The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-08

A Talk with Our Former minister PIenipo.
t~enttary, Mr.. Allen Thomas.

Mr.. Allen Thomas, lato Minister plenlpo-
tontiary OF the United States to Venezuela, who
arrlyed In New York OH Tuesday, in talkins
Of Venezuela yesterday said:
Tho general condition of Venezuela to-day,
In political MS we'll as commercial matters, Is
comparatively quiet, Commerce Is suffering
from n depression which, to all Appearances, 10
increasing. Tho principal causes OF this do.
preston are the short crops in tho last two
seasons and the decline in tho price Of coffee.
Trade naturally Is small and exchange is high.
Like othor moro prctentious people, the voncz
uolans lay the blame of all this on their Govern.
mont. An election is approaching and many
arc trying to take advantage of il. These pco.
pie are chiefly mnlcontents, and they arc on.
deavoring to create an atmosphere Of dissat
i~sfaction.
President Crespo q short while ago published
q notice offering amnesty to oil political Of
fenders. and a FREQ and fair election. He has
tho reputation among those who know him
best OF keeping his word and of being n fear
les, bis-hearted man. Ho is backed UP by a
well-armed and fairly organized army. Ihard.
ly think another revolution Is likely, as the peo-
ple have had enough of them and have nevor
derived any great benefit from them. Senior
,Andridc,, Governor of the State Of Miranda,
y the leading candidate in the coming cleo
Should he tri0mph Hn he Viii sfinn make M,n a 90 very e,eS Soos
President, as he has all the qualifications neces-
sary for the office.
Tho prevailing opinion In this country In r-
gard TO the people of Venezuela seems to be
that they do not amount TO much. That Is
wrong, completely wrong, and is due chiefly to
several reckless writer's, who have given tho i'm
preston that the VeneZuelans arc not educated
and no. accusy Oued to our advanced state Of
civilization. Tho majority Of the people In
Caracas are as enlightened as New Workers.
They arc accomplished l~inguists, and in their
knowledge OF foreign matters would put to
Shame many of those who SO readily %criticlse
them. The President's. Cabinet Is composed of
alle mon. notably the Minister Of Foreign Az
fairs. who 10 as well-informod and painstaking
q patriot as any other Minister of q foreign
Government.
II am afraid that oil the coffee that we now
receive from Venezuela will go to Europe after
many will receive it, Us she does already most
Of the other products Of South America. We
have neglected Venezuela. and seem slow in
finding out the richness of that country.
Caribbean Sea and. shut out tho cultivated
helds are a great hipdrance to but
for which Venezuela would DO one OF the finest
countries in the world. Tho land is most fertile
anc produces two ana sometimes three crops u
year. The climate is n question OF altitude.
Mr.. Clevelsnd's message concerning the dis
puted boundary line, created no end of excite.
lnent, and much gratitude was expressed toward
the United States Government. The night the
message reached Caracas, q delegation of 700
collected In the square. Hours were passed
cheering the United States Government, and
the brass bands played Americn patriotic airs
during tho entire night.
honorably adjusted. 1t would hardly be
proper for me to dwen on the subject, save to
say, that l have every confidence that tho claims
OF Venezuela will be indicated"