The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-18
LOOMS MAKES A DENIAL
MINISTER TO VENEZUELA SAYS
CASTRO ISN'T A BAD FELLOW
AFTER ALL
AND He IS CERTAINLY BOSS
Meanwhile AHdrade LIS Paid to Be
In Curacao Plotting a RevoIu-
ton Against the
Dictator.

NEW YORK, April 7-Frank B.
Loomis, United States minister to Vene-
zuela, spent last night in quarantine with
the rest Of the passengers on the Red d
liner Caracas, on which he came from
Porto Rico. On disembarking today Mr.
LOOMS drove at once to the hotel Yicto-
ria. where he will be CHARTERED until the
end Of the present week. when he goes to
Washington to report to the state depart
ment and President Mckinley. He gives
positive disclaimer to the authorship of
the San Juan interviews, in which he was
made to say some severely critical things
about President Castro, and AYERS that an
injustice has been done hiiEc IN this re-
spect- To an Associated Press reporter
who met him at quarantine today, Mr..
Loomis said:
~ did not say any Of the unpleasant
things that have been attributed to me
ABOUT President Castro curing my stay al
San Juan or anywhere else. The TACT Is,
l ike Mr.. Castro very much. L was IN
teryieWeu at san JUAN but It was more
pleasant chat than anything else. There
were other passengers aboard and pres
ent, who said some unkind things, but L
certainly did not. l cannot understand
how the criticisms were put in my mouth
unless the views of the passengers a1lud-
ed to were made mine. l am quoted as
saying that President Castro drew but
81, 900 year salary, yet had made SZ,UO0,-
COO in two years Now, L do not even
know positively that the president gets
the salary named, and knew nothing or
any money he has made.
I must also deny that l said he plotted
to secure my recall or removal.
Il cannot discuss the recent diplomatic
incident with Venezuela. There are sew
eral points in connection with 1t that I
will report on to the department, and nat
urally they are quite confidential. may
say, however. that the preliminary steps
ca7~1 Of rHoe2 halt
case have been taken in the Venezuelan
courts. That is precisely where our gov
eminent wished the dispute to go. We
insisted that the dispute be submitted for
adjudication without prejudice and car
ried our point. I do not say that our gov
eminent does not reserve the right TO
intervene If justice is not done, but we
want the matter passed upon by the
courts. There was some feeling at the
height of the inc dent but it has subs ded,
and our relations at the present time are
quite satisfactory. [ cannot say how long
it viii take to reach a decision in the
asphalt cases; l presume the law has its
delays in Venezuela as elsewhere.
CASTRO IS BOSS.
President Castro seems to have the
country quite under control. A cOnStitu-
final convention, the eleventh they have
had. l believe, has just adjourned, and
there is to be an election in the autumn
1t is quite certain that Castro VIII be
elected president and inaugurated next
spring. The constitutional convention
has changed the tenure Of the
president from four to six years. An
drade, 1 am told, is at Curacao, and 1
feel that the report is true, for there is
generally colony of VeneZuelans there
thinking of home and anxious to improve
the political condition. am told Andrads
plans an expedition to Venezuela, but l
dc not anticipate any trouble for some
months.
'-Venezuelans who have discussed An
drade with me say that while he is well
informed, rather able and quite broad
minded, he is lacking in strength and toe
kind-hearted to make a successful ruler
They say that another leader, a younger
man. will be brought forward to oppose
President Castro. However, of all these
matters, have no personal knowledge
and am merely telling you what Venezue-
lanS say.
THE Barcelona incident, in which our
consular agent was twice arrested By
local officials in an attempt to extort
money from him, has been practically
closed, and in manner quite satisfactory
to US. Our government directed me to
demand an apology and the fullest repa-
ration. Just before leaving 1 was given
assurance that the fullest amends VIII be
made. believe that the assurances given
me will be carried out.
Il do not expect to return to Venezuela
for at least five months. Four years IN
the tropics have left me in need OF
change and rest; my physician says
Carlsbad, and I am going to Ivy and get
leave for trip to Europe"