Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-02-21
ARE READY TO FIGHT.
The Asphalt Company 1Ias Small Arm,
at Iitcn Lake, Venezuela.

The Asphalt Company 1Ias q Small Army
at ritcn Lake, Venezuela.
Port of Spain. Island of Trinidad
Tuesday Feb. 5.-(Correspondence o
the Associated Press.)-The CORE
spondent of the Associated Press ha:
lust returned from ten days stay iI
Caracas, Venezuela, where he went u
Investigate the Venezuelan situation
The outlook is not good. There is a
feeling of apprehension i'm the air. The
Castro government becomes more un-
popular. Hostility to it is talked rath.
er freely and the substantial ana
solvent people condemn the govern.
ment's attitude toward the New 1orh
and Bermudez Asphalt company.
Ready to Fight.
The company, the correspondent Il:
informed, is quietly gathering strong
force of We'll armed and we'll drilled
men at Pitch lake, under command o.,
Major Rafferty,, formerly of the Sew.
enty-first New York regiment, a brave
all entertainments whether made by
the government or revolutionary
troops. The United States gunboal
Scorpion has been ordered to pitch
lake with orders not to allow the com.
pany to be dispossessed prior to the
conclusion of the judicial Investigation
which is now being made in Washing.
ton.
The Venezuelan government is en-,
deavoring in every possible way to
persuade the company to resort to this
tribunals. The refusal OF the company
to adopt that course is based upon the
| knowledge that in Venezuela the presi
| dent or dictator changes the judges II
| night and imprisons them IL they do
not give the judgments they are bid
| den to give.
The Associated Press correspondent
talked with five diplomats in Caracas
They all asserted that the United
States government had acted will
| prudence and with a degree of forbear
ance that almost ceased to be virtue
They spoke highly of the skill ane
tact with which Minister Loomis me
delicate and difficult situation.
The Diplomatic Phase.
The displomatic side of this business
is most important and interesting. Tn
United States, after receiving all tn
legal records and facts in the contro
4 versy between the Venezuelan govern
ment directed its minister to make
thorough Investigation, and sent for
complete set of the laws of Venezuela
some sixteen volumes. Pending Tn
outcome of this Investigation the
asked the Venezuelan government a
matter of courtesy between friendl
nations, to kindly suspend the opel
alton of the decree dispossessing TIL
New York and BermudeZ company ii
an investigation could be made. Th
the Venezuelan government declined
do. The request was repeated, an
again refused. 1t was a third time
an emphatic manner by Minister Loo
mis-; in fact 1t was put IS sort {
vigorous demand the third time, BIT
the result was the same. Then n pro
test was made and that was ignore
by the Castro government, though
had ample power to meet any or all
these demands If 1t saw fit.
ono of Many Orensc..
The trouble over the asphalt Is on
one of a large number of incidents
which the Venezuelan government HI
recently been guilty of grave offens
toward the government Of the Cnitt
states Three months ago a consul;
agent of the United States at BARGE
ona was thrust into prison witho,
cause. The United States governme
demanded an apology but has not y
received any. A year earlier the san
consul was arrested and threaten'
with torture II he did not pay lar
sunl OF money to local military o
flcials A few months ago Germ;
merchant at Barcelona was tortured
officials there for the purpose of e
torting money from him. The Germ;
government sent a cruiser there
once and got satisfaction and kept Z
vessels four months in Venezuelan w
tiers. The Italians have had men
war in Venezuelan watcrs most of t
time for a year. Last year the Anne
lean consul at Laguayrn was attack
and his life threatened. The Unit
States government has never receiv
|, satisfactory reparation for that.