The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-02-22
BREAKERS AHEAD
FOR VENEZUELA
Feeling Of Apprehension Per-
vades Capital City Air.
PRESIDENT as DICTATOR
Castro Government Growing Ia Un-
popularity-New York Asphalt Com
pany Prepared to Defend It's Prop
erty by Ibrce of Arms.

popuiarity-New York Asphalt COM
pany Prepared to Defend It's Prop
erty by Ibrce of Arms.
PoRT OF SPAIN, Island of Trinidad,
Feb. lo.-A correspondent of tho Asso-
ciated Press has just returned from a
ten days stay in Caracas. Venezuela,
where he went to investigate the VeIs.
zuelan situation. The outlook at tho
Venezuelan capital is not good. There
is feeling Of apprehension III the air.
The Castro government becomes more
unpopular, and hostility to it is talked
rather freely. and tho substantial and
solvent people OF the community CON.
denim tho governments attitude toward
the New York and Bermudez Asphalt
company
The New York and Bermudez com.
pany, the correspondent is informed, Is
quietly gathering u strong force of we'll
armed and well drilled men at the pitch
lake. These men are under the com
mand OF Major Rafferty,. formerly of
the Seventy -tirSt New York, n brave
and efficient officer. They will resist
all encroachment, whether made by
governments or revolutionary troops
The United States Sunboa Scorpion has
been ordered to the pitch lake, with or
ders not to allow the company To be dis.
possessed prior to tho conclusion OF the
judicial investigation OF tho c.:sS now
being made in Washington.
The Judiciary Build, ED.
The Venezuelan government is cndea-
yorlng III every possible way TO persuade
the rich Bermudez company to resort
to the tribunals. The refusal of the
company to adopt that course is based
upon the knowledge that i'll Venezuela
the president or dictator changes the
judges in o night and impvisons them
II they do not give the Judgments they
are hidden to give The corrcSDuudent
talked with five diplomats in Caracas
They all asserted that the United
States government had acted with great
prudence aad with n degree OF forbear.
nnce which almost ceased TO be Il vir.
tue. They spoke highly OF the skill and
tacG with which Minister Loomis has
met the situation.
The Diplomatic sido os this business
is most important and Interesting. The
United States, after receiving all the
legal records and fac:s i'll the contro-
versy with the Venezuelan governments,
decided TO make a thorough invostiSa
tion and sent for complete set of laws
of Venezuela, some 16 volumes. Pend.
ing the outcome of this Investigation,
they asked the Venezuelan government,
as matter of courtesy between friendly
nations, to kindly suspend the operation
of the decree dispossessing tho New
York Bermudez company till an investi.
CATION can be made. The Venezuelan
government declined to do this. The
request was repeated and again refused.
1t was then made third time, III an
emphatic manner, by Mr.. Francis B.
Loomis; i'll fact, i5 was put as q sort OF
vigorous demand the third time but the |
result was the same. Then protest
was made, and that was ignored by the |
Castro government, though it had ample |
power and authority to meet any or all |
of these demands if it saw fit.
Other Outrages.
The trouble over the asphalt is only
one of large number of incidents in
which the Venezuelan government has
recently been guilty Of grave offense to
the government OF the United States.
Three months ago the consular agent of
the United States at Barcelona was
thrust into prison without cause. The |
United States government demanded an
apology, but has not yet received it. a
year earlier the same consul was nr. |
rested and threatened with torture il
he did not pay large sum Of money to
local military officials
few months ago German mer. |
chant at Barcelona was tortured by Off.
cials there for tho purpose OF eXtorting |
money from him. The German govern.
ment sent n cruiser there at once and got
satisfaction and kept the vessel four
months in Venezuelan waters.
The Italians have had men of.war in |
Venezuelan waters most of tie time for
q year.
Last year the American consul at
Laguara was attacked aud his life |
threatened. Tho United States govern.
ment has never received satisfactory
reparation for that.