine Vari-
Gus repositories of evidence in Spain, !Hol-
land, Rome, London, Georgetown and Ca
| racas for proof of facts to sustain such
| contentious; and many volumes of orig.
| inal matter taken from these repositories
which since the appointment of the com
| mission have been printed, have thrown 6
| flood of light upon the question. More
| than that, as each nation has made thus
| Independently its examination of histor
| ical and other facts, 1t would seem cacf
| has become impressed with the conviction
| that the question is one of such nature a:
| to justify reference to an arbitral tri
| bunal, that there is no such absolute GER
| tainty of right on the part of either as Il
| justify a mere forcible assertion thereof
| and the question is really one calling TO
| judicial examination and determination
A wise and just view of the case is tina
the commission has been a potent facto
inn bringing two nations into consent t,
submit matter in dispute to an arbitra
| tribunal. We are not blind to tie fac
| that the air today is full of arbitration
| as the just and proper way to settle inter
national disputes, and we can but hop
that this commission has helped to tn
consummation of such a happy result
generally as well as in respect to this par
ticular dispute"