Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-01
THE VENEZUELAN REPORT.
to the boundary Ques-
his.ion Claims Cred
flor the Treaty

|
,,..,,l,.;s'5n, Feb. 2S-The report of the
dotanro,,sH appointed by the president to
T,,,an,1a,i the true divisional line between
,.ol',a;ra and British Guiana, though a
,,,,,,n,, ,ous document, lacks the interest
49,. ~ .aight have been attached to 1t, ow-
| ,,s,,a s y. Ihe fact that the commission did not
inn's,a 4 report on the boundary question,
trat,tg that to be determined by the arbi-
| ernr3n, decided upon between the two gov
andAsnts most Interested, Great Britain
diffs Venezuela. The report speaks of the
| aclculty 1t encountered at the outset on
fafount of the novelty of the work to be
ceken, because the commission had no pre-
afdent to guide it, and as its results were
| r. matter of deepest importance, especial
| reference Is made to the evident desire on
khs part Of the two governments directly
concerned to aid in its investigation. Every
! call for information or documents was
promptly responded to.
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 especially
Interested, which treaty was brought about
by the active efforts of this government,
our own work has been terminated the
commission has been a factor of no incon-
siderable Importance In the solution of the
problem? 1t may be inappropriate for us
to enter into any defense of the action of
congress in authorizing. Its creation, and
yet it ina may not. not be lar amiss to notice that at
Of feeling between the people of
Great Britain and of the United States;
talk of war was abundant, and the busi-
ness interests of both nations were af-
fected prejudicially by the possibilities of
conflict. The appointment of the commits
sion, though 1t had no absolute power of
determining the question at issue, was ac-
certed as affording means for a full in
vestigation of the question in dispute, and
for an ascertainment, by gentlemen i'm
partial and disinterested. of the facts re-
specting the controverted boundary. The
general belief that q full disclosure of the
facts in respect to this troublesome ques-
ton would open the way to some peace
full solution of the dispute promptly al
layed the iapprehensions ,of war and all
waited until this commission should have
completed its examination. Not only was
this apprehension of conflict ailayed, but
alton of the commission was equivalent to
an invitation to the woicontesting nations
to appear before the bar of public opinion
and make each its showing as to the mer-
under the, influence Of this. each nation
proceeded not merely to state. its conten-
TONS but to examine the various deposit
tories Of evidence in Spain. Holland. Rome,
London, Georgetown and Caracas for proof
of facts to sustain such contentious; and
many volumes Of original matter taken
from these repositories. which, since the
appointment of the commission, have been
thinted, have thrown flood of light upon
ann has made thus independently It's ex-
woutation of historical and other facts, 1t
pressl seem that each has become i'm
Hon isl with the conviction that the ques-
sbenceA tberc Il ito to an M @arbitrai tribunal: that
on the no such absolute certainty of right
forcihleipart of either as to justify more
auestion assertion thereof, and that the
a'Ss5"n taud defeyrntnatiou A wise and