New-York tribune., 1901-09-05
WORKING FOR PEACE.
orrFR OF MEDIATION TO VENEZUELA
AND COLOMBIA.
-4us GOVERNMENT AWAITING FURTHER
nrvELOPNENTS-COLOM PUTS THE
BLAME ON CASTRO.
LEV The Associated Press.l


rBy The Associated Fress.l
,,..,,np+on. Sept. 4-The action of the United
- ,n rendering its good Offices TO Venezuela
= Colombia 70 avert war between those
tries mas not yet advanced TO point where
..ts government has begun the work of medi-
- II has signifed its willingness TO act, but
, nil remain for the TWO countries to indicate
hon the time has arrived for actual mediation
Colombia already has made known that she will
.lcorne the exercise Of the pacific offices of the
rrited States. In this acceptance it is under
..ood that Colombia denies that she has invaded
--,szrela and places the burden of the issue
:, President Castro in person, as against the
soav NJ the Venezuelan people. The response of
-,.,ezuela is understood 10 be less definite in
...enttng the good Offices of the United States
r. the Dresent therefore, IL is not expected
Aa- the United States viii take further active
.ens although its tender stands as clear init
.,stion to the contending parties that the United
s..tes is likely to take such action as is neces-
.,rv 70 avert war. The Colombian Minister. DR..
guva and the Venezuelan Charge d'Affaires
rso- Pulido left Washington for Buffalo in the
D.,-Arrerican party to-day, which seems TO in
s,,ste that no immediate crisis is expected.
ACCEPTABLE TO SOUTH AMERICA
The note Of the United States Offering media
-, has created an unusual stir in South Amer
,,.n 6iplolratic quarters, as il is construed TO
~ a rather marked development Of the Monroe
T,oc+rine and one which will be most acceptable
10 South America
The Colombian Government viii make an
srnnhatic reioinder 10 the official statement Of
Venezuela that bodies Of Colombian troops have
baen crossing the Venezuelan frontier and fore
,,q war on that country Although the terms OF
the replv have not been made public, ii will
chow, IN substance that the attitude Of Colom-
bia has been one Of forbearance. that Colombian
troops on the frontier are there for the legiti-
mate purpose Of protecting the border. and that
snv crossing Of the line has been by detached
hands without the approval of the federal gov
ernnent Against Venezuela's assertions that
colonnbia is forcing war il is likely be pointed
ou+ that Colombia has remained silent while
Venezuela has received the Colombian insur-
gent leader General Uribe-Uribe, at Caracas,
and that President Castro and Uribe-Uribe have
held conferences on their mutual plans
URIBE-URIBEs CLEVER RUSE.
II has Just been disclosed that General Uribe-
Tribe made q statement at the Colombian Le-
CATION IN this city TO the effect that the revo-
lutionary movement Of which he is the head
had the support Of Venezuela. Ecuador and
Nicaragua. The statement was made while ne
gotiations for the surrender Of the revolutonists
were pending The negotiations with Tribe
Tribe closed, it is authoritatively stated. with
an agreement Of surrender, but the Colombian
authorities are now satisfied that this was
clever ruse on his part by which his agents Sc
cured passports through Colombia and went on
an ostensible peace mission whereas their real
purpose was to act as spies and revolutionary
propagandists.
Nail adVices from Venezuela which reached
the State Department to-day contain report
from Minister Bowen. dated at Caracas about
the middle Of August on the conditions under
which Mr. Russell. the United States Charge
dAfaires. undertook the custody of the Colom-
bian Legation al Caracas. II appears from Mr.
Bowers account that the Colombian Minister
left Caracas not because Of q breach Of rela-
lions between Venezuela and Colombia but 10
get into closer relations with his govern
ment, having found it difficult TO communicate
with that government from Caracas. Mr.. Rus
sell was requested by the Withdrawing minister
10 assume charge of the legation premises-not
10 undertake to look after the business Of the
legation. The Venezuelan Government was ad-
Vised Of this request, and, making no objec-
uon' Mr.. Russell took the keys OF the Colom-
bian Legation
the long note from the Venezuelan Government
addressed TO the world large, through the
diplomatic representatives al Caracas, the sub
stance OF which has been made public in cable
dispatches II is believed here that there is
nothing In this note 10 make war between the
two countries unavoidable. Mr.. Bowen makes
no comment of his own the political condi-
tons in Venezuela.
SITUATION ON THE ISTHMUS.
Mail advices received at the State Department
from Consul-General Gudger, at Panama. throw
light the situation on the isthmus in the lat
ter part OF August On August 23 the consul
general reported that the bands opposed TO the
Colombian Government had been committing
oepredatiOns on Chinese merchants on the rail-
road between Colon and Panama, and that their
losses amounted 10 thousands Of dollars. As the
Chinese the isthmus are. in the absence Of
United States Consul Mr.. Gudger printed no
tice Of that fact in the principal newspapers,
and requested that the depredations on these
people be discontinued. He says, however, that
the notice had effect and that. while other
. cipal losers, although he has done all in his
power TO secure just treatment for them To
this end he had used his good offices with the
Colombian Government and not with the in
surgents
Under date Of August 26 the consul-general
reports that an insurgent band had appeared at
chama, about twenty miles from Panama, and
that the government was strengthening Its
forces in that city. The news that a United
States Warship was being sent TO Panama had a
good effect Il currently reported that the
Liberals had given strict orders TO their follow
ers not 10 damage the railway or interfere With
traffic.